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You didn't keep the secret because you were weak. You kept it because you were smart.

Looking back at our childhoods from the safety of our 50s or 60s, it is easy to judge that younger version of ourselves. We ask, "Why didn't I say anything? Why didn't I tell someone?"

In Episode 2 of Four Names for Thunder, host Matthew Hearn—a Director of Clinical Informatics and trauma survivor—explains why silence wasn't cowardice. It was a brilliant survival strategy.

We explore the concept of the "Guarding Reflex." Just as muscles involuntarily lock down around a broken bone to prevent further injury, your psyche locked down around the trauma to protect the family system.

In this episode, we cover:

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• The Guarding Reflex: A nurse’s perspective on why you "froze" instead of fighting back, and why that muscle memory lasts for decades.
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• The Latchkey Generation: How growing up in the 70s and 80s—the era of "Stranger Danger" and empty houses—left us without the language to report abuse happening inside the circle of trust.
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• The Architecture of Silence: Why children trade their own safety for the stability of their family.
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• The First Step: A challenge to "externalize" one small piece of the story this week using the "Safe Person" protocol.
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Key Quote:

"You were the shock absorber for your entire family. You absorbed the dysfunction so everyone else could stay comfortable... That silence was not cowardice. It was a survival strategy."

Resources:

• Subscribe to The System Log on Substack: [https://matthewhearn.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips]
• Join the private Facebook Group: [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585106797475]

Next Episode: We move to the Second Name: The Shadow—the decades of workaholism, drinking, and running we used to outrun the ghost.

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