Santa wasn’t supposed to find this kind of house on Christmas Eve.No Christmas tree. No stockings. No cookies.Just combat boots by the mantle, sand where comfort should be, and a Canadian soldier sleeping alone on the floor.In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I recite an original Christmas poem / Christmas story I wrote—told through Santa’s eyes—about a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) soldier spending Christmas alone. It’s a spoken word piece about military life, loneliness, and the real cost of freedom, especially during the holidays.If you’re searching for a Christmas poem about soldiers, a military Christmas story, a Canadian soldier Christmas poem, or a Christmas message for veterans, you’re in the right place. This is for anyone who has served, loves someone who serves, or knows what it feels like to carry trauma, mental health struggles, addiction recovery, or isolation through the season that’s “supposed” to be joyful.In this episode you’ll hear:A Christmas Eve story about a Canadian soldier aloneA raw look at veteran loneliness and the quiet side of serviceReflections on trauma, PTSD, and mental health during the holidaysA reminder of why we say “support our troops” and remember veteransA closing Christmas blessing for those standing watch—at home or deployedIf this story resonates, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it.💬 Comment: Are you a CAF member, veteran, military family, or someone missing a loved one this Christmas?New here? Unwritten Chapters is a solo storytelling podcast from a former army medic and paramedic turned author, talking honestly about trauma recovery, addiction, mental health, and making sense of life after rock bottom—with dark humour, empathy, and a writer’s eye for detail.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Solo storytime episodes about PTSD, therapy, addiction recovery, relationships, family, and life after rock bottom– Unfiltered reaction videos to pop culture, internet drama, and politics through the eyes of a former army medic and paramedic– Honest conversations about mental health, trauma, grief, and trying to stay human in a burned-out world (with plenty of dark humour)– Updates on my books, podcast, and creative projects, plus real talk about writing and living your own next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.
A “home” tournament that isn’t at home.No ref for a girls’ gold medal game.A 13-year-old boy watching for three seconds before saying, “They suck.”In this episode, Gender Inequality On Ice With Our Daughters, I talk about what it’s like trying to raise two girls in a man’s world… while sitting in freezing arenas that quietly remind them they’re second. From girls’ teams getting leftover ice times and four-hour playoff drives, to boys’ hockey treated like the main event, we dig into the quiet ways gender inequality in youth sports shows up long before anyone talks about pay gaps or pro leagues.If you’re a woman who’s had to work twice as hard to be taken half as seriously…If you’re a nurse, medic, frontline worker, partner of a veteran, in or around recovery…If you’re a tired, bookish, trauma-literate soul who’s so done with bullshit…this conversation is for you.We’ll talk about:Girls hockey vs boys hockey and who gets the prime iceThe invisible messages our daughters hear when they’re treated as an afterthoughtHow boys learn it’s okay to dismiss girls’ effort as a jokeWhy “men’s sports bring in more money” can’t keep being the only answerWhat this does to self-worth, mental health, and identity as they growThis is not an anti-boy rant. It’s a dad, a former army medic and paramedic, trying to make sense of what his daughters are being taught about their value—on the ice and far beyond it.👉 If you’ve seen this kind of gender inequality in sports or at work, tell me your story in the comments.👍 Like, subscribe, and share this with another parent of daughters, or someone who’s tired of watching girls get the leftover scraps of a man’s world.I’m Matthew Heneghan – former army medic, ex-paramedic, recovering alcoholic, and author trying to make sense of life after trauma.On this channel you’ll find a mix of raw solo episodes and unfiltered reaction videos where I talk honestly about:PTSD, trauma, therapy, and addiction recoveryLife after rock bottom: relationships, grief, fatherhood, and trying to build something betterPop culture, internet drama, and politics seen through the eyes of a veteran medic who’s been in real chaos, not just online argumentsMy ongoing journey as a writer and creator – books, essays, and the stories that didn’t make it to the pageThis isn’t a polished “self-help” channel. It’s dark humour, blunt honesty, and real mental health talk for people who are empathetic but exhausted – nurses, medics, veterans, partners of first responders, folks in or around recovery, and anyone who’s trauma-literate and allergic to bullshit.If you’re searching for:“mental health podcast,” “PTSD stories,” “addiction and recovery,” “veteran and first responder mental health,” “reaction videos with real life experience,” “solo commentary podcast,” “trauma recovery and dark humour”…you’re in the right place.New videos weekly for listeners in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and beyond – anyone trying to make sense of their own unwritten chapters while the world burns a little around them.Subscribe if you want company in the chaos, not clichés about “positive vibes only.”📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I do something a little different: I hit play on two videos and react in real time — as a former army medic, long-time paramedic, and guy who’s watched a lot of people quietly fall apart while the world tells them to “be strong.”First up is the Monochromatic Theory: an author breaking down how pop culture, brands, and even our houses started to lose their colour. Home Alone, Taco Bell, old cars, childhood streets — all more vibrant than what we see now. I talk about why that hits so hard for people who grew up before everything turned beige, and how that muted “aesthetic” mirrors what happens to us after trauma, burnout, and years of caregiving.If you’ve ever felt more like background noise in your own life, this part is for you.Then we shift to something spicier: a clip of Andrew Wilson debating a woman about female roles in the military. As a former army medic, I give my honest take on women in the military and combat roles, drawing on my own experience, the women I served with, and what actually happens on the ground versus what guys on the internet think happens.If you’re a nurse, medic, first responder, partner of a veteran, or a woman who’s ever been told you’re “too emotional” to handle the hard stuff… you’ll probably have some feelings about this.We get into:Why so many of us feel like our lives went “monochrome”The link between nostalgia, trauma, and mental healthWhat people get wrong about women in the military and frontline rolesHow it really feels to carry everyone else’s pain and still show upDark humour, recovery, and trying to make sense of life after rock bottomThis channel is for the empathetic but exhausted — the ones who are trauma-literate, allergic to bullshit, and just want someone to say the quiet part out loud. If that’s you, you’re in the right place.🧠 New here?I’m a former army medic and paramedic turned author, talking honestly about trauma, addiction, mental health, and recovery — with dark humour, real stories, and zero motivational-poster nonsense.💬 If something in this episode hits home, drop a comment.I read them, I respond, and your stories help shape future episodes.If you want more:👉 Hit subscribe for more solo episodes, veteran reacts content, and mental health conversations that don’t talk down to you.Welcome — I’m Matthew Heneghan: Canadian veteran, former paramedic, addiction survivor and storyteller. After 17 years on the front lines — in the Forces and EMS — I now write, podcast and share stories of trauma, recovery and what comes after the worst of it.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Talking-head reflections on trauma, mental-health work, addiction recovery– Behind-the-scenes of EMS & veteran life — what they don’t teach you in training– Practical tips to cope, heal and build resilience from the rawest possible vantage– Author & podcast updates, plus live discussions about writing your next chapterThanks for being here.
There is no “tomorrow.”You never wake up there. You only ever wake up here.In this solo episode of Unwritten Chapters, I talk honestly about what it means to live in the now when you’ve got a brain full of flashbacks, burnout, and worst-case scenarios. As a former army medic and paramedic turned author in recovery, I’m not preaching “good vibes only.” I’m talking about trying to stay present when your nervous system is cooked and you’re still waiting for the other shoe to drop.If you’re a nurse, medic, frontline worker, partner of a veteran, or someone in or around recovery who is exhausted, trauma-literate, and allergic to bullshit, this is for you.In this episode, we get into:Why “tomorrow” is the lie your brain keeps selling youHow trauma, anxiety, and addiction keep us anywhere but hereThe quiet grief of feeling like life is always on holdPractical, imperfect ways to come back to right nowGiving yourself permission to want more than just survivingThis isn’t self-help sparkle. It’s one guy who’s been to rock bottom, still trying to make sense of life after trauma, addiction, and hitting the wall at high speed.If you connect with dark humour, honest storytelling, and real talk about PTSD, mental health, and recovery, pull up a chair. You’re not the only one trying to figure out how to actually live the one day you’ve got.🎧 New to the channel?Subscribe for more solo episodes on trauma, addiction recovery, first responder mental health, and life after rock bottom.#trauma #mentalhealth #addictionrecovery #veteran #paramedic #firstresponders #livinginthenow #ptsdWelcome — I’m Matthew Heneghan: Canadian veteran, former paramedic, addiction survivor and storyteller. After 17 years on the front lines — in the Forces and EMS — I now write, podcast and share stories of trauma, recovery and what comes after the worst of it.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Talking-head reflections on trauma, mental-health work, addiction recovery– Behind-the-scenes of EMS & veteran life — what they don’t teach you in training– Practical tips to cope, heal and build resilience from the rawest possible vantage– Author & podcast updates, plus live discussions about writing your next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.
