Hi, I am Julien Manuguerra-Patten, creator of The Breaking Point podcast. I am originally French, lived in Canada and I’m now established in Edinburgh, Scotland. I have been a radio producer and a journalist for… a few years now!

My inspiration for this podcast is very personal, as I have – like many of us – been through a very difficult heartbreak a bit more than a decade ago now. I couldn’t believe how profoundly it had impacted not only my life, but my core. I got out ‘different’, scarred, hurt and cynical. In one word, heartbroken. Until I reached a certain point of resilience, I had no idea what to do with all the pain. It was completely overwhelming.

At the time, I subconsciously wanted to believe that pain was unique and exclusive – and it was, in some ways. I thought no one could even begin to understand what I was going through. I even felt the need to be loyal to that pain, to hold on to it, that it would somehow validate the importance of that broken relationship. I was holding on to the pain just like I was holding on to the person. I needed that. So I stuck to it. For a while.

We almost all go through similar experiences, in our own personal ways. We all struggle sometimes when it comes to love. Sometimes an awful lot. I wasn’t the only one then – or ever. Most of us can relate to that pain.

Here is the main reason why I wanted to create this series: I believe that telling those heartbreak stories generates compassion, empathy, understanding and connection. I believe that those shared experiences should bring us closer together. 

Heartbreaks profoundly change us, sometimes for the worse – in terms of confidence, trust and shame. I think talking about them, really reflecting on them, can change it all. Self-compassion is at the heart of that process.

I sincerely thank all the people who accepted to share their stories. They’ve been remarkably courageous to reminisce about their breakups. They’ve accepted to be vulnerable once again; this time in front of a microphone for thousands of people to listen. This is brave, purposeful, and beautiful.

I sincerely hope you’ll find their words as inspiring as I do.

Julien Manuguerra-Patten

Read more about the idea behind this podcast here