by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 11, 2026 | A3, FT2J Podcast
Suicide and sexual violence are almost always accompanied by feelings of shame and guilt. Because these feelings are so deeply personal, we lock them deep inside a place we rarely visit… a place others are never allowed to enter.
In that isolated space, we often convince ourselves that these events were our fault and that we could have prevented them, thereby increasing the terrible guilt and shame we live with.
Wade’s twenty-year-old son killed himself in his bedroom, in Wade’s home, with Wade’s shotgun. Wade understands that if he’s to live a great life, he has to talk about Juan’s suicide and all the feelings that go with it.
If you know someone who is struggling in isolation, send them the link to this short video and open a door to a conversation that could be life-changing.
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by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 4, 2026 | A3, FT2J Podcast
Here is a sample of the feedback we received from viewers and the topics we’ll discuss:
- Have any of you ever had someone push back hard on that?
- Have you ever had anybody say that they “got over it”?
- So, the Benevolent Trojan Horse is the truth? And that’s what becomes the warm blanket?
- I’d like to hear more about addressing this with children.
- Mac, how long did it take you to come to understand the four points you make relative to “You don’t get over it”?
- Tim mention wanting to see Viktor Frankl as a therapist, is there one thing you take away from his teachings more than anything else?
- For Tim & Wade… do you agree with Mac that you can change your life in weeks and months?
- Be gentle… I almost fell off my chair. Are you sure you guys were Marines?
- Being an informed consumer, I like that idea. Thank you for helping me…
- COMMENT FOR EVERYBODY: “Is this hard for you to do?”
- COMMENT FOR WADE: “I’ve heard you talk about holding your son’s ashes, and also him shooting himself in his bedroom… is this a form of ‘therapy’ for you?”
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by Michael F. McNamara | Jun 1, 2026 | A3, FT2J Podcast
Of all the things I’ve ever learned, this is the single thing that had the greatest impact on my life. As I rounded out the thought, it has four elements:
- You don’t “get over” the traumatic events of your life, ever.
- Struggling in the aftermath of trauma is 1000% normal, there is nothing wrong with you.
- Learning how to do that struggle is a learnable skill; I’ve seen so many people do it… and if they can do it, so can you.
- Finally, and maybe most important, trauma is not a death sentence… YOU CAN STILL LIVE A GREAT LIFE.
Tim Lynch and Wade Cates join me for a discussion about these ideas… it’s a wonderful discussion. If you’re struggling in the aftermath of a traumatic event, watch it. If you know someone who is struggling, tag them in the comment section of this video… there’s a good chance that you could open a door to changing their life.
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