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In this episode of Speak Loud Podcast, our guest Matthew Chadwick bravely shares his wounds from his past sexual abuse, how he is dealing and healing with the re-opened wounds, and finding light amidst those tragic events.

BRIEF BACKGROUND OF MATTHEW CHADWICK

Matthew Chadwick is married with 10 kids and 11 grandkids. He is living in Salt Lake Area his entire life. His parents got divorced when we he was 10 and his mother remarried when he was 11, then shortly after they moved. Life started to become challenging as he was uprooted from friends and needed to adjust to a new neighborhood.

HOW THE SEXUAL ABUSE STARTED

[02:28]

The sexual abuse started with his brother, but it only happened once because Matthew\\u2019s Parents knew about the incident after being confronted by his sister.

[03:29]

About a year later, this time during his puberty stage, he had communicating hydrocele. A condition where one of his testicles would grow four times the size of normal. He decided to go to his stepfather about it, but that lead him to be sexually abused over the next six years. He was also introduced and exposed to pornography and masturbation.

[08:04]

The abuse went on for 8 years, from the age 11-19, and he kept his silence for a long time because he was scared to go through another divorce again, with his mother and stepfather. His stepfather was also the one providing for their family. The abused only stopped after Matthew graduated from a mission.

[08:39]

His stepfather played with his fears, scaring Matthew about the divorce, sending him to live with his brother in Arizona, all these things to prevent him from confronting his mother about the sexual abuse

STEPFATHER\\u2019S REPENTANCE

[13:35]

- Matt\\u2019s stepfather had stage 4 pancreatic colon cancer, and he tried to go through a holistic therapy down in Arizona but it was no longer working. His father had a deathbed repentance and ask for Matt\\u2019s forgiveness with how he mistreated him.

[14:23]

- The \\u201cdeathbed repentance\\u201d caused Matt\\u2019s wounds to re-open. Matt went through counseling in January just before the pandemic. And he was diagnosed with PTSD because of the emotional and sexual abuse.

DEALING WITH THE TRAUMA AND THE PROCESS OF HEALING

[20:43]

- Having a good support system at home

[21:06]

- He meditates through prayers and talking to God, listening to music that will uplift his mood

TAKEAWAY FOR LISTENERS

[22:52]

- We can forgive, but we're never ever going to forget. We're going have to deal with it.

MOTIVATION TO MOVE FORWARD

[27:32]

His family empowers him, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of another life, no matter what you believe in, no matter what faith you are.

Key Quotes

[04:03]

\\u201cWhen people say let's protect our kids, keep them at home. My abuse happened in my own home.\\u201d

[37:56]

\\u201cAccentuate the positive eliminate the negative\\u201d

If you want to get in touch and connect with Matthew Chadwick, perhaps have a similar experience that you resonated with, you can email him at chadwickdad@aol.com