What happens when silence becomes the way you survive?
In this powerful episode of Coached Soul, Dr. Steve Hudgins sits down with Rich Dunning, author of Silence Was My First Language, for a deeply personal conversation about childhood trauma, abuse, addiction, homelessness, resilience, and healing.
Born into poverty and violence in a Dominican immigrant family in New York City, Rich experienced circumstances that shaped the way he understood himself, relationships, and the world around him. For years, silence became a survival mechanism. But the same silence that once protected him eventually became something he needed to overcome.
Rich opens up about his journey through childhood abuse, violence, addiction, and homelessness, and how he ultimately began confronting the experiences he had spent years keeping inside.
The conversation explores how unresolved childhood trauma can influence adult life, the complicated relationship between pain and addiction, and what it takes to move beyond simply surviving toward healing, accountability, and personal growth.
Rich also shares how finding his voice helped him transform painful experiences into purpose and build a meaningful life and career.
In this episode, you will discover:
- How childhood trauma and violence can shape patterns later in life
- Why silence can become a powerful survival mechanism
- Rich’s experiences with poverty, abuse, homelessness, and addiction
- The connection between trauma, emotional pain, and unhealthy coping mechanisms
- What it can take to confront painful experiences from the past
- The importance of finding your voice and breaking patterns of silence
- How vulnerability can become part of the healing process
- The journey from surviving difficult circumstances to building a meaningful life
- How painful experiences can eventually be transformed into purpose
- Why healing requires honesty, courage, and a willingness to face the past
Key Moments:
00:00 Overcoming a difficult past
03:11 Discussing the power of silence
09:24 Writing and purpose of the book
12:38 Challenging childhood and family trauma
13:44 Living at an abandoned train station
19:34 Struggling with addiction and rehab
22:50 The power of breaking silence
Rich Dunning’s story is a reminder that the experiences that shaped us do not have to determine who we become. His journey offers a powerful perspective on trauma recovery, addiction recovery, resilience, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to finally speak about what happened.
Listen to the full conversation on Coached Soul.
About the guest :
Rich Dunning is a senior executive in the medical device industry with more than two decades of experience leading in high-stakes environments. Raised in the Bronx in an environment marked by instability and a lack of protection, Rich developed an early awareness and sense of control that would later influence his approach to leadership, decision-making, and writing.
Rich began writing Silence Was My First Language more than 15 years ago, presenting his experiences as they were lived. He has also completed two novels, The Jaguar and Selling Arteries to the Devil, both grounded in real-world experiences. He is currently working on additional books, including The Executive and the Escort and When in Puglia.
Rich also founded The First Language Foundation, a long-term initiative through which $1 from every copy sold is directed to organizations supporting children facing abuse, hunger, and homelessness.
He maintains residences in Lexington, South Carolina, and Brickell, Florida.
How to connect Rich :
Website : https://www.richdunningbooks.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-dunning-9a3137360/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/richdunningbooks/