UnBroken: Better Male Survivors Podcast

UnBroken: Better Male Survivors Podcast

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UnBroken: Better Male Survivors Podcast episodes

  • 1385: The Cost of Being Strong

    Why do so many survivors become the person everyone depends on?

    In this episode of Things Nobody Ever Told Male Survivors, Coach T explores the hidden burden of always being the strong one.

    Through the story of James, a man whose identity became built around taking care of everyone else, we examine how childhood sexual trauma often teaches survivors to become self-reliant, responsible, and emotionally self-sufficient long before they're ready.

    We'll explore the difference between strength and self-abandonment, responsibility and over-responsibility, and why so many survivors measure their worth by how much they can endure.

    With you in this,

    Carry Less.  Live Free!

    Coach Thomas Edward

    • Life By Your Design
    • YouTube Channel: 
    • FaceBook
    • BlueSky
    • Instagram
    • Substack
    • BetterMaleSurvivors.com
    • 51 min
    • 1384: The Life Nobody Sees

      THE LIFE NOBODY SEES

      Why do so many survivors feel invisible, even when they're surrounded by people who care about them?

      In this episode of Things Nobody Ever Told Male Survivors, Coach T explores the hidden loneliness many survivors carry—the feeling that people know what you do, but don't really know you.

      Through the story of Andre, a respected educator, mentor, and community leader, we examine how childhood sexual trauma can teach survivors to hide in plain sight. You'll learn how secrecy, self-protection, and emotional invisibility often become survival strategies, and why being truly seen can feel both frightening and healing at the same time.

      With you in this,

      Carry Less.  Live Free!

      Coach Thomas Edward

      • Life By Your Design
      • YouTube Channel: 
      • FaceBook
      • BlueSky
      • Instagram
      • Substack
      • BetterMaleSurvivors.com
      • 54 min
      • 1383: What Does Thriving Actually Look Like After Sexual Abuse

        Life keeps Life'n

        This was an episode Coach Thomas  featuring Michael Skinner, a male survivor of childhood sexual, physical, and emotional abuse discussing his healing journey and what thriving looks like after trauma. Michael shared his story of abuse by both parents, and his escape through music. 

        https://www.mskinnermusic.com/book

        With you in this,

        Carry Less.  Live Free!

        Coach Thomas Edward

        • Life By Your Design
        • YouTube Channel: 
        • FaceBook
        • BlueSky
        • Instagram
        • Substack
        • BetterMaleSurvivors.com
        • 1 hr 4 min
        • 1382: Why Love Feels So Unsafe

          Why do so many survivors long for connection yet pull away when people get close?

          In this episode of Things Nobody Ever Told Male Survivors, Coach T explores one of the most confusing effects of childhood sexual trauma: the fear of intimacy.

          Through the story of Miguel, a man engaged to his long-term partner, Daniel, we examine why healthy love can sometimes trigger anxiety, distance, and self-protection. You'll learn how childhood sexual abuse can blur the lines between love, vulnerability, trust, and danger, leaving survivors caught between wanting connection and fearing it at the same time.

          With you in this,

          Carry Less.  Live Free!

          Coach Thomas Edward

          • Life By Your Design
          • YouTube Channel: 
          • FaceBook
          • BlueSky
          • Instagram
          • Substack
          • BetterMaleSurvivors.com
          •  

            1 hr 2 min
          • 1381: Being A Lone Wolf Doesn't Mean You're Alpha

            Why is asking for help so difficult?

            In this episode of Things Nobody Ever Told Male Survivors, Coach T explores one of the most common yet overlooked effects of childhood sexual trauma: hyper-independence.

            Through the story of Mark, a successful man who built his life around self-reliance, we examine how abuse can teach survivors that depending on others is risky, vulnerability is dangerous, and the safest person to trust is themselves.

            You'll learn how childhood survival strategies often evolve into adult isolation, why accepting support can feel uncomfortable, and how the nervous system continues to favor self-reliance long after the original danger has passed.

            If you've ever struggled to ask for help, felt uncomfortable depending on others, or believed you should be able to handle everything alone, this episode may help you understand why.

            Because sometimes independence isn't freedom.

            It's protection.

            With you in this,

            Carry Less.  Live Free!

            Coach Thomas Edward

            • Life By Your Design
            • YouTube Channel: 
            • FaceBook
            • BlueSky
            • Instagram
            • Substack
            • BetterMaleSurvivors.com
            •  

              1 hr 6 min
            • 1380: Nobody Knows How Hard You're Fighting

              Why are so many male survivors exhausted all the time?

              In this first episode of Things Nobody Ever Told Male Survivors, Coach T explores one of the most common yet misunderstood symptoms of childhood sexual trauma: chronic exhaustion.

