In this deeply personal episode, we explore the ancient roots of human–animal relationships and the extraordinary bond so many of us share with our pets today. From the domestication of dogs and cats thousands of years ago to modern science on attachment, stress reduction, and emotional regulation, we look at why animals often become our safest companions... especially for those who grew up in chaotic or traumatic environments.

I share the story of my own soul dogs, Nala and Shotgun. How they came into my life, how they shaped it, and the profound grief of losing them both within months of each other. Their love was a constant through heartbreak, instability, and some of the darkest moments of my life. Their loss became a turning point I’m only now ready to talk about.

We also explore the psychology of trauma bonding, identity collapse, and why people who are grieving or emotionally untethered can become vulnerable to unhealthy or manipulative relationships. This episode lays the groundwork for the next one, where I will finally begin telling a story I’ve carried silently for three years.

This is an episode about soul-level companionship, the science behind why animals heal us, and how profound grief can shape the choices we make... sometimes in ways we never see coming.

This episode contains discussion of:

• grief and loss of pets
• emotional trauma
• depressive symptoms (including feeling indifferent about living)
• references to past abusive or unhealthy relationships
• trauma bonding dynamics

There are no descriptions of violence in this episode, but sensitive emotional themes are present. Listener discretion is encouraged.

https://www.pedigree.com/dog-care-articles/evolution-pet-ownership?

https://americanpetproducts.org/news/the-american-pet-products-association-appa-releases-2025-state-of-the-industry-report?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9216416/?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10986847/?

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12380019/?

Content Notice:
In this episode, I talk about grief, fractured traditions, trauma memories, and the emotional challenges many of us face during the holidays. If any of these topics feel tender for you, please listen gently and honor your limits.

In this personal episode, Juniper-Quinn explores the complicated, tender reality of the holiday season.. especially for those whose traditions have fractured, shifted, or disappeared altogether. From growing up in two households to navigating trauma anniversaries, she shares how grief, loneliness, expectations, and the weight of family dynamics can turn the “happiest time of the year” into one of the hardest.

Juniper-Quinn talks about Seasonal Affective Disorder, the emotional pressure of holiday culture, and the ways crisis often rises in the quiet spaces between celebrations. She opens up about the Christmas that changed everything, how she rebuilt her holiday life from the ground up, and why this is the first year she finally feels ready to celebrate again.

Along the way, she offers trauma-informed insight, gentle encouragement, and practical ideas for creating your own traditions. Whether that means a cabin in the woods, a beachside retreat, tiny rituals, or the ancient practice of the Rauhnächte.

If you’ve ever spent a holiday alone, struggled with family expectations, or felt out of place in a season built on togetherness, this episode is a soft landing.
A reminder that your pace is valid, your traditions are yours to build, and there is light to be found... even in the darkroom.

https://www.crisistextline.org/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seasonal-affective-disorder#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20sunlight.,learn%20how%20to%20manage%20them.

https://www.school-of-souls.com/blog/the-magic-of-the-rauhnaechte-2024

In this episode of One Big Darkroom, Juniper-Quinn explores how a TV show about hunting monsters became a lifeline for millions.
From LiveJournal threads to convention halls, the Supernatural fandom built a family out of darkness. One grounded in creativity, compassion, and the simple act of carrying on.
Through stories of survival, faith, and fan-born movements like Always Keep Fighting and Random Acts, JQ traces how art can save lives and how we find light in even the darkest rooms.

https://988lifeline.org/

https://www.reddit.com/r/HobbyDrama/comments/iywepl/supernatural_fandom_rise_of_the_supernatural/

https://supernaturalwiki.com/Always_Keep_Fighting?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://fansided.com/2019/09/09/supernatural-fandom-15-seasons-finale/#:~:text=Mystery%20Spot%E2%80%9D).-,Perhaps%20when%20the%20writers%20decided%20to%20have%20more%20fun%20with,continue%20well%20past%20the%20finale.

https://www.meredithlpc.com/blog/mental-health-and-fandom#:~:text=%E2%80%9CFandom%2C%20especially%20one%20like%20Supernatural,with%20our%20own%20internal%20monsters.%E2%80%9D

https://twloha.com/blog/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://variety.com/2015/tv/people-news/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting-depression-suicide-twloha-1201451708/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://randomacts.org/history/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.dailydot.com/irl/supernatural-support-network/

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db509.htm

From ancient Celtic bonfires to the flicker of a midnight movie screen, this episode traces the history of Halloween. Where masks first meant protection, and later, permission.

Juniper-Quinn dives into the roots of Samhain, the birth of costuming, and the way a holiday once built on survival evolved into a celebration of identity and transformation.

But somewhere along the way, freedom got tangled with control. We’ll talk about how society has tried to shape and silence women’s sexuality, and why that control still echoes today.

Then we jump to the ultimate act of rebellion: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. From its strange little theater in London to its cult revival in midnight screenings around the world, Rocky Horror became more than a movie, it became a sanctuary.

Juniper shares her own story of directing and starring in a live shadow-cast production, finding liberation on stage in fishnets and vulnerability, and discovering that performance can heal.

