Explore every episode of the podcast Our Whole Childhood with Patrick Teahan
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Are Victims Expected to Do All the Work? | 17 Nov 2025 | 00:24:05 | |
This episode tells the story of Thomas, a survivor who went no contact with his abusive father after a public meltdown at his wedding, and how the world around him quietly blames him for the relationship he didn’t break. From well-meaning coworkers saying “all families have stuff,” to relatives insisting “you’ll have to let it go,” Patrick explores why the burden to forgive and reconnect so often falls on the person who was hurt, not the person who caused the harm. Learn how survivors like Thomas are pressured to “be the bigger person,” while abusers avoid accountability, and how to stop carrying that emotional labor yourself. Topics include:
If you’ve ever been told to reconcile with someone who never took responsibility for the pain they caused, this episode offers validation, and a new way forward. Keywords: family estrangement, toxic parents, no contact healing, emotional abuse recovery, accountability, narcissistic parent, trauma recovery, boundaries, forgiveness pressure, inner child healing Nearly 16M kids have lost grocery benefits. | |||
| Toxic Mothers and the Impact on Daughters | 24 Oct 2025 | 00:46:07 | |
This episode explores how growing up with a toxic or emotionally unavailable mother can shape a daughter’s sense of worth, identity, and boundaries, and how to finally break free. Rather than focusing on blame, Patrick unpacks the lasting emotional damage that daughters carry into adulthood and the path toward self-trust and emotional independence. Learn why patterns like people-pleasing, guilt, and over-responsibility aren’t flaws, they’re survival strategies that once kept you safe. Through stories, insights, and tools, Patrick guides you toward seeing your story with compassion and clarity. Topics include:
You’ll leave this episode with practical tools to stop carrying emotional responsibility for others, repair your self-image, and begin building the safety your mother couldn’t provide. Keywords: toxic mother, mother-daughter trauma, emotional abuse, inner child healing, childhood trauma recovery, boundaries, reparenting, self-worth repair, codependency, healing tools, family roles, emotional neglect | |||
| Triggered Parents Make Triggered Kids | 08 May 2025 | 00:26:25 | |
Our biggest fear is that we’re failing our children somehow.” | |||
| Is It Anxiety or Childhood Trauma? | 30 Apr 2025 | 00:22:39 | |
Anxiety rarely shows up without a backstory. In this video, I’m diving deep into how childhood trauma — especially experiences rooted in neglect and abuse — can shape the anxiety many of us struggle with today. These issues often get labeled just as anxiety. We'll explore: 1️⃣ The root causes of anxiety tied to our past 2️⃣ How those early experiences can still affect us in the present I’ll walk you through a list of childhood trauma-related issues that might help you connect some important dots in your own life. These topics can be intense, so please take care of yourself as you watch. This isn’t about blaming the past, but about understanding it — because when we understand where anxiety comes from, we can begin to loosen its grip. I’ll also share my personal thoughts on anxiety, therapy, and how trauma differs from general anxiety. | |||
| Estranged Parents, This Is For You | 07 Apr 2025 | 00:42:25 | |
While this episode is directed at parents who are struggling to understand why their children have gone low or no contact, I think many of you—especially those who have lived through painful or invalidating family experiences—may find it deeply resonant. In it, I speak directly to estranged parents about: Seven of the most common blind spots I’ve seen in 15+ years of working with childhood trauma. Why insight without accountability is never enough. The disconnect between intention and impact. What real reconciliation actually requires. If you’ve ever felt like your parent didn’t—or couldn’t—see the truth of your experience… this may feel like someone finally saying it out loud. And no, I don’t recommend sending it to your parents. But I do hope it brings you some clarity, validation, or even peace. | |||
| Rebuilding Emotional Security After Childhood Trauma | 21 Mar 2025 | 00:55:27 | |
In this episode, we explore how childhood trauma, like neglect or toxic parenting, affects emotional security and shapes our relationships. We discuss how these early experiences can lead to insecurities, especially in romantic relationships and when receiving feedback. You’ll hear practical tips for healing, building trust in yourself, and improving emotional resilience. Topics include:
| |||
| My First Client - "Slow Jack" | 31 Jan 2025 | 00:36:00 | |
In this season 2 opener, we look back at a pivotal childhood experience with "Slow Jack," my first client. This story goes beyond a simple interaction—it’s about the genuine moments I experienced as a child in an adult world. No clinical jargon—just real, personal stories of growing up with childhood trauma and the journey to healing. | |||