In this video, you get to watch self growth in real time.I hit play on old episodes of my podcast, Unwritten Chapters, and react to past-me talking about mental health, addiction, trauma, recovery, and life. As a veteran, former addict, and solo podcaster, I break down what’s changed — in my storytelling, my headspace, and my healing.We dig into:How I used to talk about trauma, PTSD, and pain vs. nowThe messy truth of addiction recovery and staying sober long-termSubtle signs of personal growth you only see when you look backWhat I’d tell that earlier version of myself todayHow the podcast evolved from chaotic rambling to honest, grounded conversationsIf you’re somewhere on your own mental health or healing journey — stuck between who you were and who you’re trying to become — I hope this helps you see that growth is allowed to be awkward, imperfect, and in-progress.🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST – UNWRITTEN CHAPTERSSolo episodes on mental health, addiction, recovery, and writing through the hard stuff.👍 If this resonates:Hit Like to help more people find thisSubscribe for more “podcaster reacts,” recovery stories, and real talkComment below: What’s one way you’ve grown that old-you wouldn’t believe?Welcome — I’m Matthew Heneghan: Canadian veteran, former paramedic, addiction survivor and storyteller. After 17 years on the front lines — in the Forces and EMS — I now write, podcast and share stories of trauma, recovery and what comes after the worst of it.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Talking-head reflections on trauma, mental-health work, addiction recovery– Behind-the-scenes of EMS & veteran life — what they don’t teach you in training– Practical tips to cope, heal and build resilience from the rawest possible vantage– Author & podcast updates, plus live discussions about writing your next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I talk openly about my experience as an alcoholic and why I no longer see rock bottom as a single, dramatic crash — but as a checkpoint on the way down. I share parts of my own story with alcohol addiction, the moments I thought were “the bottom,” and how life kept showing me there was always a deeper low if I didn’t change.
We explore questions like:
What does rock bottom really look like in alcoholism?
Why is rock bottom different for everyone struggling with addiction?
How do you know when it’s time to ask for help?
Can you start recovery before you completely lose everything?
If you’re wondering, “Have I hit rock bottom?” or you’re scared of where your drinking is heading, this episode is for you. I talk about shame, relapse, denial, trauma, sobriety, and the small decisions that slowly move you back toward level ground. Rock bottom doesn’t have to be the end of your story — it can be the place you decide to fight for a different one.
Whether you’re in early recovery, still in active addiction, love someone who’s struggling, or are just trying to understand mental health and substance use, I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone.
🔔 Subscribe for more real talks on trauma, addiction, recovery, and rebuilding life after the fall.
👍 If this episode resonates, please like, share, or leave a comment about your own journey with rock bottom or alcoholism.
#Alcoholism #RockBottom #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #MentalHealth #Trauma #RecoveryJourney #UnwrittenChapters
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma, I sit down at the mic as a Canadian veteran and VAC client to talk about something a lot of us are feeling in our gut right now: the Liberal government’s plan to strip $4.23 billion in “savings” from Veterans Affairs Canada over the next four years—and the way Minister of Veterans Affairs Jill McKnight insists that somehow doesn’t count as a “cut.”
We’ll unpack what Budget 2025 actually says, including the plan to “adjust” medical cannabis benefits by dropping the VAC reimbursement cap from $8.50 to $6.00 a gram, a change Ottawa says will save about $4.4 billion over four years by “aligning with market prices.” On paper, VAC’s overall budget line might still show an increase, but for real people trying to manage PTSD, chronic pain, and day-to-day functioning, these “efficiencies” land as very real reductions in support.
I talk candidly about:
Watching the Minister play word games about “reinvesting” and “modernizing benefits” on Remembrance Day, while veterans stand on parade being told they’re “never forgotten.”
