The Locked up Living Podcast: Surviving and thriving in prisons and other challenging environments Podcasters David Jones & Dr Naomi Murphy

Michael Davitt, an author focused on mental health issues, shares his experience with complex PTSD stemming from emotional neglect in childhood. He chose a pseudonym, Luke Pemberton, to write about his parents and childhood to protect their identity. Michael discusses his struggle with attachment and the deep-seated fear of abandonment and rejection. He highlights the impact of emotional neglect and the difficulty in acknowledging and articulating its effects. Michael also talks about his career in the Diplomatic Service and how his lack of confidence hindered his progression. Drawing played a fundamental role in Michael Davitt's recovery from trauma. He started doodling stick figures and found it cathartic and useful. He eventually turned his drawings into books about his life experiences. Drawing allowed him to express complex emotions and convey them more quickly and powerfully than words. Michael emphasizes the importance of creative expression for anyone who has gone through trauma. He also discusses the need for a trauma-informed society and the barriers to seeking therapy for emotional neglect. Introspection and connecting with the inner child are key to healing.


 



KeywordsMichael Davitt, mental health, complex PTSD, emotional neglect, childhood trauma, attachment, fear of abandonment, fear of rejection, toxic shame, pseudonym, Luke Pemberton, career, Diplomatic Service, lack of confidence, drawing, recovery, trauma, cathartic, creative expression, therapy, emotional neglect, introspection, inner child, trauma-informed society
Takeaways
Emotional neglect in childhood can have long-lasting effects on mental health and well-being.
The fear of abandonment and rejection can stem from a lack of attachment to parents.
Toxic shame can develop when a child blames themselves for emotional neglect.
Using a pseudonym to write about personal experiences may be a way to protect oneself and avoid confronting the pain.
Childhood trauma can hinder confidence and career progression.
Emotional abuse and neglect are often overlooked and difficult to articulate, but they can be as damaging as physical or sexual abuse. Drawing can be a powerful tool for expressing and processing emotions, especially for those who have experienced trauma.
Creative expression, such as drawing, writing, or music, is important for healing and recovery.
A trauma-informed society is necessary to raise awareness and support those who have experienced trauma.
Introspection and connecting with the inner child are crucial for healing from emotional neglect and trauma.

 
www.lukepemberton.com
Published books:
How to Put a Troubled Past Behind You: A FRESH, drawing-based approach (Find help, Record your feelings, Sketch your thoughts, and Harvest your success (self-published 2021).
How to Feel More Beautiful Inside: Learn to love yourself a little more, one step at a time (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2020).
How to See Religion Differently: What questioning your beliefs can reveal, and why it can lead to a healthier mind (Silverwood Books, 2018)
How To Sort Your Head Out: Build Your Self-Esteem by Understanding Your Emotional Fears (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2017),
How to Find Your Way Out When in Despair: a guide to rediscovering your self-worth (SilverWood books, 2016, re-issued 2018)

Michael Davitt, an author focused on mental health issues, shares his experience with complex PTSD stemming from emotional neglect in childhood. He chose a pseudonym, Luke Pemberton, to write about his parents and childhood to protect their identity. Michael discusses his struggle with attachment and the deep-seated fear of abandonment and rejection. He highlights the impact of emotional neglect and the difficulty in acknowledging and articulating its effects. Michael also talks about his career in the Diplomatic Service and how his lack of confidence hindered his progression. Drawing played a fundamental role in Michael Davitt's recovery from trauma. He started doodling stick figures and found it cathartic and useful. He eventually turned his drawings into books about his life experiences. Drawing allowed him to express complex emotions and convey them more quickly and powerfully than words. Michael emphasizes the importance of creative expression for anyone who has gone through trauma. He also discusses the need for a trauma-informed society and the barriers to seeking therapy for emotional neglect. Introspection and connecting with the inner child are key to healing.


 



KeywordsMichael Davitt, mental health, complex PTSD, emotional neglect, childhood trauma, attachment, fear of abandonment, fear of rejection, toxic shame, pseudonym, Luke Pemberton, career, Diplomatic Service, lack of confidence, drawing, recovery, trauma, cathartic, creative expression, therapy, emotional neglect, introspection, inner child, trauma-informed society
Takeaways
Emotional neglect in childhood can have long-lasting effects on mental health and well-being.
The fear of abandonment and rejection can stem from a lack of attachment to parents.
Toxic shame can develop when a child blames themselves for emotional neglect.
Using a pseudonym to write about personal experiences may be a way to protect oneself and avoid confronting the pain.
Childhood trauma can hinder confidence and career progression.
Emotional abuse and neglect are often overlooked and difficult to articulate, but they can be as damaging as physical or sexual abuse. Drawing can be a powerful tool for expressing and processing emotions, especially for those who have experienced trauma.
Creative expression, such as drawing, writing, or music, is important for healing and recovery.
A trauma-informed society is necessary to raise awareness and support those who have experienced trauma.
Introspection and connecting with the inner child are crucial for healing from emotional neglect and trauma.