| The Witch's Daughter - With Orenda Fink | 02 Jan 2025 | 01:12:31 | |
In this episode, Orenda Fink opens up about her journey growing up in chaos with an alcoholic mother struggling with mental illness who self-identified as a practicing and often vindictive witch. As she navigates the trauma of her childhood, Orenda escapes to pursue music, forming bands like Little Red Rocket and Azure Ray. We explore the lasting impact of childhood trauma, the codependent other parent, the fine line between mental illness and the myth of magic, and the ongoing search for healing and self-discovery. A raw and moving conversation about resilience, family, and mental health. Don't miss it! | |||
| Get Your SH*T Together! | 30 Dec 2024 | 00:36:45 | |
In this episode, I discuss mental health, psychology, functioning, self-care, relationships, childhood trauma, substance abuse, emotional regulation, dysthymia, depression, anxiety, conflict, alcohol, growth, progress, sobriety, and men's mental health. | |||
| 9 Random Examples of Shame (PTSD & CPTSD) | 18 Nov 2024 | 00:37:27 | |
Today's episode covers where hidden shame comes from and to how to tackle it! | |||
| Are You Creatively Stuck? (Childhood Trauma) | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:33:52 | |
Today's episode covers being creatively stuck and how to tackle our stuckness. | |||
| 5 Emotional Development Delays (What to Know) | 11 Sep 2024 | 00:30:59 | |
Today's episode covers five emotional developmental delays I often see and what we can do about them. | |||
| Breaking Free From a Narcissistic Parent | 15 Oct 2025 | 00:29:34 | |
This episode explores how growing up with a narcissistic or emotionally immature parent can distort your perception of yourself, others, and your worth, and how to reclaim it. Instead of fixating on the parent, we look at the damage that lingers and the path to undo it. Learn why triggers around work, relationships, and self-doubt aren’t personality flaws—they're leftover survival responses from childhood. Patrick shares vulnerable personal stories about being cast as “the dumb one” and how those old narratives showed up in adulthood, even during success. Topics include:
You’ll walk away with practical exercises to shift perception, stop living in fear, and reclaim a sense of self that was always yours. ----------------------------- Workbook Chapters Patrickteahan.com/workbook Keywords: narcissistic parent recovery, childhood trauma, perception wounds, inner child healing, self-worth repair, intimacy triggers, emotional abuse healing, trauma recovery tools | |||
| How to Rebuild a Lost Sense of Self | 23 Aug 2024 | 00:35:12 | |
Goodness and Power | |||
| My Response to the NYT Article on No Contact | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:23:01 | |
Today's episode features the New York Times article on the topic of family estrangement, going no contact, TikTok trending and more. | |||
| Parents Reactions to Going No Contact | 05 Jul 2024 | 00:19:00 | |
On today's episode, we'll cover common reactions that parents have to going no contact and what to do about it! | |||
| Do You Overwhelm People? | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:32:07 | |
On today's episode, we'll cover how overwhelming others affects our relationships. | |||
| Toxic Parents & Sneaky Boundary Crossings | 08 Apr 2024 | 00:37:28 | |
In this episode, I'm going to talk about each issue and also name: | |||
| 6 Tips to Prevent Being Socially Awkward | 11 Mar 2024 | 00:17:28 | |
In this episode, I cover what I believe are six effective ways to combat Social Awkwardness. I also discuss where it comes from in Childhood Trauma, and how to work on it by being more real and proactive. | |||
| The Untouchable Mother - Believing Me... With Dr. Ingrid Clayton | 23 Feb 2024 | 00:59:57 | |
Grab Ingrid's Book - Believing Me | |||
| Is This Your Real Personality? (5 Childhood Trauma Personalities) | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:46:19 | |
In this episode, I cover what I believe to be five trauma based personality types that are not our true personality. I cover the behaviors, intimacy problems, social problems, where it comes from, and how to work on it by being more real. | |||
| How Toxic Is Your Family? | 26 Dec 2023 | 00:20:18 | |
In this episode, I share details on how family toxicity can be measurable, and breakdown the term "Toxic." | |||
| The Signs of Bad Therapy With Nate Postlethwait | 15 Dec 2023 | 01:01:44 | |
In this episode, featuring my first guest of the Podcast, Nate Postlethwait, and I describe the various issues in the world of therapy and what you may encounter while seeking it! | |||
| 4 Tools to Fix Triggers | 22 Sep 2025 | 00:26:35 | |
This episode dives into the ways childhood trauma shows up in daily triggers—and how to break free from them faster. Learn how your past shapes present reactions and discover practical tools to release the emotional charge that keeps you stuck. Topics include:
