Anna Astwood is a passionate advocate, educator, and survivor dedicated to ending teen dating violence. She co-founded Love Doesn’t Hurt Inc., a nonprofit committed to helping adolescents understand what healthy love looks like. With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master’s in Counsellor Education, Anna served as a high school counsellor for over a decade, guiding at-risk teens and leading mentoring programs. Her own survival of sexual assault at 12 and years of teen relationship abuse fuels her mission. Today, she uses her lived experience and professional expertise to empower young people with the tools to set boundaries, recognize red flags, and seek healing. Anna believes vulnerability is strength and that by rewriting our stories, we reclaim the power stolen from us.

What if your story—no matter how painful—could help others heal?

On this episode of the Healing Through Love Podcast, we sit down with Anna Astwood, a woman whose early years were marked by trauma, silence, and survival. At age 12, Anna was sexually assaulted, and in high school, she endured over two years in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. For a long time, she didn’t speak about it—until writing and counselling gave her the courage to begin healing.

Anna went on to earn her Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Counsellor Education. As a high school counsellor for over a decade, she worked with at-risk teens, led mentoring programs, and offered support to students facing trauma. But it was her decision to share her story that truly transformed her purpose.

She co-founded Love Doesn’t Hurt Inc., a nonprofit focused on teen relationship education, empowerment, and advocacy. In this episode, Anna shares how her experiences shaped her mission, why early intervention matters, and how parents, teachers, and communities can better support youth navigating toxic relationships.

This is more than an episode—it’s a call to awareness and action. Anna’s courage in turning her pain into purpose is a reminder that healing is always possible, and that no one is ever truly alone.

🎧 Listen, share, and take the next step toward empowering the next generation through healthy love.

📌 Three Key Takeaways

1. How to identify early signs of teen dating violence and emotional abuse
2. The power of sharing your story in healing personal and generational trauma
3. How education and support can shift culture and protect future generations

Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

• The podcast ‘Healing Through Love’ aims to increase awareness of domestic and family violence and empower survivors.
• Host Sharlene Lynch introduces the guest, Anna Astwood, who is a co-founder and co-president of Love Doesn’t Hurt Inc.
• Anna Astwood has a background in psychology and counselling and has spent over a decade as a high school counsellor.
• Anna is a survivor of sexual assault and teenage dating violence and is passionate about ending teen dating violence. 

Approach to Educating Teens About Healthy Relationships

• Anna Astwood uses her connections as a former school counsellor to enter schools and deliver presentations to students.
• Presentations are given in classrooms or large groups, and students are actively engaged, often sharing personal experiences.
• Anna runs community groups and neighbourhood sessions to reach more students.
• The approach includes both prevention work and support for survivors and perpetrators. 

Teaching Self-Esteem and Boundaries to Young Children

• Anna created a curriculum for elementary school kids (third to fifth grade) to address self-esteem and boundary issues early.
• The curriculum includes activities and discussions about personal boundaries, comfort levels, and self-advocacy.
• The goal is to empower children to speak up for themselves and recognize unhealthy behaviours. 

Incorporating Relationship Education into School Curriculums

• Schools incorporate relationship education in various ways, including assemblies, elective classes, and parent nights.
• The approach varies by school, and Anna has to be creative in fitting these discussions into already heavy curriculums.
• Challenges include the current climate making it difficult to have these discussions in some schools. 

Using Activities and Art to Engage Young Children

• Anna uses activity-based learning with young children, including art and colouring, to engage them.
• Studies show that using art helps children open up and feel more comfortable.
• The curriculum addresses normalized but unhealthy behaviours often seen in media and modelled by adults. 

Teaching the Cycle of Abuse

• Anna teaches the cycle of abuse using a graphic with four phases: calm, grooming, abuse, and honeymoon.
• The cycle is explained in detail to help students recognize and understand abusive patterns.
• Anna emphasizes the importance of teaching this cycle to prevent students from falling into similar patterns. 

Creating a Common Language for Discussing Abuse

• The discussion touches on the need for a common language to help children recognize and discuss abuse.
• Anna believes that equipping kids with knowledge and fostering judgment-free communication with parents can help.
• The goal is to make children aware of abusive cycles so they can make different choices. 

Challenges in Implementing Relationship Education in Schools

• Anna faces resistance in some areas where schools are not accepting of this type of material.
• Statistics on teenage death, rape, and suicide are used to emphasize the importance of these discussions.
• Anna suggests that sometimes reaching out to international schools or different regions may be necessary. 

Final Words of Wisdom

• Anna’s final message emphasizes love and healing, stating ‘Love doesn’t hurt.’
• She encourages increased awareness to prevent and heal from abuse.
• Anna thanks the hosts for the platform and looks forward to future opportunities to share her message.

• Anna Astwood uses her connections and community outreach to deliver presentations on teen dating violence and healthy relationships in schools.
• Anna Astwood emphasizes the importance of addressing both survivors and perpetrators of teen dating violence through education and support.
• Anna Astwood advocates for starting self-esteem and boundary-setting education in elementary schools to prevent teen dating violence.
• Anna Astwood discusses the challenges of integrating teen dating violence education into school curriculums and the various methods used to do so.
• Anna Astwood incorporates activities and art into her curriculum to engage young students and help them understand healthy relationships.
• Anna Astwood uses a graphic to explain the cycle of abuse to students, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and breaking free from this cycle.
• Anna Astwood highlights the need for open, non-judgmental communication between parents and children to help prevent teen dating violence.
• Anna Astwood discusses the challenges of getting schools to adopt teen dating violence education and the potential for online teaching as a solution.
• Anna Astwood’s final message emphasizes the importance of love, healing, and awareness in preventing and recovering from domestic violence.