The Hidden Life of an Abuse Survivor — Tomás Hardiman

Video Description

Tomás Hardiman is a film producer and a survivor of childhood abuse. His recent documentary “The Days of Trees” tells the story of his own experience of childhood sexual abuse, and his long road to recovery. In this conversation, Tomás reflects on the years he spent in the dark, his gradual process of healing, and how he was able to convert his deepest childhood wound into a creative project - a documentary that is now impacting people all over the world. Gabor Maté had this to say about it: 'It's all about healing and transformation, a person finding themselves… I really urge you to see it. A beautiful film.' Here are some of the things we explore in this discussion: — How memory, shame, and repression often intertwine in trauma — Why Tomás almost walked away from the film — The role of creative work in transforming suffering — How Tomás has been able to forgive the seemingly unforgivable. And more. You can watch the film at https://thedaysoftrees.com/ and get 50% off if you use the code: TWU50 when purchasing. --- Tomás Hardiman holds a B.Comm from NUI Galway (1979) and an M.A. in Film and Television Studies from Dublin City University (1992). After graduation he worked in human resources in Dublin before living for a time in Toronto, where he began a professional career in the theatre as General Manager of Mercury Theatre Company. Following his return to Ireland he was appointed Marketing/Publicity Director of The Abbey Theatre where he worked from 1985 to 1993. He then returned to Galway where he ran his own communications and independent film production company, Parzival Productions. From October 2002 to November 2007 he was Managing Director of Galway Arts Centre and the Cúirt International Festival of Literature. He was a member of the board of Theatre Forum, the representative group for Irish arts organisations, from 2005-2007. He continues to produce and manage creative projects across multiple artforms and in 2013 completed a three-year training programme to become a teacher of the Alexander Technique. He produced eleven films between 1998 and 2023. Most recently he collaborated with acclaimed Irish writer/director Alan Gilsenan, to produce a loose trilogy of films about psychological trauma: Meetings with Ivor, The Meeting and The Days of Trees. The latter won the George Morrison Award for Best Documentary at the 2024 Irish Film and Television Awards. --- Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:43 - The Days of Trees 05:57 - Inside The Days of Trees 16:11 - Trauma, Memory & Forgiveness 28:47 - Overcoming Addiction and Trauma 42:28 - Forgiveness and Healing 53:37 - Evil, Denial, and Healing 56:38 - The Instinct Toward Truth and Love 58:43 - Tomás’ Resources --- Interview Link: — Tomás’ website - https://thedaysoftrees.com/