This Halloween, we’re exploring what it means to wear a mask, take it off, and belong... in the dark, in the light, and everywhere in between.

https://www.onedarkroom.com/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Rocky-Horror-Picture-Show

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200618-the-rocky-horror-picture-show-the-film-thats-saved-lives

https://www.oxfam.org/en/ten-harmful-beliefs-perpetuate-violence-against-women-and-girls

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666622723000801#:~:text=The%20forceful%20control%20of%20women's%20sexuality%20can,Gowaty%2C%201992;%20Smuts%2C%201992%2C%201995;%20Gowaty%2C%201996).

https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-halloween

https://www.thehotline.org/

In this episode of One Big Darkroom, Juniper-Quinn explores the fine line between obsession and love, and why dark romance stories like Haunting Adeline and the Netflix series You spark both fascination and controversy. We’ll unpack how fiction twists danger into desire, and why those same patterns become terrifying when they spill into real life.

You’ll also hear the harrowing true story of Samantha Stites, the subject of Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror, and how her case exposes the cracks in our justice system. From romanticized villains to real-world consequences, this episode is about fantasy, reality, and what happens when obsession is mistaken for love.

We’ll close with a look at the justice system itself and what victims actually face when they turn to the courts. We'll also reflect on the importance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Timestamp for information on the justice system: 27:50

Trigger warnings include: stalking, sexual assault, murder, and sensitive sexual content.

https://www.thehotline.org/

https://www.techsafety.org/

https://www.stalkingawareness.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SPARC_StalkngFactSheet_2018_FINAL.pdf

https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles/169592.pdf

https://www.herringdefense.com/how-long-do-criminal-trials-last/#:~:text=A%20case%20could%20be%20resolved,resolved%20in%20the%20United%20States.

https://hdcarlton.com/library/

In this episode, I dive deeper into the tangled roots of how we’re taught to chase love, especially as women. From fairy tales to Sex and the City, I trace how my type (spoiler: it’s the villain) and my savior complex led me into emotionally abusive relationships I didn’t know how to name at the time.

I talk about falling for the idea of fixing people, losing myself in the process, and the wake-up call that pushed me toward something radically different: van life. I share what it looked like to design my escape. From custom safety features to a cross-country build, but also what it felt like to outgrow the dream I thought would save me.

Plus: a chaotic, emotional trip to New York, a flight from hell, and the unexpected magic of meeting a stranger who reminded me how deeply women show up for each other.

Content note: This episode discusses emotional abuse, trauma, and grief.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-high-functioning-alcoholic/201702/the-savior-complex

https://www.thehotline.org/

Pop Culture Mentions:

• Sex and the City (HBO)
• He's Just Not That Into You (2009)
• Moulin Rouge! (Broadway)
• Six the Musical (Broadway)
• Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Broadway)
• Maybe Happy Ending (Broadway)

In this deeply personal first episode, Juniper Quinn opens up about her past relationship marked by emotional and psychological abuse. She shares how the longing for love led her into a toxic engagement, the years she spent trapped in the cycle of manipulation, and the long road to reclaiming safety.

This episode is both a vulnerable retelling and a practical guide. After the story, Juniper walks listeners through the process of filing for an order of protection—what it is, who it’s for, and how to navigate the often overwhelming legal steps involved.

Whether you’re in the midst of something unsafe, years out, or supporting someone who is, this episode is a resource. It’s about naming the harm, breaking the cycle, and knowing your options.

Topics covered:

• The emotional toll of abusive relationships
• Recognizing the cycle of abuse
• Intimate partner violence vs. traditional definitions of domestic violence
• Step-by-step guide to filing for an order of protection
• Legal distinctions and survivor-centered safety planning
• Why some survivors don’t file—and why that’s okay

Trigger warning: This episode discusses emotional abuse, manipulation, and intimate partner violence.

Time stamp for only order of protection information: 12:08

onebigdarkroompod@gmail.com

https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html

https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/identifying-abuse/the-lingo-of-domestic-violence

https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/identifying-abuse/what-is-the-cycle-of-abuse

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10248305/

Welcome to One Big Darkroom – where vulnerability meets resilience, and storytelling becomes a form of survival.

I’m Juniper-Quinn. I’ve lived through the dark—and now I’m dragging it into the light.

In this podcast, we dive into everything from van life and solo travel, to failed Tinder dates and the complex realities of domestic violence. This is a space where safety means more than comfort—it means survival, and sometimes, starting over.

I’m a photographer, a traveler, and a survivor. I’m here to create an open, nonjudgmental space for honest conversations—mine and yours. Through personal stories, hard truths, and the occasional touch of mysticism, we will unlearn the fear, reclaim our power, and grow—not alone, but together.

This isn’t about comfort. It’s about the kind of safety that only comes when you stop hiding. If you’re ready to listen, I’m ready to speak the truth.

onebigdarkroompod@gmail.com

https://www.thehotline.org/get-help/

https://www.thehotline.org/stakeholders/domestic-violence-statistics/