Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2878

Tonight's special guest is Wes Jackson from San Diego, California. He grew up in LA's suburbs, the oldest of three. His Mom was a homemaker and his Dad was an entrepreneur. Throughout his entire life, Wes knew nothing but punishment. He was repeatedly physically and verbally abused until he fell in line, focusing on school and spending as much time as possible with friends. He ironically became a glutton for punishment, feeling like he always had something to prove due to constant invalidation, Wes would proceed to continuously push himself past his limits to the point of burnout multiple times throughout his life. All of this led to him repressing his emotions and his authentic self, especially when in the face of authority. Shut up, keep your head down, and work. This was all he knew how to do, so when he wasn't working he was feeling bad about himself. Wes continued down this path into a life rife with codependency, a lack of self-love, and a void of self-esteem. He could no longer trust himself. This all began to change when he started to speak up and speak out, decades later at the age of 29. He realized he could reframe his trauma into a tool to help others heal. He also realized just how many people were struggling through life due to childhood trauma and a resultant lack of solid identity. Combining this with his several years of experience in marketing, he began giving presentations on personal branding - otherwise known as self-improvement. Wes now tries to spend most of his time coaching, speaking, and teaching online with the intention of helping others help themselves. He is currently developing a podcast with a close friend and fellow trauma survivor, titled 'Surviving Humanity: A Self-help Podcast' that is set to release in the first week of May.