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.

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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.

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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.

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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