Our Whole Childhood with Patrick Teahan

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 plac...

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 discar...

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 sy...

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 emoti...

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 l...

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 t...

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: Struggling to “jump in” during conversationsStarting friendships but pulling away quicklyFeeling “too much” or too intense for othersHow family modeling shapes social shameInner child work and dialoguing prompts for healingJoin us for an honest, compassionate conversation on finding belonging and b...

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: Feeling triggered by other women - imaginary or realDifferent types of toxic mothersReplicating patterns from our childhood traumaTips for healing and building healthy relationships Join us for an insightful conversation on healing and finding emotional balance. Keywords: Childhood trauma, toxic mother...

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 ep...

Our biggest fear is that we’re failing our children somehow.” If you’re worried—because most parents are—this video will help you approach that fear with compassion and clarity. In this video, you’ll learn: Real-life “no-one-tells-you” parenting stressors, from biting toddlers to boundary-pushing tweens. How to spot and rethink your personal triggers by tracing them back to your own childhood. Practical “reset” tools: what to say to yourself (and your child) when you feel that hot-b...

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 int...

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. Join the Healing Community! Join the Monthly Healing Community Membership

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. I've given a broad overview about possible reasons for not having one's SH*T together. I related them to being in the context of childhood trauma, but they don't always have to be. These issues can also be in line with problems ranging ...