Alex Williams was eight years old when his mum was murdered by his stepfather.

In this episode, Alex shares what it’s really like to grow up after extreme trauma, how it shaped his nervous system, identity, and relationships, and why “healing” is often misunderstood.

Alex is an NHS mental health practitioner with over 20 years of experience and a suicide and self-harm prevention trainer. He brings both lived experience and frontline insight into what actually helps people after childhood trauma, and what doesn’t.

We talk about:

Growing up after domestic abuse and parental homicide

Why safety matters more than therapy in the early stages of trauma

The long-term impact of unprocessed grief in childhood

Compassion fatigue in mental health and helping professions

Why forgiveness is not required for healing

How the mental health system labels people instead of holding them

Phone addiction, numbing, and modern forms of escape

Meaning, survival, and choosing a life after trauma

This is a raw, honest conversation about loss, resilience, and what it means to live a good life after something unimaginable.

If you grew up in dysfunction, abuse, or emotional neglect, this episode will likely resonate.

Find Alex here -

https//instagram.com/thealexjwilliams

https//tiktok.com/thealexjwilliams

https//www.linkedin.com/thealexjwilliams

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