Join us for an empowering conversation on building resilience, calming your nervous system, and supporting your inner child. Keywords: Childhood trauma, emotional triggers, healing tools, inner child work, trauma recovery, nervous system regulation | |||
| 6 Archetypes of Toxic Parents | 20 Nov 2023 | 00:43:39 | |
In this episode, I describe six archetypes of toxic parents, characteristics, variations, how you might get triggered in the present day, and what makes it toxic! | |||
| 6 Common Pitfalls in Healing Childhood Trauma | 20 Oct 2023 | 00:28:49 | |
In this episode, I describe six common pitfalls or stuck places that often happen in the process of working on childhood trauma. I hope it's helpful to you! | |||
| When They Take the Abuser’s Side - Childhood Trauma Work | 08 Sep 2023 | 00:30:50 | |
If you’ve ever felt betrayed by family by having them side with abusive people over you - this episode is going to be helpful. | |||
| Religious Abuse and Cults - Childhood Trauma | 24 Jul 2023 | 00:50:24 | |
In this episode, I discuss how the human experience around a religious or spiritual path gets wrecked by what systems and individuals model - all that and more! | |||
| Shadow Work & the Dark Side of Childhood Trauma | 21 Jun 2023 | 00:34:49 | |
Hello Everyone! | |||
| What Happens to Men? (John Lennon) | 18 May 2023 | 01:05:10 | |
Hello Everyone! This episode will focus on the one and only John Lennon, English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. | |||
| Limerence, Attachment, and Childhood Trauma | 20 Mar 2023 | 00:36:30 | |
So you may be wondering "what is limerence?" | |||
| What Happens to Men? (John Quincy Adams) | 08 Mar 2023 | 01:05:57 | |
Hello Everyone! This episode will focus on a hypothetical case example compiled from the history and stories of America's 6th president, John Quincy Adams. | |||
| Are You Just Being a Victim? (Dismantling Victim Mindset) | 29 Jan 2023 | 00:42:48 | |
Join the Monthly Healing Community Membership | |||
| The Piano | 11 Dec 2022 | 00:30:30 | |
Join the Monthly Healing Community Membership | |||
| Answering Your Questions! - Social Challenges | 15 Sep 2025 | 00:15:29 | |
This episode explores the ways childhood trauma survivors often feel left out in friendships and social situations, and how those early family patterns show up in adult connections. Topics include:
Join us for an honest, compassionate conversation on finding belonging and becoming more comfortable in your own skin. Keywords: childhood trauma, social anxiety, inner child healing, friendships, boundaries, CPTSD, feeling excluded, self-worth. | |||
| Stop Fawning with Dr. Ingrid Clayton | 09 Sep 2025 | 01:10:17 | |
In this episode, Patrick sits down with Dr. Ingrid Clayton to unpack fawning, the often-missed, deeply relational trauma response: why “people-pleasing” isn’t what it seems, how power dynamics shape it, and first steps toward taking up space—without turning into someone you’re not. Order your copy of Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves—and How to Find Our Way Back today! | |||
| Healing From Toxic Mothers | 08 Sep 2025 | 00:58:20 | |
This episode explores in-depth how emotionally immature or abusive mothers impact their sons long into adulthood. Keep an eye out for two more parts of this series! Topics include:
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| Toxic Fathers & The Daughters They Leave Behind | 16 Jul 2025 | 00:44:33 | |
Toxic Fathers & The Daughters They Leave Behind I hope this episode was helpful and or thought provoking for you. Please like, follow or comment w/questions. For in depth journal prompts, subscribe to my YouTube channel for video versions of these episodes! | |||
| Why You’re Stuck with C-PTSD (And How to Heal) | 09 Jul 2025 | 00:19:38 | |
Why Your C-PTSD Isn't Getting Better Topics covered: sense of self, childhood trauma, DSO, CPTSD, PTSD, relationship problems, emotional triggers, psychology, assessment, measurable goals, journal prompts, childhood trauma, trauma response, attachment. In this episode I go over Disturbances in Self-Organization, a diagnostic criteria set that separates PTSD from C-PTSD. We can fine tune our healing efforts if we know which of the three DSO ideas affects our functioning the most. This episode also discusses a tool we are developing to measure C-PTSD progress and gives resources such as what therapy modalities might be the most useful for the category that you score the highest in. | |||
| Hidden Psychology of Star Wars (Feat. C3PO) | 02 Jul 2025 | 00:21:01 | |
In this episode I cover the mental health personality of a Star Wars character C-3P0. Other Star Wars mental health mentions: K-2S0, gonk droid, Luke Skywalker, Andor, Mon Mothma, Empire Strikes Back, Luthen Rael, Dedra Meero, Syrill, R2-D2, Darth Vader, Palpatine, Han Solo, Narcissism, Covert Narcissist, codependency, Chewbacca, Emperor Palpatine, Princess Leia, Yoda, Boba Fett, Sith, Star Wars fans. The sound clips used in this episode are owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. and are part of the Star Wars franchise. All rights are reserved by the respective copyright holders. This episode is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only and falls under fair use. | |||