What these changes look like from the other side of the counter: phone calls, forms, delays, appeals, and the slow grind of trying to hang on to your VAC benefits when you’re already exhausted.
My own experience navigating Veterans Affairs Canada with PTSD, injuries, and disability claims—and how policy decisions made in Ottawa actually show up in a veteran’s kitchen when the mail arrives.
The emotional whiplash of being publicly honoured on one hand, while quietly being told your care is where they’ll “find savings” on the other.
This isn’t a legal breakdown or financial advice—it’s a lived-experience reaction from inside the system. If you’re a Canadian veteran, family member, or ally trying to make sense of what these so-called “savings” mean in real life, this episode is for you.
Buy the Books: Indigo
Follow Me: Instagram
Email Me: Contact
In this Remembrance Day special, Matthew takes a candid, thoughtful dive into the evolving debate surrounding the poppy in Canada — from Don Cherry’s “you people” controversy to today’s renewed discussion around Indigenous poppies in Canadian Armed Forces uniforms.
As a veteran and former paramedic, Matthew reflects on the meaning of remembrance, the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers across generations, and why fragmenting the poppy into identity-based variations may risk dividing a symbol meant to unite us. This solo narration blends raw honesty, personal reflection, and respectful commentary on Canadian military tradition, Indigenous representation, and national remembrance culture.
Whether you’re a Canadian veteran, military family member, history-minded listener, or someone wrestling with modern identity politics and tradition, this episode of Unwritten Chapters invites you to pause, think, and remember what the poppy truly represents.
PRE-ORDER the new book: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/trauma-and-tea-essays-on-trauma-recovery-and-growing-up-the-hard-way/9781777649210.html
Every October, the quiet town of Falkland transforms into something out of a nightmare — and I’m right at the center of it. Dressed as Michael Myers, I stalk through the fog and screams of “The Hunt,” an attraction my brother Kozy and I help bring to life for The Haunting of Falkland. But for me, this isn’t just about scaring people — it’s about healing.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma, I talk about why Halloween has always meant more than costumes and candy. It’s about community, catharsis, and confronting the darkness instead of running from it. Through fear, fatigue, and laughter, I’ve found connection — with my brother, with my town, and with parts of myself I thought I’d buried.
I also share some exciting news: I’ve written a new book, set to release in February 2026 — a continuation of the stories that started here. So grab your flashlight, step into the fog, and let’s talk about how sometimes… facing the fear is the therapy.
In this episode, I dive into the controversial RCMP shooting of Chase De Balinhard in Surrey, British Columbia — a neurodivergent man carrying what appeared to be a firearm near a school, later revealed to be a pellet gun. While headlines rushed to condemn the police and call for inquiries, I challenge the narrative that accountability rests solely on the officers involved.
Through the lens of my own experience as a first responder, I break down how incidents escalate in microseconds, not slow-motion replays. I share personal near-death calls, life-or-death decisions made in chaos, and the harsh reality of responding without the luxury of hindsight, pause buttons, or public opinion.
This episode asks uncomfortable but necessary questions:
How did Chase walk out of his home with a weapon unchecked?
Why was he able to move freely around a school for so long?
Where did the system fail him before police arrived?
And what responsibility do families, services, and society hold?
I speak with empathy for Chase’s family and for the officers who now carry this weight. Blaming police alone ignores the deeper failures that led to tragedy.
This is a conversation about nuance, accountability, compassion, and the unseen cost of being a first responder.
If you want soundbites and outrage, this isn’t that episode.
If you want honesty, context, and humanity — press play.
Matthew reads Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations and traces how Stoic reflections on fathers, grandfathers, and mothers echo through his own story—childhood abuse, addiction, PTSD, and the hard choice to heal. He connects Marcus’s gratitude for simple living and moral discipline to modern life, challenging the narratives that keep us stuck and championing personal agency, boundaries, and compassion. This is a raw, honest solo about grief, family, and rewriting your story—one decision at a time. If you’re navigating trauma recovery, parenting, sobriety, or just trying to live with more courage, this one’s for you.
Content note: mentions of abuse, addiction, suicide.
