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Share Your Traitor Within: David J. Weeks on Surviving Childhood PART 1
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Your Traitor Within: David J. Weeks on Surviving Childhood PART 1
(Part 1)
Content note: Discussion of childhood abuse and sexual assault/trafficking (non-graphic).
Summary
Jessica Anne Pressler, LCSW, sits with David J. Weeks—a complex-trauma survivor and Trauma & Recovery Coach—to tell the truth of his childhood and the long road back. Raised by a narcissistic mother and an antisocial stepfather, David endured years of torment. By age 14, he had experienced all 10 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). At 13, while searching for love he never received at home, he was exploited and raped by a 39-year-old neighbor; the abuse escalated into repeated assaults and trafficking. In this first half, David names what happened, explains how a child’s nervous system bonds to any attachment it can find, and shares why emotional abuse can become the deepest wound. He also describes the “chameleon” role that helped him survive—and why speaking now is part of breaking silence and stigma.
About David
David J. Weeks is a Trauma & Recovery Coach supporting survivors in reclaiming safety, language, and choice. He is writing his memoir, Surviving Childhood, to be released soon. IG: @djweeks_.
Notable Moments
- Home life: control, cruelty, and the cost of “keeping the peace.”
- The first assault at 13, how it escalated into trafficking, and the silence that followed.
- Why children bond to what’s available (even when it isn’t safe).
- Emotional abuse as the wound that lingers longest.
- The chameleon strategy—protective then, costly later.
Pull Quotes
- “By fourteen, I’d hit every ACE.” — David J. Weeks
- “I became a chameleon because it kept me safe.” — David J. Weeks
- “It wasn’t your fault—your nervous system chose connection when safety wasn’t available.” — Jessica Anne Pressler, LCSW
Resources (U.S.)
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call/text/chat 24/7)
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788)
RAINN 800-656-HOPE (Sexual Assault Hotline)
Part 2 continues with how these patterns show up in adult relationships—and the tools David uses to rebuild safety, boundaries, and voice.
Support the show
View all episodes
By Jessica Anne Pressler, LCSW(Part 1)
Content note: Discussion of childhood abuse and sexual assault/trafficking (non-graphic).
Summary
Jessica Anne Pressler, LCSW, sits with David J. Weeks—a complex-trauma survivor and Trauma & Recovery Coach—to tell the truth of his childhood and the long road back. Raised by a narcissistic mother and an antisocial stepfather, David endured years of torment. By age 14, he had experienced all 10 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). At 13, while searching for love he never received at home, he was exploited and raped by a 39-year-old neighbor; the abuse escalated into repeated assaults and trafficking. In this first half, David names what happened, explains how a child’s nervous system bonds to any attachment it can find, and shares why emotional abuse can become the deepest wound. He also describes the “chameleon” role that helped him survive—and why speaking now is part of breaking silence and stigma.
About David
David J. Weeks is a Trauma & Recovery Coach supporting survivors in reclaiming safety, language, and choice. He is writing his memoir, Surviving Childhood, to be released soon. IG: @djweeks_.
Notable Moments
- Home life: control, cruelty, and the cost of “keeping the peace.”
- The first assault at 13, how it escalated into trafficking, and the silence that followed.
- Why children bond to what’s available (even when it isn’t safe).
- Emotional abuse as the wound that lingers longest.
- The chameleon strategy—protective then, costly later.
Pull Quotes
- “By fourteen, I’d hit every ACE.” — David J. Weeks
- “I became a chameleon because it kept me safe.” — David J. Weeks
- “It wasn’t your fault—your nervous system chose connection when safety wasn’t available.” — Jessica Anne Pressler, LCSW
Resources (U.S.)
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call/text/chat 24/7)
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788)
RAINN 800-656-HOPE (Sexual Assault Hotline)
Part 2 continues with how these patterns show up in adult relationships—and the tools David uses to rebuild safety, boundaries, and voice.
Support the show