| Ireland—Where Flashbacks Pass Away | 04 Feb 2026 | 00:29:58 | |
In this episode, Patrick shares a personal story about what it can look like when long-held trauma responses begin to loosen after years of recovery work and how flashbacks can shift into quieter moments of recognition instead of distress. Rather than focusing on symptoms alone, Patrick connects the body-level experience of trauma anniversaries, shame attacks, and emotional flashbacks to the family system that created them, including emotionally immature parenting, addiction, domestic violence, and poor boundaries. Using a trip through Ireland as the backdrop, Patrick reflects on returning to the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula decades after a childhood visit with a narcissistic, alcoholic father and noticing a body memory that arrives without the old shame and fear. He contrasts that earlier experience with traveling alongside his son, describing what it means to feel detached from a parent’s legacy and present in your own life. Important Takeaways for the Listener:
Patrick also discusses recovery themes like inner child work, repairing distorted perception, reducing shame-based identity, and building a life where you no longer represent your parents’ choices. If you carry a sense of inherited shame, feel easily activated by the world, or are noticing your triggers changing as you heal, this episode offers a grounded example of what progress can feel like over time. Keywords: childhood trauma, emotional flashbacks, body memories, shame attacks, trauma anniversaries, emotionally immature parents, narcissistic parent, addiction in families, intergenerational trauma, breaking cycles, inner child work, recovery | |||
| Was This Your Family? (9 Oddly Specific Family Issues) | 16 Jan 2026 | 00:34:24 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, explores nine rarely named but deeply damaging family dynamics that quietly shape childhood trauma and follow people into adulthood. Rather than focusing on symptoms alone, Patrick breaks down the dysfunctional family systems behind them—the unspoken rules, emotional roles, and survival patterns that distort self-worth, boundaries, and relationships. As a follow-up to 11 Oddly Specific Childhood Trauma Issues, this episode examines how growing up in emotionally immature or unsafe families affects perception, identity, and connection. From households where feelings are ignored but secretly run everything, to families that bond through complaining instead of change, Patrick explains how these patterns condition children to self-betray, overfunction, or disappear. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also discusses recovery tools, including inner child work, repairing distorted perception, boundary development, and learning to step out of dysfunctional family roles. If you grew up feeling unseen, unsafe, or emotionally responsible for others, this episode offers language, validation, and a clearer path toward healing. Keywords: childhood trauma, toxic family systems, emotionally immature parents, CPTSD, family dysfunction, emotional neglect, scapegoating, parentification, trauma recovery, boundaries, inner child healing | |||
| 5 Types of Lost Childhood Personalities | 05 Jan 2026 | 00:28:08 | |
This episode explores how childhood trauma and emotionally unsafe parenting can cause us to lose touch with our original personality, the self we were born with before survival, compliance, and shame took over. Through personal stories and clinical insight, Patrick explains how emotionally immature or abusive parents distort a child’s sense of self by mislabeling innate traits as problems. Poor emotional mirroring, lack of goodness of fit, and pressure to comply can force a child’s spark underground, leading trauma responses to be mistaken for personality well into adulthood. Learn how many survivors grow up feeling disconnected from who they really are, surprised by positive feedback, or unsure whether their behaviors reflect their true self or trauma adaptations, and how to begin reclaiming what was lost. Topics include:
If you grew up feeling like the difficult child, the odd duck, or the misunderstood one, this episode offers clarity, validation, and a path back to yourself. Keywords: childhood trauma, lost sense of self, emotionally immature parents, trauma recovery, inner child healing, emotional abuse, identity development, CPTSD, family of origin trauma | |||
| My Highschool Bully | 25 Feb 2026 | 00:34:23 | |
In this episode, Patrick, explores why memories of school bullies can still feel visceral years later, even after you have done a lot of healing work. Using a poll with over 2,000 participants, Patrick breaks down the different ways bullying can stick in the nervous system, from occasional intense flashbacks to lingering resentment and revenge fantasies. Rather than treating bullying as a standalone issue, Patrick connects it to childhood trauma and family systems. He explains how bullies often target vulnerability, how being disconnected at home can amplify what happens at school, and why many survivors cannot fully process bullying until they also confront the bully at home or the caregivers who minimized it, blamed them, or failed to protect them. A major turning point in the episode comes from Patrick’s own story: years after high school, he looks up a bully online and finds a single comment that reframes the entire relationship... Listeners will learn:
