Whenever hockey star Jake Newton was face-to-face with an angry opponent on the ice, he would picture the cousin who abused him as a child. The demons of his childhood continued to chase him throughout his years in the National Hockey League (NHL) until he finally confronted them. Newton knew he had to do something about his trauma in order to live a better life.
Where His Trauma Began
Newton’s trauma first began when he was a 5-year-old boy and his 17-year-old cousin was living with him in San Jacinto, California. His cousin was supposed to watch Newton and his siblings after school while his parents were out. Instead, Newton’s cousin sexually abused him. Because Newton was so young, he did not know that telling his parents was an option.
His cousin kept threatening to hurt him if he told, and he was afraid. The abuse continued for two years until Newton’s sister caught them in the act and their cousin was sent away to a juvenile detention facility. Even though the abuse was finally over, Newton would be headed towards a long road of recovery to manage the trauma left behind.
The Aftermath
Unfortunately, Newton never received professional help after the abuse ended. All of that unresolved trauma led to sudden and rapid mood swings in his teen years. He fought through those feelings in order to be a professional hockey player — but his problems did not end.
When things would get violent on the ice, he felt like he was seeing his cousin again and reverting back to “little Jake.” All of this led to Newton being a heavy drinker, addicted to chewing tobacco, and even cheating on his wife.
The Road to Recovery
After the 2011-2012 season, Newton finally chose recovery to battle the trauma that had plagued him for so many years. He began intensive therapy multiple times a week, where he learned that his trauma and self-sabotaging behavior were holding him back both in hockey and in his relationships.
Newton took up yoga and became a fan of The Untethered Soul, a book about self-reflection and meditation. Today, Newton is a mental health coach and has his own podcast called RAV: Raw, Authentic, and Vulnerable where he discusses how he coped with the trauma of sexual abuse. Newton was able to get through his trauma by finally discovering that he needed to be the source of his own happiness.
It is possible to heal from your trauma, just as hockey star Jake Newton did. At The Guest House, our caring staff will help you learn how to use mindfulness to treat your trauma as well as yoga, substance abuse treatment, and many other forms of therapy. We are here to help you confront and resolve your trauma, so you can finally live your best life. We are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To learn more, call us now at (855) 483-7800.