The knife incident and turning point

Former bank robber Joe Loya reveals how childhood trauma transformed him into a prolific criminal — and how he found his way back. [Part 1 of 2]

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1264

What We Discuss with Joe Loya:

• Childhood trauma doesn't excuse criminal behavior, but it explains how violence becomes normalized. Joe's father beat him over 100 times before age 15, creating a psychological framework where aggression felt like the only authentic response to a world that had brutalized him first.
• Bank robbery became a twisted form of therapy — a way to reclaim power stolen in childhood. Joe describes the "rapture" of robberies as moments where he finally felt in control, transforming victim psychology into predator psychology through carefully orchestrated criminal acts.
• Solitary confinement can either break you or remake you. Joe spent seven years total in "the hole." Rather than destroying him, isolation became an unexpected crucible for self-reflection, forcing him to confront the rage he'd been running from his entire life.
• The most dangerous lies we tell are the ones we believe about ourselves. Joe constructed elaborate internal narratives justifying his crimes as righteous rebellion, only recognizing decades later how childhood shame had corrupted his entire moral operating system.
• Redemption isn't about erasing your past — it's about transforming it into something useful. Joe now channels his understanding of trauma, violence, and recovery into writing and speaking, proving that even the darkest experiences can become tools for helping others navigate their own shadows.
• And much more... [Part 1 of 2 — stay tuned for Part 2 later this week!]

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