Patrick also discusses recovery themes like validating your younger self, noticing “trauma detective” dynamics where bullies spot fear and disconnection, and how reclaiming your own humanity makes it easier to see humanity in others without excusing harm. If you still think about a bully once in a while and the feelings hit hard, this episode offers a grounded way to understand why, and a path toward loosening what is still stuck. Keywords: school bullying, childhood trauma, emotional flashbacks, resentment, revenge fantasies, family systems, emotional neglect, unsafe parents, hypervigilance, self-worth, healing, compassion | |||
| The Feeling of Being “In Trouble” | 11 Feb 2026 | 00:19:40 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, explores the baseline feeling of being “in trouble”, that constant sense that someone is mad at you, you did something wrong, or you are about to be shamed. He breaks down why this internal alarm is so common in childhood trauma and how it can follow people into adulthood through imposter syndrome, anxiety dreams, and chronic hypervigilance. Rather than treating it like a personality flaw, Patrick connects the “in trouble” feeling to shame-based family systems, especially homes with emotionally immature or abusive caregivers, scapegoating, addiction, unpredictable rules, and punishment instead of repair. He reframes it as an emotional flashback where the body signals, “It’s happening again,” even when the present moment is safe. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also shares recovery tools like inner child work, repairing distorted perception, boundary development, and practicing self-protection in present-day triggers, such as conflict, tense emails, and setting preferences. If you grew up feeling like a burden, the “bad kid,” or like one misstep could ruin everything, this episode offers language, validation, and a path toward reclaiming safety and self-trust. Keywords: childhood trauma, toxic shame, feeling in trouble, emotional flashbacks, hypervigilance, emotionally immature parents, scapegoating, parentification, fawning, imposter syndrome, inner child work, trauma recovery | |||
| When History Repeats: The Golden Child Gets Betrayed | 02 Mar 2026 | 00:37:30 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, explores a difficult and personal topic: how abusive family dynamics can scale into larger systems, and what happens when legal authority functions like an abusive parent. He introduces a framework he calls the Abusive Parent State, using trauma pattern recognition to connect family systems language to collective trauma. Rather than staying inside the usual home-based roles, Patrick widens the lens to examine how gaslighting, enforcer dynamics, and discard phases can appear at a societal level. The episode begins with a family story from County Kerry, Ireland in 1920, when a home invasion by the Black and Tans changed his family’s lineage and left a long nervous system legacy. From there, he draws parallels to historical and present-day examples, including Hitler’s SA and a current lens on ICE, to illustrate how state-sponsored fear can imprint across generations. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also discusses recovery tools for holding reality clearly, staying regulated, and resisting the pull to normalize abusive dynamics, whether they come from family or from systems. If you feel activated by the current climate, carry inherited fear, or recognize familiar abuse patterns playing out on a larger scale, this episode offers language, validation, and a way to think about collective trauma without losing sight of healing. Keywords: collective trauma, intergenerational trauma, childhood trauma, state violence, hypervigilance, gaslighting, family systems, abusive parent dynamics, enforcer dynamics, scapegoating, trauma patterns, trauma recovery | |||
