Last episode, Brian told us of some of his more interesting cases as a criminal defense attorney - currently representing a detainee in Gitmo.   In this episode, Brian gets personal and talks about his life as a child of hoarders.  Growing up in a hoarder house and carrying a burden of shame and anger - not understanding at the time the pathology behind his parents' behavior.  He tells us ways he's dealt with his past and what has helped him as he works through his traumatic upbringing, such as writing.   Initially, journaling and eventually writing poetry.  His epic poem "Escape Velocity" is both a hero's journey, like Homer's Iliad or The Odyssey, and a mechanism for catharsis. 

I did my best at doing a reading of this poem - and I would invite you to read along as I read it.  Check it out below.   
If you or a loved one is struggling with hoarding, there are resources for you at https://hoarding.iocdf.org .

Link to poem here:  https://www.spiveylovesyou.com/blog/escape-velocity-by-brian-bouffard/