 
www.lukepemberton.com
Published books:
How to Put a Troubled Past Behind You: A FRESH, drawing-based approach (Find help, Record your feelings, Sketch your thoughts, and Harvest your success (self-published 2021).
How to Feel More Beautiful Inside: Learn to love yourself a little more, one step at a time (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2020).
How to See Religion Differently: What questioning your beliefs can reveal, and why it can lead to a healthier mind (Silverwood Books, 2018)
How To Sort Your Head Out: Build Your Self-Esteem by Understanding Your Emotional Fears (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2017),
How to Find Your Way Out When in Despair: a guide to rediscovering your self-worth (SilverWood books, 2016, re-issued 2018)

Novelist Louis de Bernières was born into a military family, and flown out to Jordan in a bomber. At the age of eight he was sent to Grenham House in Kent, a prep school run by two headmasters, one of them a paedophile and the other a sadist. He became fluent in Latin. Then he went to Bradfield College in Berkshire where he spent a lot of time fishing, and working for a local farmer when he was supposed to be doing sports. He then spent four months failing to become an army officer at Sandhurst, when what he really wanted to do was grow his hair long and play the guitar. In disgrace, he fled to Colombia where he worked as a tutor on a ranch belonging to an Englishman who also turned out to be a paedophile. He learned to ride western style, use a lasso, and round up cattle.
He came home and studied philosophy at Manchester University, financing it by working as a landscape gardener. Afterwards he worked variously as hospital porter, landscape gardener, mechanic in a bent Morris Minor garage in East London, philosophy tutor, carpenter, motorcycle messenger, and English and Drama teacher in Ipswich. He trained to be a teacher in Leicester, and won a masters with distinction at the Institute of Education in London. He worked with truants in Battersea until his third novel was published and he was earning the same by writing as he had been as a teacher. 
 
Summary Louis de Berniere-Smart discusses his experience of boarding school and the emotional impact it had on him. He shares the harsh realities, including physical abuse, poor living conditions, and emotional bullying. Louis reflects on the emotional detachment and stoicism that he learned as a coping mechanism, as well as the difficulty of forming attachments and relationships later in life. He also discusses his unconventional path after leaving school, including his time in Colombia and his diverse range of jobs. Louis values connecting with people from all walks of life and has a deep interest in understanding others. In this conversation, Louis discusses his diverse work experiences and how they have influenced his writing. He shares stories from his time working in a garage , highlighting the importance of meaningful connections with people. Louis also talks about his experiences as a father and the impact it had on his life. He discusses the process of writing and how it allows him to explore different kinds of love and escape from self-obsession.

Novelist Louis de Bernières was born into a military family, and flown out to Jordan in a bomber. At the age of eight he was sent to Grenham House in Kent, a prep school run by two headmasters, one of them a paedophile and the other a sadist. He became fluent in Latin. Then he went to Bradfield College in Berkshire where he spent a lot of time fishing, and working for a local farmer when he was supposed to be doing sports. He then spent four months failing to become an army officer at Sandhurst, when what he really wanted to do was grow his hair long and play the guitar. In disgrace, he fled to Colombia where he worked as a tutor on a ranch belonging to an Englishman who also turned out to be a paedophile. He learned to ride western style, use a lasso, and round up cattle.
He came home and studied philosophy at Manchester University, financing it by working as a landscape gardener. Afterwards he worked variously as hospital porter, landscape gardener, mechanic in a bent Morris Minor garage in East London, philosophy tutor, carpenter, motorcycle messenger, and English and Drama teacher in Ipswich. He trained to be a teacher in Leicester, and won a masters with distinction at the Institute of Education in London. He worked with truants in Battersea until his third novel was published and he was earning the same by writing as he had been as a teacher. 
 