| Why You Blame Yourself for Everything | 12 May 2026 | 00:23:43 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, explores the profound impact of growing up in an abusive or neglectful environment, detailing how childhood trauma survivors often struggle with intense self-blame and self-hatred. He introduces the concept of emotional math, moving beyond simple advice to just be kinder to yourself, focusing instead on the deep rooted self-contempt that develops when children lack a healthy adult guide. The episode begins by unpacking a complex dynamic: the development of damaged perceptions about personal self-worth. Patrick uses this concept to illustrate how normal human needs and mistakes are calculated as evidence of being fundamentally flawed, trapping survivors in a painful but brilliant childhood survival mechanism used to avoid the terrifying reality of having unsafe parents. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also provides a guided reflection to help listeners express gratitude to their inner child for their protective instincts, paving the way to replace self-hatred with self-compassion. By understanding how these feelings developed, survivors who struggle with perfectionism, ruminate over past social mistakes, or constantly feel like a burden can find clarity and begin to change the narrative. Keywords: childhood trauma, self-hate, emotional math, inner child work, emotional neglect, family roles, trauma recovery, self-blame, toxic family systems | |||
| Top 3 Signs of Growing up Too Fast | 06 Apr 2026 | 00:15:21 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, explores the profound impact of unsafe home environments, detailing how childhood trauma forces kids to trade their early years for survival. He introduces the concept of the survival exchange, moving beyond simple symptom management to focus on the deep rooted hypervigilance that develops when growing up around chaos, neglect, or emotional abuse. The episode begins by unpacking a complex dynamic: the development of a highly sensitive radar system in place of a grounded sense of self. Patrick uses this concept to illustrate how survivors often struggle to be fully present in adulthood, trapped in a lifelong transaction where they had to skip being a kid just to stay safe. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also provides practical reflections and prompts, encouraging listeners to practice tolerating the unknown and to notice how they might subconsciously exclude themselves from peer connection. By understanding how trauma hijacked their developmental years, survivors can begin to teach their nervous system that rest is not a danger, but rather a vital restoration process to get more of their life back. Keywords: childhood trauma, hypervigilance, growing up too fast, inner child work, emotional neglect, emotionally immature parents, nervous system, downtime anxiety, peer relationships, grief work, trauma recovery, healing childhood wounds. | |||
| Are You Sure They're Safe? | 29 Mar 2026 | 00:28:24 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, dives into the complex world of intuition and safety: how childhood trauma can break our internal radar and how to tell the difference between a safe person and an unsafe one. He introduces a framework centered on Authenticity, moving beyond simple checklists of red flags to focus on the gut-level ick that signals when a person’s public performance doesn't match their private motives. The episode begins with a nuanced workplace hypothetical: a new coworker who is "extra"—personable and welcoming, yet intense and slightly "performative." Patrick uses this scenario to illustrate how trauma survivors often struggle with the "was it me or was it them?" dilemma, feeling triggered by the very people who claim to be helpful. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also provides practical recovery insights, encouraging listeners to stop asking "Are they nice?" and start asking "Are they real?" By understanding how trauma hijacks our "audio preferences" (like the Zoom vs. Music Software analogy), survivors can begin to clear the "CPU" and trust their internal protective systems once again. Keywords: childhood trauma, trauma recovery, intuition, red flags, authenticity, boundaries, attachment wounds, gaslighting, safe people, people pleasing, self-worth, emotional regulation, internal radar. | |||
| Explode or Shut Down? The 2 Types of Repressed Rage | 19 May 2026 | 00:36:13 | |
In this episode, Patrick Teahan, MSW, explores the profound impact of rage as a byproduct of childhood trauma, detailing how unsafe environments force children to either weaponize or absorb intense emotional energy. He introduces the concept of inward and outward rage, moving beyond the stigma of "anger issues" to focus on the underground emotional deposits that develop when a child is erased, ignored, or exposed to volatility. The episode begins by unpacking a complex dynamic: the four specific childhood situations that fuel adult rage. Patrick uses these roots to illustrate how survivors often struggle with a "well of childhood" that runs their present-day reactions, where symptoms like road rage or chronic exhaustion are actually valid byproducts of old injustices. Listeners will learn:
Patrick also provides a case study of two sisters to highlight how the same traumatic environment can produce polar opposite rage strategies. By understanding how these survival tactics were formed, listeners can begin to move toward a healthy middle ground where anger is a tool for advocacy rather than a source of shame or self-sabotage. Keywords: childhood trauma, repressed rage, inward rage, outward rage, inner child work, emotional neglect, parentification, nervous system, toxic family systems, trauma recovery, justice-based anger. | |||