In Raw Minds S2 Ep. 10 - From Navy SEAL to Youth Advocate: Tom’s Inspiring Path to Empowerment, we dive into the extraordinary journey of Tom, a former Navy SEAL who overcame immense personal struggles to become a voice for today’s youth. This episode explores Tom’s story of resilience and redemption—from the intense challenges of SEAL training to the dark chapters of addiction and loss. Tom shares how he hit rock bottom, facing moments that nearly shattered him, only to find new purpose through recovery and self-discovery.

As he opens up about his struggles and the transformative impact of his military experience, Tom offers invaluable insights into what it means to truly overcome adversity. Now a dedicated youth advocate, he is on a mission to empower young adults through Honor Bound Academy, a groundbreaking “Rite of Passage” program designed to guide youth as they step into adulthood.

We also discuss his recently released book, Special Welfare, Social Warfare, a powerful reflection on resilience and mentorship. In it, Tom details his journey and shares the hard-won lessons that drive his work today. You can find Tom's book on Amazon here, and for those who want to dive deeper, the book is more than a story—it’s a call to action for anyone ready to support the next generation’s journey toward strength and purpose.

Connect with Tom:
📧 Email: honorboundacademy@hotmail.com | tom@thehonorboundacademy.org
🌐 Website: https://thehonorboundacademy.org/contact/
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tjlagravejr/
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/thomasjlagravejr/
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thomasjlagravejr/
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@thomasjlagravejr

Call to Action:
If you’ve dealt with toxic surroundings or have your own experiences with struggle and growth, we want to hear from you. Drop us a comment, share your story, or leave a review to help others who might be going through the same thing. You can also reach out to us at Rawmindspodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who might need it. We can’t thank you enough for being part of the Raw Minds community.

In this deeply moving and powerful episode of Raw Minds, Laverne courageously shares his story of survival, pain, and eventual hope. Raised in the tightly controlled environment of a cult, Laverne was subjected to sexual abuse that haunted him well into adulthood. Despite escaping the cult, he found himself trapped in emotionally abusive relationships, and although he built a career in law enforcement, his path took a devastating turn when a psychological injury ended his career.

During this dark period, Laverne faced a prolonged mental health crisis, struggling with suicidal thoughts for months, too terrified to speak up. When he finally gathered the courage to confide in the one person he trusted, their response—“I know”—before walking away, left him feeling abandoned. But the love for his young daughter, who crawled into bed with him each night, and the thought of her and her brother, became his anchor, giving him the strength to keep going, even when he didn’t know how.

Laverne has since turned his pain into purpose, publicly sharing his story to expose the stigma around mental health and to offer hope to those still struggling in silence. His journey from darkness to light is a testament to resilience, courage, and the unbreakable bond between parent and child.

Follow Laverne’s journey and support his work to inspire others:

• Facebook: Laverne Friesen
• Instagram: @trueemotioncoach
• TikTok: @trueemotiondad
• Website: www.trueemotion.ca

Call to Action: If you’ve dealt with toxic surroundings or have your own experiences with bad apples, we want to hear from you. Drop us a comment, share your story, or leave a review to help others who might be going through the same thing. You can also reach out to us at Rawmindspodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who might need it.

Hey everyone, we’re hitting the pause button this week as we work on exciting upgrades behind the scenes to improve your listening experience. While there won’t be a full episode today, we’re using this time to make sure Raw Minds continues to deliver the content you love in the best possible way.

Next week, we’ll be back with a special guest and some amazing new discussions that we can’t wait to share with you. We can’t thank you enough for your patience and continued support—it truly means the world to us.

If you’ve dealt with toxic surroundings or have your own experiences with bad apples, we want to hear from you. Drop us a comment, share your story, or leave a review to help others who might be going through the same thing. You can also reach out to us at Rawmindspodcast@gmail.com. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who might need it.