Healing from Childhood Abuse with Former NFL Player Reggie Walker

In the #Verywell Mind Podcast, Amy Morin, LCSW, speaks with authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and inspiring individuals about the strategies they rely on to think, feel, and perform at their best.

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Meet Reggie Walker

Former NFL player Reggie Walker spent seven years playing for the Cardinals, Chargers, and Broncos before deciding to leave the game.

Reggie experienced sexual, emotional, and physical abuse during childhood, which he tried to conceal for most of his life. For a time, football provided a socially acceptable outlet for his anger as he could be aggressive on the field.

To address the trauma he had experienced, Reggie sought therapy. However, weekly sessions were insufficient, leading him to check himself into a 30-day inpatient treatment program.

Since then, he pursued a counseling degree to support others in healing from their pain. He initiated a program for athletes to aid them in managing their mental health and authored a book titled "The Game Within the Game."

Why Reggie Walker Is Mentally Strong

Reggie actively sought help for his struggles. When therapy proved inadequate, he courageously entered a residential treatment program. It was a challenging decision, and he enlisted the help of a friend who had undergone the program to gather the strength to proceed.

Now that Reggie is in a better place, he is committed to aiding others. He demonstrates that even a successful individual with a tough exterior can struggle with mental health.

In the Show, You'll Hear:

• Reggie's belief that joining the NFL would ultimately make him happy
• Lessons he learned about money, fame, and past trauma
• Reggie's decision to initiate therapy
• His realization that therapy alone would not suffice
• How he found the courage to enter a residential treatment facility
• His return to the residential center for an additional 30 days
• The techniques Reggie learned to manage his mental health
• How sharing his story contributed to healing his emotional wounds
• His daily habits for maintaining mental health

Insights on Mental Health and Mental Strength:

• Success in certain areas does not imply emotional stability.
• A person's external appearance of well-being may mask an internal struggle, as in Reggie's case.
• Recognizing the need for assistance is an indication of strength, not weakness. Reggie emphasizes the basic skills he acquired to enhance his well-being.

Quotes from Reggie:

Reggie Walker "Your mental health is equally important as your physical health, and it needs to be managed."

"It was beyond scary because you knew there was something underneath it all that you had been avoiding like the plague for your whole life."

"I'm trying to be like me, and I'm always me all the time. And I wouldn't have [gotten] to that process if I didn't do the treatment center stays for sure."

"I would say my biggest accomplishment is probably just being there for my kids because there was such a period of time [when] I couldn't be there for anybody. I couldn't even be there for myself."

More About the Podcast:

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Editor's Note: Kindly note that this transcript bypasses our standard editorial process and may contain grammatical errors and inaccuracies. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here.

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