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The hardest part of healing is often the first step: saying what happened out loud. We open a space where that truth is welcomed, not doubted, and where survivors can trade silence for language, and isolation for community. Alphonso shares his story of childhood physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, the defense mechanisms that followed him into adulthood, and the moment therapy began to untangle patterns he once mistook for protection. No quick fixes, no toxic positivity—just honest, practical tools for reclaiming power.

 Across this conversation, we explore how silence gives harm room to grow—and how naming trauma cuts it down to size. You’ll hear why acknowledgment precedes change, how the body keeps the score of what the mind avoids, and what it takes to replace a metaphorical bandage with real care. We talk about relationships that fracture under unhealed wounds, the courage to confront patterns, and the steady work of building safety through boundaries, support networks, and professional guidance. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is highlighted for those moments when the weight feels immediate and overwhelming.

We also turn toward prevention and advocacy: teaching kids the language of consent and harm, creating trusted pathways to speak up, and becoming adults who believe the first time. Alphonso invites you into a growing circle of survivors and allies, with future episodes featuring expert guests and readings from his forthcoming book, The Terror in My Eyes. If your story has stayed locked away, let this be a gentle nudge toward voice and validation. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review with one insight you’re taking forward—your words might be the bridge someone else needs.

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