Peter Sutcliffe Killed His Mother. He Chose to Help Others | Richard McCann

About this episode

Richard McCann shares his journey of overcoming childhood trauma and self-doubt after the murder of his mother by Peter Sutcliffe.

Richard McCann - Peter Sutcliffe Killed His Mother. He Chose to Help Others Richard McCann grew up in Scotthall, a deprived area of Leeds, with his mother's alcohol struggles, a violent boyfriend involved in drugs, and constant chaos. Just before his sixth birthday, his mother went out and never came home. At 5:30 the next morning, Richard and his sister Sonia searched for her at a bus stop. Police took them to a children's home: "Mum's been taken to heaven." She'd been murdered by Peter Sutcliffe. Six-year-old Richard reframed the tragedy. His mother was no longer suffering. He and his sisters had a fresh start. That survival mechanism -what psychologists call "explanatory style" -kept him afloat for decades. The meaning you apply to a situation creates your reality. But self-doubt followed. He looked in the mirror and saw an "ugly kid." He felt unworthy of relationships or success. From age 16, Richard sought relationships to feel worthy. His subconscious didn't believe he deserved them, so he'd self-sabotage. He'd push people away, see things that weren't there, and accuse his girlfriend of being with another guy when she was with a friend. He joined the army and lied about…

People in this episode

Host: James Vincent

Guest: Richard McCann

Topics covered

• trauma
• resilience
• self-worth
• mental health
• personal growth

Keywords

• Richard McCann
• Peter Sutcliffe
• trauma
• self-sabotage
• mental health
• resilience
• personal growth

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Leeds, Scotthall

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