Unwritten Chapters with Matthew Heneghan

Matthew Heneghan
  • 5.0 (9)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Unwritten Chapters with Matthew Heneghan is a raw solo mental health podcast and reaction channel about PTSD, trauma recovery, addiction recovery, sobriety, and life after rock bottom — from a veteran and former paramedic / first responder. Expect long-form talking-head episodes on therapy, setbacks, and small wins, plus reaction videos to pop culture, internet drama, news and politics through a lived-experience lens. If you’re looking for an honest recovery podcast with dark humour and real talk about healing, grief, burnout, relationships, and starting over — subscribe and stick around.

  1. 22H AGO

    Two Americans Dead And Nobody Is Asking Why

    Two Americans are dead after an ICE protest turned violent — and nobody seems interested in asking the uncomfortable questions.In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I talk honestly about what really happened at the ICE protest, how the media is framing the shooting, and why our political climate keeps turning real people into collateral damage. I’m not here to defend institutions or score ideological points. I’m here to talk about what happens when outrage culture, media narratives, and moral tribalism collide with real-world consequences.As a former army medic and paramedic, I’ve seen what violence actually looks like. I’ve watched people die. I’ve stood in the aftermath of chaos that started with words, rhetoric, and bad decisions. That’s why the way this story is being handled matters — and why pretending this is just another political talking point is dangerous.We talk about:The ICE protest shooting and what the headlines aren’t sayingHow media framing shapes public outrage and misinformationWhy political polarization keeps getting people killedThe real-world consequences of ideological activismGun violence, law enforcement, and institutional trustWhy nobody wants to ask who benefits when protests turn deadlyThis isn’t a hot take.It’s a hard conversation about accountability, truth, and the cost of pretending that violence only counts when it fits your narrative.If you’re a first responder, veteran, nurse, therapist, teacher, writer, or just someone who’s tired of being lied to by the media and politicians on all sides — this episode is for you.ICE protest shooting, ICE news today, law enforcement shooting, political violence in America, media bias, gun violence, protest violence, political polarization, veteran commentary, paramedic perspective, real world politics, American politics today, institutional trust, culture war consequencesUnwritten Chapters with Matthew Heneghan is a raw, solo channel about life after trauma, modern culture, and the quiet parts nobody says out loud.Hosted by a veteran, former army medic, ex-paramedic, and nonfiction author, the channel explores PTSD, addiction recovery, sobriety, grief, burnout, and identity — not as inspirational slogans, but as lived reality.Alongside the recovery lens, Unwritten Chapters dissects modern culture, politics, media narratives, nostalgia, and social decay through a grounded, lived-experience perspective.There are also behind-the-scenes conversations about writing, creativity, addiction and art, discipline, publishing, and what it’s actually like to build a life and career after rock bottom.This isn’t a polished self-help channel. It’s dark humour, blunt honesty, cultural commentary, and real mental health talk for people who are empathetic but exhausted — veterans, first responders, nurses, partners of medics, folks in or around recovery, and anyone trauma-literate and allergic to b******t.If you’re searching for PTSD stories, addiction recovery, veteran mental health, first responder burnout, cultural commentary, reaction videos with lived experience, or honest conversations about writing and creativity — you’re in the right place.New videos weekly.Subscribe if you want company in the chaos, not clichés about positive vibes only.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind– Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss, and reinvention.Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way– Raw essays about rock bottom, healing, and telling the truth.Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Website: www.authormheneghan.com🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten ChaptersPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC

    37 min

  2. FEB 5

    A Veteran Reacts To Trump’s NATO Comments

    In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, Matthew Heneghan — former Canadian Armed Forces medic, civilian paramedic, recovering alcoholic, and author — delivers a raw, unfiltered response to Donald Trump’s recent NATO comments and his claim that allied troops “stayed a little back from the front lines” in Afghanistan. As a veteran who served during wartime and lost friends in the conflict, Matthew breaks down why Trump’s remarks are not just wrong — they’re historically inaccurate, deeply disrespectful, and damaging to NATO alliances, Canadian veterans, and the truth about the war in Afghanistan.This is not a partisan rant. It’s a frontline perspective from someone who lived it.Topics covered in this episode:Donald Trump NATO comments reactionCanada Afghanistan war factsCanadian Armed Forces in AfghanistanNATO allies and frontline combatVeterans mental health and trauma War history and political rhetoric PTSD, grief, and moral injury Life after military service Veteran perspective on politics Unwritten Chapters podcast Matthew also shares deeply personal stories about Canadian soldiers who died on the front lines, the cost of war that never shows up in speeches, and why political leaders rewriting history matters — especially to veterans, first responders, and anyone who still gives a damn about truth.If you’re a veteran, first responder, military family member, or someone who’s tired of sanitized political narratives and empty rhetoric, this episode is for you.Unwritten Chapters is a solo storytelling podcast where a former army medic and paramedic turned author talks honestly about:Mental healthAddiction and recoveryPTSD and traumaReal world events and politicsWriting, publishing, and setbacksLife after rock bottomNo filters. No performative outrage. No b******t.If any part of this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.Like, subscribe, and leave a comment — I actually read them.Unwritten Chapters with Matthew Heneghan is a raw, solo channel about life after trauma, modern culture, and the quiet parts nobody says out loud.Hosted by a veteran, former army medic, ex-paramedic, and nonfiction author, the channel explores PTSD, addiction recovery, sobriety, grief, burnout, and identity — not as inspirational slogans, but as lived reality.Alongside the recovery lens, Unwritten Chapters dissects modern culture, politics, media narratives, nostalgia, and social decay through a grounded, lived-experience perspective.There are also behind-the-scenes conversations about writing, creativity, addiction and art, discipline, publishing, and what it’s actually like to build a life and career after rock bottom.This isn’t a polished self-help channel. It’s dark humour, blunt honesty, cultural commentary, and real mental health talk for people who are empathetic but exhausted — veterans, first responders, nurses, partners of medics, folks in or around recovery, and anyone trauma-literate and allergic to b******t.If you’re searching for PTSD stories, addiction recovery, veteran mental health, first responder burnout, cultural commentary, reaction videos with lived experience, or honest conversations about writing and creativity — you’re in the right place.New videos weekly.Subscribe if you want company in the chaos, not clichés about positive vibes only.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind– Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss, and reinvention.Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way– Raw essays about rock bottom, healing, and telling the truth.Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Website: www.authormheneghan.com🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten ChaptersPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC

    33 min

  3. JAN 29

    BC Paramedics Going on Strike Will Cost Lives

    Canada’s healthcare system is already failing — and it’s about to get worse.In this short, I explain what a potential paramedic strike in British Columbia really means for public safety, 911 response times, and patient care. Based on my lived experience as a former army medic, ex-paramedic, and first responder, I break down why paramedics in BC are not considered an essential service, why negotiations with the province broke down, and why a province-wide strike would cost lives.This isn’t a political rant. It’s a grounded, lived-experience perspective on Canada’s healthcare crisis, paramedic burnout, first responder mental health, and how government policy failures are putting both paramedics and the public at risk.I also connect this to the fallout from British Columbia’s drug decriminalization program, the rising overdose crisis, and the impossible conditions paramedics are working under on the front lines.Topics covered:• BC paramedic strike• Canada healthcare crisis• Paramedic burnout• First responder mental health• 911 response times• Public safety• Drug decriminalization in BC• Overdose crisis• Health policy failure• Veteran and paramedic perspectiveIf you’re looking for honest conversations about trauma, recovery, modern culture, and the quiet parts nobody says out loud, subscribe for more from Unwritten Chapters.Unwritten Chapters with Matthew Heneghan is a raw, solo channel about life after trauma, modern culture, and the quiet parts nobody says out loud.Hosted by a veteran, former army medic, ex-paramedic, and nonfiction author, the channel explores PTSD, addiction recovery, sobriety, grief, burnout, and identity — not as inspirational slogans, but as lived reality.Alongside the recovery lens, Unwritten Chapters dissects modern culture, politics, media narratives, nostalgia, and social decay through a grounded, lived-experience perspective.There are also behind-the-scenes conversations about writing, creativity, addiction and art, discipline, publishing, and what it’s actually like to build a life and career after rock bottom.This isn’t a polished self-help channel. It’s dark humour, blunt honesty, cultural commentary, and real mental health talk for people who are empathetic but exhausted — veterans, first responders, nurses, partners of medics, folks in or around recovery, and anyone trauma-literate and allergic to b******t.If you’re searching for PTSD stories, addiction recovery, veteran mental health, first responder burnout, cultural commentary, reaction videos with lived experience, or honest conversations about writing and creativity — you’re in the right place.New videos weekly.Subscribe if you want company in the chaos, not clichés about positive vibes only.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind– Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss, and reinvention.Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way– Raw essays about rock bottom, healing, and telling the truth.Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Website: www.authormheneghan.com🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten ChaptersPodcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC

    32 min

  4. JAN 22

    Stranger Things Finale Review What Writers Notice

    Stranger Things Season Finale Review through a writer’s eyes and a fan’s heart.In this episode of Unwritten Chapters I break down what the Stranger Things finale does right and what most people miss on a first watch. Not plot trivia. Not outrage. The craft. The choices. The emotional beats that land hardest when you’ve lived through stress grief addiction recovery or the kind of work that makes you carry other people’s pain.If you’re a first responder a veteran a trauma literate human who is burnt out but still trying to stay soft this one is for you.I talk about:Why the ending hits so deep when you’re exhaustedWhat the finale reveals about grief hope and survivalThe writing moves that make it workWhat I would steal as an author and what I would changeWhy this story connects with mental health and recoveryIf you love Stranger Things and you’re also a writer reader creative or just someone trying to make sense of life after hard years you’ll feel seen here.Drop a comment with the moment that got you. I read them all. 📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Solo storytime episodes about PTSD, therapy, addiction recovery, relationships, family, and life after rock bottom– Unfiltered reaction videos to pop culture, internet drama, and politics through the eyes of a former army medic and paramedic– Honest conversations about mental health, trauma, grief, and trying to stay human in a burned-out world (with plenty of dark humour)– Updates on my books, podcast, and creative projects, plus real talk about writing and living your own next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.

    32 min

  5. JAN 15

    2026 Is Your Year to Write a Book Start Here

    If you’ve been telling yourself “one day I’ll write it” while carrying everyone else’s weight… this is your sign.In 2019 I wrote a book largely by accident. I wasn’t “ready.” I wasn’t confident. I wasn’t some disciplined writer with a perfect morning routine and a color coded calendar. I was a former army medic and paramedic who’d seen too much, felt too much, and was trying to make sense of life after rock bottom.And that’s exactly why I’m saying this out loud now.2026 is your year to write your book. Start here.This episode is for the women in their 30s to 50s who are tired in their bones but still alive inside. First responders. Veterans. Trauma literate readers. Creative types. Mental health advocates. The ones who keep showing up for everyone else… while quietly wondering if their own story matters.In this talking head episode I walk you through:How I started writing my first book even when my life was messyHow to begin writing a book when you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, or scaredThe simplest way to turn your lived experience into a book ideaPractical tips for building a writing habit that actually works for real peopleHow to stop waiting for permission and start writing your memoir or book nowNo fluff. No guru nonsense. Just honest guidance with dark humour and a writer’s eye for the details that actually make a story land.If you’ve been carrying trauma, recovery, addiction, grief, service, motherhood, burnout, or just the quiet weight of “I’ve lived a lot”… this is for you. You don’t need to be healed to write. You just need a place to start.Hit play. Then write one page.If you want, drop a comment with what you’re trying to write:memoir, fiction, poetry, trauma recovery, mental health, first responder stories, or something you can’t name yet. I read them.#WriteABook #MemoirWriting #WritingTips #AspiringAuthor #MentalHealth #TraumaRecovery #FirstResponderLife #VeteranStories #AddictionRecovery #UnwrittenChapters📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Solo storytime episodes about PTSD, therapy, addiction recovery, relationships, family, and life after rock bottom– Unfiltered reaction videos to pop culture, internet drama, and politics through the eyes of a former army medic and paramedic– Honest conversations about mental health, trauma, grief, and trying to stay human in a burned-out world (with plenty of dark humour)– Updates on my books, podcast, and creative projects, plus real talk about writing and living your own next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.

