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January 22nd, 2026 Mature Content

Breaking the Silence: Trauma, Resilience, and Recovery with Dr. John King

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  1. Breaking the Silence: Trauma, Resilience, and Recovery with Dr. John King Evergreen Podcasts 55:14

In this episode of the EZ Conversations Podcast, Dr. John King shares his harrowing yet inspirational journey from being trafficked and sexually abused as a child to becoming a resilient survivor and advocate. Dr. King delves into the underrepresented issue of male sexual abuse, the importance of recovery, and the creation of an online community to support trauma survivors. He emphasizes the need to speak up, build personal resilience, and engage in honest conversations about trauma and Mental Health. Dr. King also discusses the role of faith in his recovery, the impact of his advocacy work, and his new memoir ‘Deal With It.’ The podcast highlights the significance of authenticity and overarching societal issues related to trauma and recovery.

Dr. John A. King is an author, survivor, and builder of communities that help men move from trauma to traction. He wrote #dealwithit, leads the Phoenix Collective, and runs Man Church, a straight-talk space for faith and brotherhood. His advocacy and award-winning documentaries support anti-trafficking efforts, and his novels (Rats and Rain, Sins of the Father) bring a storyteller’s edge to hard truths. John keeps it practical: simple habits, honest conversation, and tools listeners can start right away.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:42 John King’s Traumatic Past
02:04 The Journey to Recovery
03:20 The Impact of Trauma
06:30 Coping Mechanisms and Realizations
19:16 Faith and Recovery
26:09 Personal Struggles and Family Tragedies
27:09 Facing Suicidal Thoughts
28:31 The Impact of Sharing My Story
31:20 The Journey of Recovery
32:38 Speaking Up vs. Speaking Out
36:41 Navigating Gender Politics in Advocacy
43:17 Embracing Authenticity and Realignment
48:55 Conclusion and Resources

Sponsors of the Podcast:

Or find Furkhan’s Book, Pursuit of Self Love: 30 Uplifting Messages and Reflections. The Kindle version is available on Amazon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.ca/Pursuit-Self-Love-Uplifting-Messages-Reflections-ebook/dp/B0C4D1XYL1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Furkhan Dandia Therapist and Coach

I am a men's coach, therapist, group facilitator, podcaster and author. My journey began five years ago when I was going through a separation. I found myself alone and in a shame spiral that our culture and society covertly exert on people due to the perceived "failure" of a marriage. Unfortunately, I personalized that message which led me to fall deeper into a hole, causing me to surround myself with people that did not serve me and engage in substance abuse. While seeking therapy, I was not making the wholesale changes I needed.

As part of my experience with therapy, I realized that I am not alone in the challenges men my age experience (I separated at the age of 34/35). I realized I could be a voice for men like myself and offer support in this space. In the middle of the pandemic, I applied for a Master's degree in Psychology to become a therapist. This change was a significant shift for me as I worked in the corporate world as an engineer. Once I leaned into the space of supporting other men, I also started a podcast to normalize these difficult conversations and started a men's group a year later with the support of a friend.

I thought I was giving something back when I started the men's group. However, I quickly realized I was getting substantially more from the connections I built than I initially anticipated. It was also something I needed because I was going through another breakup.

At that point, I also realized that I had not taken the time to heal, and I was outsourcing my healing through romantic relationships, substances, material acquisitions and superficial relationships. I decided to step away from the outgoing lifestyle and started to focus on my healing which was another phase of evolution for me on my journey. Over the last year and a half, I have become mindful of the people I spend my time with. I have cleaned my lifestyle of substances, toxic environments and behaviours. I have focused on my sleep, my health and my knowledge. I have improved my spiritual relationship with myself, which was lacking the most over the past five years. This is the best I have felt.

As part of my solitude journey and to find myself again, I also released a book encapsulating my journey, which I hope to share with others. My book is titled: The Pursuit of Self-Love.