He Wrote His Trauma Into a Memoir in 5 Weeks Here's Why | Raw Minds S2 Ep. 97

Denny LaVé survived childhood abandonment, sexual trauma, poverty, shame and suicidal thoughts. He then rebuilt his life from the ground up.In this episode of Raw Minds, Denny shares the personal story behind the construction company, the United States Senate campaign and the legendary beard.At four years old, Denny was taken across state lines and separated from his mother for six months. He grew up surrounded by instability, emotional neglect and experiences no child should have been forced to process.Those early experiences created patterns of shame, compulsive behaviour, emotional numbness and self-condemnation that followed him into adulthood.Denny became a union ironworker, spent nearly two years living in a monastery in France and co-founded Precision Precast Erectors with his father. The company grew into an award-winning business employing hundreds of ironworkers.He became a husband, father to six sons, business leader, author and candidate for the United States Senate in Idaho.But success did not erase the trauma.Denny speaks openly about suicidal thoughts, therapy, faith, marriage, masculinity, fatherhood and stopping generational trauma from reaching his children.This is not a political debate. This is the story of a wounded child who became a man determined to build a better life for his family.CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction02:42 Men’s mental health04:17 Blue-Collar Blessed05:17 Writing a vulnerable memoir08:14 Earliest childhood memories09:30 Separation from his mother11:10 Early exposure to pornography12:25 Trauma and the developing brain13:57 Shame and self-condemnation15:00 Erick’s childhood food trauma16:49 Why shame makes addiction worse18:45 Emotional numbness and joy20:29 Masculinity and accountability21:23 What real strength means23:06 Humility and self-worth25:18 Accepting compliments27:03 Knowing you are enough28:18 Burnout and recovery30:03 Rest and high performance33:36 Children and smartphones35:32 Entering therapy36:13 The therapist who predicted the book37:11 Writing the memoir in five weeks39:16 Reopening old wounds41:05 Searching for purpose43:55 Considering the Marine Corps44:25 Heat stroke and near death45:24 Living in a French monastery46:16 Generational trauma49:42 Breaking the cycle50:10 Telling his sons the truth51:04 His children’s response53:08 Marriage and the past54:38 The book’s central message55:14 Denny’s suicidal episode56:07 When someone says nothing56:52 How Joey supported Erick57:59 Holding space58:26 Recent suicidal thoughts59:08 The golf invitation59:17 Erick’s mental-health struggle01:00:47 Five ways to handle sorrow01:03:18 Why men need permission to cry01:03:57 Grieving the father Erick never had01:05:29 Raw Minds around the world01:06:07 Trauma crosses borders01:08:15 Healing is a process01:09:45 Recovery has no finish line01:11:28 Final messageCONNECT WITH DENNY LAVÉWebsite:https://www.dennylave.com/Blue-Collar Blessed:https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/9781510786172/blue-collar-blessed/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/denny-lave-38315a5Precision Precast Erectors:https://www.ppe-llc.com/CONNECT WITH RAW MINDSWebsite:https://www.rawminds.caYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@RawMinds-cs3ciSpotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3I7hBJgYDdS8UQpbMl9bdtTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@rawmindspodcastAll links:https://linktr.ee/rawmindspodcastEmail:[email protected] Minds features honest conversations about men’s mental health, trauma, grief, addiction, fatherhood and rebuilding your life.Follow and share this episode with someone who may be suffering silently.For the ones we’ll never meet.Healing out loud.CRISIS SUPPORTIf you may hurt yourself, call emergency services or call or text 988 in Canada or the United States.Canada:https://988.caUnited States:https://988lifeline.org#MensMentalHealth #ChildhoodTrauma #TraumaRecovery