Running From Pain & Learning to Heal | Zac Hansen | EP30

Zac’s childhood was marked by instability, addiction, violence, and emotional chaos. Even before losing his father to a drug overdose at just 11 years old, experiences that left him living in survival mode for years, suppressing emotions, chasing external success, and trying to outrun the pain he carried from childhood.

In this episode, trade business owner and mental health advocate, Zac, opens up about growing up around addiction, violence, and instability, and how those experiences shaped the man he became. From working brutal roofing jobs as a teenager to building a successful business with 20 staff, Zac shares the hidden emotional cost of always needing to be “strong.”

Together, Geoff and Zac explore trauma, masculinity, emotional suppression, relationships, spirituality, and what it actually means to heal.

Zac also speaks powerfully about the mental health crisis within the trades industry, the pressure we carry in silence, and why vulnerability may be one of the bravest things we can do.

This is a conversation about pain, purpose, self-awareness, and learning that real strength comes from facing yourself honestly.

What You’ll Learn:

🔥 How Zac rebuilt his life after childhood trauma
🧠 Why so many of us stay stuck in survival mode
💭 The emotional impact of losing his father at 11 years old
🏗️ Lessons from building a successful business in the trades industry
⚡ Why external success never brought true fulfilment
🪞 The power of therapy, journaling, and self-awareness
🌊 How a solo silent retreat changed Zac’s life
❤️ Learning to receive love after years of emotional protection
💬 Why we need deeper conversations around mental health

Follow the show: https://www.instagram.com/intodeep_pod

Follow Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zachansen_

Follow Geoff: https://www.instagram.com/geoff_elevate