Survivor Stories — Episode 6: Breaking the Chains: Mike’s Story

Podcast: Survivor Stories: Breaking Silence, Changing Stigma
Episode: 6
Guest: Mike
Guest Co-Hosts: Brad and Dakotah
Website: https://internalchainofcommand.com

Episode Description

What happens when the people who know you best ask you to open up about the things you’ve spent years keeping locked away?

In this episode of Survivor Stories, Jarod sits down with Mike, joined by guest co-hosts Brad and Dakotah, for an honest, unfiltered conversation about trauma, family, friendship, and the difficult process of confronting the past.

Brad and Dakotah have known Mike for years, but even the closest friendships can have unspoken stories and emotions beneath the surface. Together, they challenge Mike to begin breaking the chains around the box of experiences he has kept closed for so long.

Mike shares his memories of his father being shot while serving as a police officer, the lasting impact of that traumatic event, complicated family relationships, and his experiences seeking help through counseling. The conversation also explores his journey into understanding complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and Internal Family Systems (IFS), including the protective parts that can shape our reactions, relationships, and behaviors.

This episode is about more than recounting what happened. It is about examining how trauma affects us, recognizing the ways we protect ourselves, and learning that opening up does not have to happen all at once.

Sometimes, healing begins with one conversation, a few chains loosened, and the willingness to let someone else see what is inside the box.

In This Episode

• The power of friendship: How years of friendship create opportunities for honest conversations and accountability.
• Family, loss, and complicated relationships: Mike reflects on his biological mother, his stepmother Mary, and the role family has played throughout his life.
• A traumatic childhood memory: Mike recounts learning that his father had been shot in the line of duty and describes what he remembers from that night.
• The impact of trauma: How overwhelming experiences can affect memory, emotions, relationships, and reactions.
• CPTSD and therapy: Mike discusses his experiences with counseling and exploring different approaches to healing.
• Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS): A conversation about exiles, protective parts, managers, and firefighters—and how these parts can influence our responses to emotional pain.
• Accountability and growth: Recognizing harmful reactions while learning to understand the pain and protective instincts behind them.
• Breaking the chains: Why opening up is a process, not a single event, and why even small steps matter.

A Note on This Episode

This episode contains candid conversations and humor alongside serious discussions of trauma and mental health. Mike shares personal experiences involving suicide, suicidal behavior, violence, police shootings, death, family estrangement, CPTSD, and emotional distress. Some language is explicit.

Please listen in whatever way feels safest for you. Pause, take a break, or step away if you need to.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide in the United States, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate danger, call 911.

About Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories: Breaking Silence, Changing Stigma creates space for honest conversations about trauma, mental health, grief, healing, and survival.

We believe that sharing our experiences can challenge stigma, help others feel less alone, and remind us that we are more than what happened to us.

You don’t have to open every door at once. Sometimes, the first step is simply being willing to turn the handle.

Listen, Read, and Connect

Visit our website for more episodes, personal stories, blog posts, and information about the podcast: http://www.internalchainofcommand.com

If this episode resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who may need the reminder that they are not alone.

Thank you for listening to Survivor Stories: Breaking Silence, Changing Stigma.

Music and Sound Credits

Intro and Outro Music: Strong Character (Powerful Fuzz Action Sport Rock) by Lightstockmusic, via Pixabay.

Audio file: https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-strong-character-powerful-fuzz-action-sport-rock-513742/

Used under the Pixabay Content License.

Sound Effects: Sounds from https://quicksounds.com

Used under the Quicksounds Standard License. Please visit the website for sound-effect resources and licensing information.

All music and sound effects are credited to their respective sources.