Michael Davitt; Overcoming Emotional Neglect: A Story of Resilience

The Locked up Living Podcast: Surviving and thriving in prisons and other challenging environments

Michael Davitt, an author focused on mental health issues, shares his experience with complex PTSD stemming from emotional neglect in childhood. He chose a pseudonym, Luke Pemberton, to write about his parents and childhood to protect their identity. Michael discusses his struggle with attachment and the deep-seated fear of abandonment and rejection. He highlights the impact of emotional neglect and the difficulty in acknowledging and articulating its effects. Michael also talks about his career in the Diplomatic Service and how his lack of confidence hindered his progression. Drawing played a fundamental role in Michael Davitt's recovery from trauma. He started doodling stick figures and found it cathartic and useful. He eventually turned his drawings into books about his life experiences. Drawing allowed him to express complex emotions and convey them more quickly and powerfully than words. Michael emphasizes the importance of creative expression for anyone who has gone through trauma. He also discusses the need for a trauma-informed society and the barriers to seeking therapy for emotional neglect. Introspection and connecting with the inner child are key to healing. KeywordsMichael Davitt, mental health, complex PTSD, emotional neglect, childhood trauma, attachment, fear of abandonment, fear of rejection, toxic shame, pseudonym, Luke Pemberton, career, Diplomatic Service, lack of confidence, drawing, recovery, trauma, cathartic, creative expression, therapy, emotional neglect, introspection, inner child, trauma-informed society Takeaways

• Emotional neglect in childhood can have long-lasting effects on mental health and well-being.
• The fear of abandonment and rejection can stem from a lack of attachment to parents.
• Toxic shame can develop when a child blames themselves for emotional neglect.
• Using a pseudonym to write about personal experiences may be a way to protect oneself and avoid confronting the pain.
• Childhood trauma can hinder confidence and career progression.
• Emotional abuse and neglect are often overlooked and difficult to articulate, but they can be as damaging as physical or sexual abuse. Drawing can be a powerful tool for expressing and processing emotions, especially for those who have experienced trauma.
• Creative expression, such as drawing, writing, or music, is important for healing and recovery.
• A trauma-informed society is necessary to raise awareness and support those who have experienced trauma.
• Introspection and connecting with the inner child are crucial for healing from emotional neglect and trauma.

www.lukepemberton.com

Published books:

How to Put a Troubled Past Behind You: A FRESH, drawing-based approach (Find help, Record your feelings, Sketch your thoughts, and Harvest your success (self-published 2021).

How to Feel More Beautiful Inside: Learn to love yourself a little more, one step at a time (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2020).

How to See Religion Differently: What questioning your beliefs can reveal, and why it can lead to a healthier mind (Silverwood Books, 2018)

How To Sort Your Head Out: Build Your Self-Esteem by Understanding Your Emotional Fears (self-published, with ebookpartnership, 2017),

How to Find Your Way Out When in Despair: a guide to rediscovering your self-worth (SilverWood books, 2016, re-issued 2018)