    26 min

  6. JAN 8

    Canada Wants 300,000 Troops Can This Even Work

    Canada wants 300000 troops across the Regular Force, Primary Reserve, and a Supplementary Reserve that could include civil servants. On paper it sounds bold. In real life it raises a question nobody is answering clearly:Can this even work?In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I break down Canada’s military recruitment plan in plain language from the perspective of a CAF veteran and paramedic who’s lived inside institutions and watched how trust is built… and how it breaks.This isn’t fear porn. It’s a reality check.We talk about what a Supplementary Reserve actually is, what it would take to build a volunteer force at that scale, and why the biggest obstacle isn’t gear, money, or paperwork. It’s belief. When Canadians are constantly told our institutions are morally bankrupt or systemically broken, how do you ask the same people to volunteer their lives to defend them?If you’re a first responder, veteran, trauma-literate listener, or just someone exhausted by performative politics and allergic to b******t, this one’s for you. No yelling. No spin. Just honest questions, hard truths, and the kind of dark humour you need to get through it.In this episodeCanada’s 300000 troop target explainedWhat the Supplementary Reserve is and why it mattersUsing civil servants to bolster readinessRecruiting realities in 2025 and what Canada is up againstTrust, identity politics, and why messaging mattersWhy good people hesitate to serve when they feel blamedIf this hit a nerve, drop a comment with your take: Would you volunteer right now? Why or why not?

    35 min

  7. 12/25/2025

    The Christmas Story Nobody Tells About Canadian Troops

    Santa wasn’t supposed to find this kind of house on Christmas Eve.No Christmas tree. No stockings. No cookies.Just combat boots by the mantle, sand where comfort should be, and a Canadian soldier sleeping alone on the floor.In this episode of Unwritten Chapters, I recite an original Christmas poem / Christmas story I wrote—told through Santa’s eyes—about a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) soldier spending Christmas alone. It’s a spoken word piece about military life, loneliness, and the real cost of freedom, especially during the holidays.If you’re searching for a Christmas poem about soldiers, a military Christmas story, a Canadian soldier Christmas poem, or a Christmas message for veterans, you’re in the right place. This is for anyone who has served, loves someone who serves, or knows what it feels like to carry trauma, mental health struggles, addiction recovery, or isolation through the season that’s “supposed” to be joyful.In this episode you’ll hear:A Christmas Eve story about a Canadian soldier aloneA raw look at veteran loneliness and the quiet side of serviceReflections on trauma, PTSD, and mental health during the holidaysA reminder of why we say “support our troops” and remember veteransA closing Christmas blessing for those standing watch—at home or deployedIf this story resonates, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it.💬 Comment: Are you a CAF member, veteran, military family, or someone missing a loved one this Christmas?New here? Unwritten Chapters is a solo storytelling podcast from a former army medic and paramedic turned author, talking honestly about trauma recovery, addiction, mental health, and making sense of life after rock bottom—with dark humour, empathy, and a writer’s eye for detail.📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Author Matthew Heneghan🎙️ Host of the podcast Unwritten Chapters – Life After Trauma (for veterans, first responders, survivors of addiction and anyone rewriting the next chapter). Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.WHAT YOU’LL FIND ON THIS CHANNEL– Solo storytime episodes about PTSD, therapy, addiction recovery, relationships, family, and life after rock bottom– Unfiltered reaction videos to pop culture, internet drama, and politics through the eyes of a former army medic and paramedic– Honest conversations about mental health, trauma, grief, and trying to stay human in a burned-out world (with plenty of dark humour)– Updates on my books, podcast, and creative projects, plus real talk about writing and living your own next chapterThanks for being here. Whether you’ve worn a uniform, watched someone struggle, or are simply trying to make peace with your past — you’re not alone. Let’s walk it out together.