Episode Highlights (for show notes)
Marcus Aurelius on learning from parents and grandparents
How Stoicism reframes overwhelm, grief, and modern chaos
Childhood abuse, PTSD, and the choice to stop drinking
Rewriting family patterns while parenting with compassion
Individual responsibility vs. limiting group narratives
Practical Stoic takeaways: reflection, boundaries, simpler living
Website: www.authormheneghan.com
Expectations can feel like bricks in a backpack — the ones you pile on yourself, the ones other people stack on you, and even the ones you quietly hand out to others. Eventually, it all gets heavy.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew opens up about how volunteering at the annual Haunting of Falkland — and the fatigue that followed — forced him to take a hard look at the expectations he carries. He also reflects on how a friend out east, meaning to or not, added more weight to his shoulders, creating strain where there should’ve been ease.
This is a conversation about burnout, relationships, and the invisible pressures that keep us running on empty. But it’s also about permission. Permission to be kinder to yourself. Permission to set a boundary. Permission to rest.
Matthew leaves listeners with just one expectation this week: carve out 10 minutes of your day for you — and only you. Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop carrying what was never yours in the first place.
Website: www.authormheneghan.com
The Lie About Always Staying Positive
Ever been told to “just stay positive” — like it’s some kind of magic cure? Yeah, me too. In this episode, I answer a follower’s question about how I “always” keep a positive mindset. The truth? I don’t.
I talk about the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect, why toxic positivity sets us up for failure, and how real resilience comes from admitting we have rough days. Positivity isn’t about ignoring the bad — it’s about recognizing it, owning it, and still being grateful for the things that go right.
If you’ve ever struggled with the expectation to keep smiling no matter what — especially as a veteran, first responder, or just someone trying to hold it together — this conversation is for you.
🎧 Hit play to hear why imperfection isn’t weakness, it’s human.
Website: www.authormheneghan.com
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew sits down to process the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk and what it means in today’s divided world. More than just a headline, this moment sparked reflection — on grief, anger, politics, and the importance of speaking truth without a filter.
Matthew opens up about why this tragedy pulled him back to the mic, and why Unwritten Chapters is returning to its roots: honest, unscripted conversations about life, trauma, and finding meaning in the chaos. From his time as a Canadian Forces veteran and frontline paramedic, to years spent battling PTSD and addiction, Matthew shares raw insight into how we carry pain, confront darkness, and try to keep moving forward.
If you’re a first responder, veteran, or anyone walking the road of mental health recovery, this episode is for you.
👉 Subscribe for future episodes as Matthew recommits to telling his story — two times a month — with no polish, no script, and no BS. Just the unwritten chapters.
Website: www.authormheneghan.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Unwritten_Chapters_podcast
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew Heneghan takes you on a raw, unfiltered journey through Greece — from the cracked streets of Athens to the sun-soaked chaos of Rhodes.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
Why Anthony Bourdain was right about the real meaning of travel.
How the streets of Athens feel like broken backs and old prophecies.
What goats, graffiti, and Greek breakfasts can teach us about slowing down.
How Rhodes turned years of hating the sun into an unexpected engagement story.
And why peace sometimes feels more possible when you’re far from home.
It’s part travelogue, part love letter, part therapy session — told with humor, honesty, and a little Hank Moody grit.
👉 If you enjoy raw storytelling, travel reflections, and lessons pulled from the scars and beauty of life, hit follow and share this episode with someone who needs a little wanderlust in their day.
Veteran identity. Service shaming. The toxic culture of comparison.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, host Matthew Heneghan, a former Canadian Armed Forces medic and long-time paramedic, breaks down the ugly truth behind a viral moment in the Canadian Veterans Marketplace — a story where a fellow veteran was mocked for only serving one year.
💥 From service shaming to fragile ego warfare, we dig into:
The toxic comparison culture in veteran communities
Why every year of military service counts — no matter the length
The hypocrisy of valor gatekeeping
Why compassion should outweigh credentials
The emotional fallout of intra-community bullying
🎧 Whether you're a veteran, a first responder, or someone navigating identity, trauma, or mental health in high-stress professions — this episode is for you.
Nine paramedics lost to suicide in British Columbia in just seven months.
This is not just a mental health crisis — this is a system failure.
