Healing Out Loud: Poetry, Trauma, And Growth joshes story

Send us Fan MailTwo big guys on a couch talk about the soft parts most of us hide. Josh—nine years in the military and now a downtown bouncer—opens up about how childhood abuse stayed quiet until his twenties, then cracked open during COVID alongside a bad role fit, a fading relationship, and numbing habits. He describes the moment a workplace blow-up could have ended his career, and how a good leader chose mercy with a mandate: make the call and we’ll start fresh. That call led to regular counselling, steady homework, and a creative outlet that surprised him—poetry.We travel through survival mode and what comes after, when you finally have safety and all the feelings arrive at once. Josh explains rebuilding without pretending: full transparency in new relationships, amends where possible, and letting the page hold what he couldn’t yet say out loud. We get honest about porn’s design and pull, the hours it steals, and why awareness plus a replacement habit matters. The talk moves to housing costs and homelessness in Halifax, the pressure on young adults, and why small, local support—open mics, reading someone’s first draft, buying a friend’s art—can change a week.You’ll hear original poems, the story behind two published collections (from cry-for-help to Exit Wound), and plans for a collaborative anthology that spotlights diverse Canadian voices. More than anything, this conversation reframes masculinity: not as silence, but as truth-telling, asking for help, and protecting others without losing yourself. If you’ve ever felt like “just a bouncer,” “just a job title,” or “just your past,” this one invites you to claim a fuller name.If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge toward help, and leave a quick review—your words help others find ours.We'd like to thank our sponsor...The Big Bears Podcast is sponsored by ADDvocacy ADHD & Executive Function Coaching and TrainingDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show