    14 min

  8. 12/18/2025

    Gender Inequality On Ice With Our Daughters

    A “home” tournament that isn’t at home.No ref for a girls’ gold medal game.A 13-year-old boy watching for three seconds before saying, “They suck.”In this episode, Gender Inequality On Ice With Our Daughters, I talk about what it’s like trying to raise two girls in a man’s world… while sitting in freezing arenas that quietly remind them they’re second. From girls’ teams getting leftover ice times and four-hour playoff drives, to boys’ hockey treated like the main event, we dig into the quiet ways gender inequality in youth sports shows up long before anyone talks about pay gaps or pro leagues.If you’re a woman who’s had to work twice as hard to be taken half as seriously…If you’re a nurse, medic, frontline worker, partner of a veteran, in or around recovery…If you’re a tired, bookish, trauma-literate soul who’s so done with bullshit…this conversation is for you.We’ll talk about:Girls hockey vs boys hockey and who gets the prime iceThe invisible messages our daughters hear when they’re treated as an afterthoughtHow boys learn it’s okay to dismiss girls’ effort as a jokeWhy “men’s sports bring in more money” can’t keep being the only answerWhat this does to self-worth, mental health, and identity as they growThis is not an anti-boy rant. It’s a dad, a former army medic and paramedic, trying to make sense of what his daughters are being taught about their value—on the ice and far beyond it.👉 If you’ve seen this kind of gender inequality in sports or at work, tell me your story in the comments.👍 Like, subscribe, and share this with another parent of daughters, or someone who’s tired of watching girls get the leftover scraps of a man’s world.I’m Matthew Heneghan – former army medic, ex-paramedic, recovering alcoholic, and author trying to make sense of life after trauma.On this channel you’ll find a mix of raw solo episodes and unfiltered reaction videos where I talk honestly about:PTSD, trauma, therapy, and addiction recoveryLife after rock bottom: relationships, grief, fatherhood, and trying to build something betterPop culture, internet drama, and politics seen through the eyes of a veteran medic who’s been in real chaos, not just online argumentsMy ongoing journey as a writer and creator – books, essays, and the stories that didn’t make it to the pageThis isn’t a polished “self-help” channel. It’s dark humour, blunt honesty, and real mental health talk for people who are empathetic but exhausted – nurses, medics, veterans, partners of first responders, folks in or around recovery, and anyone who’s trauma-literate and allergic to b******t.If you’re searching for:“mental health podcast,” “PTSD stories,” “addiction and recovery,” “veteran and first responder mental health,” “reaction videos with real life experience,” “solo commentary podcast,” “trauma recovery and dark humour”…you’re in the right place.New videos weekly for listeners in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and beyond – anyone trying to make sense of their own unwritten chapters while the world burns a little around them.Subscribe if you want company in the chaos, not clichés about “positive vibes only.”📚 My BooksA Medic’s Mind – Memoir of military medic → paramedic, trauma, loss and reinvention. Amazon: https://a.co/d/fbYbp7xTrauma and Tea: Essays on Trauma, Recovery and Growing Up the Hard Way – A collection of raw essays about hitting rock bottom, healing and telling the truth. Amazon: https://a.co/d/9GnaoDV🌐 Visit my website for more: www.authormheneghan.com Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hmuMofDnEkc8Ec9MqGHmC?si=N66NaCV_RGWcOrJz9HR-nALINKS & RESOURCES– Buy my books: authormheneghan.com/buy-the-book Author Matthew Heneghan– Follow on IG / Twitter / Facebook – @matthewhenehgan_author– Drop a comment, hit Subscribe, ring the 🔔 — let’s build a community of truth-telllers, healers and story-keepers.

    33 min
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Unwritten Chapters with Matthew Heneghan is a raw solo mental health podcast and reaction channel about PTSD, trauma recovery, addiction recovery, sobriety, and life after rock bottom — from a veteran and former paramedic / first responder. Expect long-form talking-head episodes on therapy, setbacks, and small wins, plus reaction videos to pop culture, internet drama, news and politics through a lived-experience lens. If you’re looking for an honest recovery podcast with dark humour and real talk about healing, grief, burnout, relationships, and starting over — subscribe and stick around.

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