In this raw and unfiltered episode of Unwritten Chapters, former Canadian Armed Forces medic and civilian paramedic Matthew Heneghan pulls back the curtain on the hidden mental health emergency affecting first responders. With over 17 years of service, Matthew has seen — and lived — the toll this job takes: the PTSD, burnout, addiction, and silent suffering behind the sirens.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
The reality of paramedic suicides and why the numbers are climbing
First-hand stories from over a decade in emergency services
How PTSD and addiction develop in first responders
Why political platitudes and policy memos don’t save lives
A call to truly listen to — and act for — the people behind the uniform
Keywords: Paramedic mental health, paramedic suicide rates, PTSD in first responders, first responder burnout, Canadian paramedic crisis, mental health in emergency services, trauma and addiction recovery, suicide prevention for first responders, Unwritten Chapters Podcast, Matthew Heneghan
🚨 If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available:
Canada: Talk Suicide Canada — 1-833-456-4566
U.S.: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or Text 988
🟢 Subscribe to Unwritten Chapters for real stories and uncomfortable truths about trauma, healing, and the human cost of service.
📤 Share this episode to help break the silence around first responder mental health.
#ParamedicMentalHealth #FirstResponderSuicide #PTSD #TraumaRecovery #UnwrittenChapters #MatthewHeneghan #SuicidePrevention #CanadianParamedics #FirstResponderLife #MentalHealthMatters
On July 24th, Terry Bollea — better known as Hulk Hogan — passed away at the age of 71. I wrote a post reflecting on what that meant to me, and the backlash was swift.
In this video, I unpack that post, the controversy that followed, and the deeper meaning behind my words. This isn’t about celebrating a flawed man — it’s about nostalgia, grief, growing up, and losing the icons of our childhood.
➡️ This isn’t a tribute to Terry Bollea the person.
➡️ This is about Hulk Hogan the character — and what he meant to a generation of kids.
➡️ It’s about memory, innocence, and the power of holding on to moments that made us feel safe.
I confront cancel culture, toxic projection, and the nuance of separating flawed public figures from the personal memories they helped create.
Whether you're a wrestling fan, a child of the '80s/'90s, or someone grappling with how we mourn complicated figures — this is for you.
🧠 Keywords & Topics:
#HulkHogan #TerryBollea #Nostalgia #CancelCulture #WrestlingIcons #ChildhoodMemories #UnwrittenChapters #Grief #GrowingUp #FlawedHeroes #SocialMediaBacklash #WWEHistory #SaturdayMorningCartoons #WrestlingLegends #PopCultureIcons #EmotionalReflection
📖 Read the original blog post here:
👉 https://authormheneghan.com
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:
Unwritten Chapters Podcast – Available on all platforms.
🫱 If this story resonates with you, please like, comment, and share your own childhood icons below.
⭐️ Don’t forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple/Spotify if you enjoy this kind of content.
Why does the justice system show compassion for some trauma — but not for others? In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I explore the unequal application of empathy in Canadian courts. From PTSD and veteran struggles to the racial lens of the Gladue ruling, this is a raw breakdown of how pain is politicized — and why true justice must include all stories.
We’ll cover:
The real impact of Gladue Reports and racial bias in sentencing
Why veterans with PTSD, first responders, and white addicts are often criminalized — not contextualized
What the media got wrong about the Kamloops 215 mass grave narrative
How trauma is not race-bound — and why selective empathy isn’t justice
👉 Whether you’ve felt ignored, misjudged, or erased — this episode is for you.
🔔 Subscribe to Unwritten Chapters for more real talk on trauma, accountability, and recovery.
📤 Share this episode if you’ve ever felt unheard in your own pain.
📝 Leave a comment with your story — we see you.
#PTSD #Gladue #JusticeSystem #TraumaRecovery #CanadianVeterans #FirstResponders #IndigenousJustice #Kamloops215 #SelectiveEmpathy #MentalHealthMatters #UnwrittenChapters
We are transitioning to a bi-weekly format to enhance content quality and allow for better focus on mental health, personal growth, and life reflections. We also have a new podcast, Haunted B.C., featuring spooky stories from British Columbia. Thank you for your support!
#MentalHealthPodcast #PersonalGrowth #PodcastUpdate #UnwrittenChapters #HauntedBC #PodcastNews #BiWeeklyPodcast #MentalWellbeing #SelfImprovement #PodcastCommunity