Episode 198: Turning abuse into advocacy and a life of inspiration. Jean-Paul (JP) Bedard
The Trauma Therapist - A podcast by Guy Macpherson, PhD
Jean-Paul Bédard is an author, advocate, elite endurance athlete, and was named one of the "50 Most Influential Canadians" by Huffington Post.
In 2013, Jean-Paul disclosed to family and friends that he is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and rape. As a result, he turned to long-distance running to help him battle his addiction and mental health issues. Since that time, he has become an international advocate for other survivors of sexual violence. In 2014, Jean-Paul ran the iconic Boston Marathon twice in the same day in a highly publicized campaign. In 2015 he was awarded the "Golden Shoe Award" for being named "Canadian Runner of the Year".
As a Brooks sponsored athlete and veteran of over 130 marathons and ultra marathons, Jean-Paul represented Canada in the prestigious Comrades Marathon in South Africa, a grueling 90km race through mountainous terrain. In the fall of 2015, Jean-Paul ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon three times in the same day to demonstrate the resiliency of survivors of trauma.
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