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
What’s really going on with Ketel Marte?
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I unpack the situation surrounding Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte, the swirling controversy, and what it says about professional sports culture, pressure, and public perception.
If you’re an MLB fan trying to make sense of the headlines — or just someone interested in how media, fandom, and athlete mental health intersect — this episode is for you.
🔥 Topics Covered:
– The facts around the Ketel Marte incident
– How fans and media react to MLB player behavior
– The growing discussion of mental health in sports
– My personal reflection as a former medic on how public pressure mirrors first responder burnout
– Why accountability and empathy must coexist in modern sports
📢 Drop a comment with your thoughts, and don’t forget to like and subscribe for more real-talk episodes that bridge sports, culture, and humanity.
#KetelMarte #MLBNews #BaseballControversy #MentalHealthInSports #ArizonaDiamondbacks #MLBFanTalk #AthletePressure #UnwrittenChaptersPodcast
From insider attack survivor to leadership expert — this is the untold cost of combat trauma and resilience.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I sit down with Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Bart Womack, author of Embedded Enemy. Bart shares his firsthand experience surviving a brutal insider attack during his time with the 101st Airborne Division, and what it taught him about trust, leadership, and mental toughness.
🔍 What you’ll hear:
– A harrowing account of the 2003 insider attack in Kuwait
– How trauma reshaped his view of service and security
– Critical leadership lessons from combat to civilian life
– The importance of situational awareness and mental resilience
– Why sharing these stories matters for our collective healing
This conversation goes beyond headlines — it’s a real look at how trauma tests character and forges strength.
🔔 Subscribe to Unwritten Chapters for more raw stories from the frontlines of trauma, healing, and survival.
#CombatTrauma #VeteranLeadership #EmbeddedEnemy #BartWomack #MentalHealth #UnwrittenChapters #Resilience #PTSDRecovery
Family trauma runs deep — and sometimes, it echoes through generations.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I share a recent experience that reopened an old wound — a message from a family member that didn’t ask how I was, didn’t recognize what I’ve survived, but instead demanded justification.
I’ve been here before — having to explain why I’m hurting, why I left, why I needed distance. But this time, it wasn’t a sibling — it was someone from the next generation. And that’s when it hit me: family patterns don’t just persist. They multiply.
💬 What you’ll hear in this episode:
– The emotional toll of being asked to justify your pain
– Why boundaries are not betrayal
– How trauma survivors are often expected to be the most emotionally responsible
– What it means to finally stop apologizing for your healing
– The difference between love and control — and how to tell the two apart
👉 If you’ve ever had to explain your silence, your distance, or your healing — this chapter is for you.
#FamilyTrauma #BreakingTheCycle #EmotionalHealing #UnwrittenChapters #BoundariesAreLove #Estrangement #MentalHealthPodcast #SurvivorStories
Legal immigration shouldn’t feel like punishment — but for many, it does.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I explore the emotional toll of doing everything “by the book” and still being left in limbo. Inspired by the stories of legal immigrants caught in the shadows of ICE raids — and my own stalled Veterans Affairs claim — this episode sheds light on the silent suffering inside systems that promise fairness but rarely deliver it.
🎧 What you’ll hear:
– The harsh truth behind “legal immigration” delays
– The real human cost of ICE raids on vulnerable families
– My personal journey with Veterans Affairs limbo
– Why bureaucracy is its own kind of trauma
– A call to build empathy beyond headlines
If you’ve ever waited for justice, for help, or even just for answers — this one’s for you.
🔔 Follow Unwritten Chapters for raw, honest stories from a veteran, medic, and survivor finding meaning in the wait.
#ImmigrationReform #VACDelay #ICEraids #MentalHealthPodcast #BureaucracyTrauma #VeteransVoices #HumanRights #PodcastWithPurpose #UnwrittenChapters
PTSD nearly ended my life in 2017. Last week, I used my recovery to save someone else's.
