In 2021, I was interviewed by Huseyin Djemil of Towards Recovery for his ‘Journeys’ podcast. I was really pleased to be Huseyin’s first interviewee for his podcast, as I hold him and his initiative in high regard. It was also really nice to talk to him again, the first time in around 15 years. The last time we had met was in London, and now we were communicating via Zoom, with me in Perth, Western Australia, and Huseyin in Henley-on-Thames, UK.
In this clip from our conversation, Huseyin talks about trauma and its impact, and how people with substance use problems, many of whom have experienced trauma in their past, are demonised in society. Earlier in his life, he realised that there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with him. He could make changes in his life and get on to a different path. He wouldn’t change his past. That past and the trauma he experienced allowed him to work in the field, meet interesting people, and enjoy the life he has now. He also emphasises the importance of people’s stories about their recovery from addiction. Huseyin’s words are truly inspiring.
You can listen to my ‘The Power of Stories’ conversation with Huseyin, which lasted over 83 minutes, by clicking on the start bottom at the bottom of the Journeys Podcast page. I later edited the interview into 12 clips, each of which you can link to from here.