Summary Louis de Berniere-Smart discusses his experience of boarding school and the emotional impact it had on him. He shares the harsh realities, including physical abuse, poor living conditions, and emotional bullying. Louis reflects on the emotional detachment and stoicism that he learned as a coping mechanism, as well as the difficulty of forming attachments and relationships later in life. He also discusses his unconventional path after leaving school, including his time in Colombia and his diverse range of jobs. Louis values connecting with people from all walks of life and has a deep interest in understanding others. In this conversation, Louis discusses his diverse work experiences and how they have influenced his writing. He shares stories from his time working in a garage , highlighting the importance of meaningful connections with people. Louis also talks about his experiences as a father and the impact it had on his life. He discusses the process of writing and how it allows him to explore different kinds of love and escape from self-obsession.

In this conversation, David and Naomi talk with Dr Brian Richardson, a communications expert at the University of North Texas, who has conducted research on whistleblowers and the impact on their families. Brian explains that his interest in this subject began when he observed the negative response faced by a college basketball player who blew the whistle on his coach's abusive behaviour. This led him to question why individuals who speak the truth and raise concerns are often punished instead of celebrated. Brian's research focuses on the communication dynamics within families of whistleblowers and how they cope with the challenges they face. He highlights the importance of communal coping and negotiating how much conversation should be dedicated to the issue. Brian also discusses the use of metaphors by whistleblowers to describe their experiences and the need for families to maintain connections with outside support systems. He emphasizes the traumatic impact whistleblowing can have on families and the importance of providing resources and support for them.
Dr. Richardson is still interviewing whistleblowers and family members. If you are able to participate his email address is brian.richardson@unt.edu
Dr. Brian Richardson earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001, where hethen joined the faculty in Communication Studies at the University of North Texas. Specializinghis research in organizational whistleblowing, crisis/disaster communication, and sportcommunication, Dr. Richardson was promoted to Associate Professor in 2008 and then recentlyto the level of Full Professor. His research has been published in prominent venues includingManagement Communication Quarterly, Human Communication Research, InternationalJournal of Business Communication, Communication and Sport, and the Journal of AppliedCommunication Research. Dr. Richardson’s whistleblowing research has examinedwhistleblowers in the collegiate sport industry, within K-12 educational contexts, and howwhistleblowing impacts families. He has also led Study Abroad programs in Peru, Nicaragua,and Panama, and most recently, he won awards for Excellence in Graduate Teaching (2022) andfor Excellence in Mentoring via the Ulys and Vera Knight Faculty Mentor Award (2023). He hasconducted communication training for a variety of organizations including the U.S. Departmentof Veterans Affairs – Houston office, Texas Association of Fire Chiefs, UNT System, UNT HealthScience Center, Texas Association of County Auditors, and the Texas Department of Family &Protective Services.

In this conversation, David and Naomi talk with Dr Brian Richardson, a communications expert at the University of North Texas, who has conducted research on whistleblowers and the impact on their families. Brian explains that his interest in this subject began when he observed the negative response faced by a college basketball player who blew the whistle on his coach's abusive behaviour. This led him to question why individuals who speak the truth and raise concerns are often punished instead of celebrated. Brian's research focuses on the communication dynamics within families of whistleblowers and how they cope with the challenges they face. He highlights the importance of communal coping and negotiating how much conversation should be dedicated to the issue. Brian also discusses the use of metaphors by whistleblowers to describe their experiences and the need for families to maintain connections with outside support systems. He emphasizes the traumatic impact whistleblowing can have on families and the importance of providing resources and support for them.
Dr. Richardson is still interviewing whistleblowers and family members. If you are able to participate his email address is. brian.richardson@unt.edu
Dr. Brian Richardson earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001, where hethen joined the faculty in Communication Studies at the University of North Texas. Specializinghis research in organizational whistleblowing, crisis/disaster communication, and sportcommunication, Dr. Richardson was promoted to Associate Professor in 2008 and then recentlyto the level of Full Professor. His research has been published in prominent venues includingManagement Communication Quarterly, Human Communication Research, InternationalJournal of Business Communication, Communication and Sport, and the Journal of AppliedCommunication Research. Dr. Richardson’s whistleblowing research has examinedwhistleblowers in the collegiate sport industry, within K-12 educational contexts, and howwhistleblowing impacts families. He has also led Study Abroad programs in Peru, Nicaragua,and Panama, and most recently, he won awards for Excellence in Graduate Teaching (2022) andfor Excellence in Mentoring via the Ulys and Vera Knight Faculty Mentor Award (2023). He hasconducted communication training for a variety of organizations including the U.S. Departmentof Veterans Affairs – Houston office, Texas Association of Fire Chiefs, UNT System, UNT HealthScience Center, Texas Association of County Auditors, and the Texas Department of Family &Protective Services.