
EPISODE 16 – Comedian and TV Personality Paul Gilmartin on Podcasting, PTSD, and Coping with Trauma

On episode sixteen of OC87 Recovery Diaries on the Radio, we talk with Paul Gilmartin from his home in Los Angeles. During our conversation, Gilmartin opens up about the covert sexual abuse that he suffered at the hands of his mother when he was a child. That abuse is something that he came to terms with several years ago and now talks about openly.
Gilmartin offers a lot of hope for sexual abuse survivors. He is now able to attend a very valuable weekly support group for survivors of sexual trauma. He is able to reach out to people on the phone who are there for him, 24/7. Most significantly, Gilmartin has learned to have compassion for himself. These are all difficult things for anybody to achieve, let alone for those who have trauma backgrounds, as trust of others becomes a significant obstacle to overcome.
But Paul Gilmartin has overcome these obstacles, and he has conquered many of his demons. During the interview, he didn’t seem bitter or angry as he would have a right to be. Instead, he was friendly, reflective, and at peace.
What I learned most during this interview was that, no matter what happens in your life, you can re-form relationships and build trust again. Hurt and pain are hard to endure but, with connection to others and ourselves, we can withstand almost anything that life throws our way.
Bud Clayman; co-host and producer – OC87 Recovery Diaries on the Radio

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