Breaking the Silence: Childhood Sexual Abuse and Forgiveness
When Andy Woodward showed remarkable talent for football as a boy, it brought him to the attention of the coach who sexually abused him for years. After bottling up his emotions and suffering panic attacks on the football pitch, Andy made the extraordinary journey from silence to speaking out on a public stage. How did he find the courage to confront a powerful coach and a prominent football organization in the UK? In this podcast Andy talks about transforming pain through the practice of forgiveness.
Andy Woodward
Andy Woodward blew the whistle on the sexual abuse of junior players in British football in 2016. His story helped spark a global conversation about the misuse of authority and trust in sports, and gave a voice to countless survivors who needed to be heard. Through his book Position of Trust and the BBC drama Floodlights, Andy is inspiring people worldwide with the message that healing is possible and each of us can help create a safer future.
Learn more about Andy
Andy’s book: “Position of Trust”
BBC drama: “Floodlights”
Dr. Fred Luskin
Dr. Fred Luskin is the director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects. He’s also the author of the bestselling books, Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love. Forgive for Good is the best-selling self-help book published on the topic of forgiveness. Fred has been interviewed hundreds of times in worldwide media, including The New York Times, O Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, and he has been featured on the Today Show and CBS Morning News. Learn more at fredluskin.com.
Dr. Eileen Borris
Dr. Eileen Borris is a clinical and political psychologist who has pioneered the concept of political forgiveness on the individual, community and national level. She has addressed the United Nations and has worked for over 30 years to build peace in areas of conflict around the world, including Rwanda, South Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. Eileen is the author of Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness and the creator of Healing the Divide, a program that trains leaders and other individuals interested in applying the principles of political forgiveness to transform their lives and create social change.
Be Part of Eileen’s Community
Subscribe to Political Forgiveness: Voices of Peace podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe to Political Forgiveness newsletter at drborris.com or on LinkedIn.
Eileen’s book: Finding Forgiveness: A 7 Step Program for Letting Go of Anger and Bitterness
Timestamps
00:00 Heart of Peace
00:15 Meet Andy Woodward
01:58 Football Dream Turns Dark
03:30 Trapped in Systemic Abuse
06:08 Aftermath and Breaking Silence
10:02 From Exposure to Forgiveness
13:13 Spirituality and Purpose
22:10 Energy Balance Practices
25:38 Final Takeaways and Closing
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