              Through the story of David, a successful husband, father, and grandfather who can't understand why life feels so hard, we examine how childhood sexual abuse trains the nervous system to remain vigilant long after the danger has passed.

              You'll learn why exhaustion is often more than stress, age, or a busy schedule. It may be the accumulated cost of years spent monitoring, anticipating, protecting, and surviving.

              If you've ever wondered why vacations don't fully recharge you, why you feel drained by everyday life, or why you're constantly running on fumes despite doing everything "right," this episode may help you see your exhaustion in a completely different light.

              Because sometimes exhaustion isn't the problem.

              It's the clue.

              With you in this,

              Carry Less.  Live Free!

               

              • Life By Your Design
              • YouTube Channel: 
              • FaceBook
              • BlueSky
              • Instagram
              • Substack
              • BetterMaleSurvivors.com

              • Coach Thomas Edward

                Break My Abuse Code™ 

                56 min
              • 1379: Faith Under Fire

                In “Faith Under Fire,” we explore what happens when childhood sexual abuse occurs inside religious settings or “godly homes,” where authority, obedience, and shame are spiritualized. This episode breaks down how trauma merges faith cues with threat cues, why prayer can trigger panic, and how meaning-making pathways in the brain get distorted by spiritual betrayal. You’ll learn a practical strategy to gently reframe unsafe beliefs, rebuild internal safety, and reclaim spirituality without forcing theology.

                With you in this,

                Carry Less.  Live Free!

                 

                • Life By Your Design
                • YouTube Channel: 
                • FaceBook
                • BlueSky
                • Instagram
                • Substack
                • BetterMaleSurvivors.com

                • Coach Thomas Edward

                  Break My Abuse Code™ 

                  59 min
                • 1378: The Self-Sabotage Loop Part 2

                  Why do male survivors destroy things when life starts going well?

                  Coach T moves into part two of self-sabotaging loop:

                  • The self-fulfilling prophecy identity loop
                  • How shame becomes destiny
                  • A second collapse arc for Shamus
                  • The moment childhood trauma connects to adult sabotage
                  • With you in this,

                    Carry Less.  Live Free!

                     

                    • Life By Your Design
                    • YouTube Channel: 
                    • FaceBook
                    • BlueSky
                    • Instagram
                    • Substack
                    • BetterMaleSurvivors.com

                    • Coach Thomas Edward

                      Break My Abuse Code™ 

                      38 min
                    • 1377: The Self-Sabotage Loop Part 1

                      Why do male survivors destroy things when life starts going well?

                      In this episode, Coach T introduces the self-sabotage loop as a nervous system response — not a character flaw. 

                      Through the story of Shamus — a composite of real survivor experiences — this episode walks you step-by-step through the internal loop that leads from stability… to collapse. From calm… to chaos. From progress… back to shame.

                      You’ll hear:

                      • Why self-sabotage doesn’t start with destruction — it starts with discomfort
                      • How childhood sexual trauma wires the body to fear safety, closeness, and success
                      • The steps self-sabotage loop most men don’t even realize they’re running
                      • How ADHD and trauma together can accelerate impulsive collapse
                      • What’s actually happening in the nervous system when someone says, “I just lost control”
                      • This episode is essential listening for:

                        • Male survivors trying to understand their own patterns
                        • Practitioners, coaches, and professionals working with men in recovery
                        • Anyone who has ever asked, “Why do I keep doing this when things start going well?”
                        • If you’ve ever thought, “Why do I keep doing this?” — this is where it starts.

                          Because once you see the loop… you can interrupt it.

                           

                          With you in this,

                          Carry Less.  Live Free!

                           

                          • Life By Your Design
                          • YouTube Channel: 
                          • FaceBook
                          • BlueSky
                          • Instagram
                          • Substack
                          • BetterMaleSurvivors.com

                          • Coach Thomas Edward

                            Break My Abuse Code™ 

                             

                            47 min
                          • 1376: “I’m Afraid He Might Be Acting Out… (Living with a male survivor Part 3)

                            Something feels off… but you don’t know how to address it.

                            This segment explores the fear of secrecy, acting out, or disconnection—and how trauma, shame, and coping behaviors can show up in ways that are hard to name.

                            With you in this,

                            Carry Less.  Live Free!

                             

                            • Life By Your Design
                            • YouTube Channel: 
                            • FaceBook
                            • BlueSky
                            • Instagram
                            • Substack
                            • BetterMaleSurvivors.com

                            • Coach Thomas Edward

                              Break My Abuse Code™ 

                              39 min

                            About UnBroken: Better Male Survivors Podcast

                            From the publisher's feed

                            Helping men impacted by childhood sexual trauma.