In this powerful episode for PTSD Awareness Month, I share my journey from diagnosis as a paramedic to real-world healing—culminating in a moment where my recovery truly came full circle.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:
– My PTSD diagnosis and mental health crash in 2017
– Why PTSD in first responders is often misunderstood
– Performing CPR on someone close to me—and they lived
– What recovery actually looks like (and why it’s worth it)
#PTSDRecovery #ParamedicLife #MentalHealthAwareness #FirstResponderPTSD #UnwrittenChapters
👉 Follow for real stories of trauma, resilience, and life after survival.
If you drink 0.0 beer, you're not broken — and you haven't failed.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I speak from experience about the nuance of sobriety — including why I used 0.0 beer early in my recovery, why I’ve moved away from it, and why I still don’t believe it’s a relapse.
Recovery is personal. It’s not a template. And if you’ve ever felt judged for how you stay sober — this one’s for you.
🔍 In this episode:
Why 0.0 beer helped me in early sobriety
Why I walked away from it — without shame
Why I don’t attend AA — and how I still stay sober
How to own your recovery, your way
#SobrietyJourney #SoberNotSilent #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthPodcast #UnwrittenChapters
Follow for raw reflections on recovery, trauma, and rewriting your ending — from a former medic and sober writer.
📚 Love whatyou heard? There’s more.
I’m Matthew Heneghan — a former military and civilian medic, now a sober writersharing raw stories about trauma, grief, addiction, and healing.
🎙 Listento the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC
📰 Subscribe to my newsletter for reflectionsI don’t share anywhere else: https://substack.com/@unwrittenchapterspodcast?utm_source=user-menu
📚 Read my books:
A Medic’sMind: https://a.co/d/fyBwpo1
Woven inWar: https://a.co/d/6DlWdg6
Life AfterLoss: Reflections on Moments of Grace and Courage in Grief: https://a.co/d/2U4zSG4
Dream:Tales from the Pikes Peak Writers: https://a.co/d/cbi7A9n
BrainstormRevolution: True mental health stories of love, personal evolution, andcultural revolution: https://a.co/d/gatLrby
A Versionof Me: Askew's Word on the Lake Anthology 2024: https://a.co/d/iEON2Rw
🌐 Visit: www.amedicsmind.com
📸 Follow me: @UnwrittenChaptersPodcaston Instagram
Because thenext chapter is still unwritten — and you don’t have to write it alone.
In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I re-release my CBC Daybreak interview with host Sarah Penton — a raw and reflective conversation recorded after I was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Though the honour was official, what we talk about here is much deeper: the real cost of service, the lifelong weight of trauma, and what it means to be recognized for simply surviving.
I may not be at full vocal strength today — but the words in this interview still carry weight.
🎙 Originally aired March 2025
🔔 Subscribe for personal stories on healing, identity, and the truths behind the uniform.
#VeteranVoices #MentalHealthPodcast #CBCInterview #CoronationMedal #TraumaHealing #ServiceAndSacrifice #UnwrittenChapters #CanadianVeterans #StorytellingPodcast
📚 Love whatyou heard? There’s more.
I’m Matthew Heneghan — a former military and civilian medic, now a sober writersharing raw stories about trauma, grief, addiction, and healing.
🎙 Listento the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC
📰 Subscribe to my newsletter for reflectionsI don’t share anywhere else: https://substack.com/@unwrittenchapterspodcast?utm_source=user-menu
📚 Read my books:
A Medic’sMind: https://a.co/d/fyBwpo1
Woven inWar: https://a.co/d/6DlWdg6
Life AfterLoss: Reflections on Moments of Grace and Courage in Grief: https://a.co/d/2U4zSG4
Dream:Tales from the Pikes Peak Writers: https://a.co/d/cbi7A9n
BrainstormRevolution: True mental health stories of love, personal evolution, andcultural revolution: https://a.co/d/gatLrby
A Versionof Me: Askew's Word on the Lake Anthology 2024: https://a.co/d/iEON2Rw
🌐 Visit: www.amedicsmind.com
📸 Follow me: @UnwrittenChaptersPodcaston Instagram
Because thenext chapter is still unwritten — and you don’t have to write it alone.