Father Wounds: Forgiving an Abusive Father | Cliff Branham

What happens when a boy grows up believing he has no value?

In this episode of Dudes Without Dads, Cliff Branham shares his journey from childhood abuse, anger, and addiction to forgiveness, healing, and becoming the father he never had.

Cliff grew up with an abusive and absent father. That pain shaped his identity, led to rebellion, and fueled years of destructive behavior. But through surrender, discipleship, and understanding his identity in Christ, he broke the generational cycle.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The long-term impact of father wounds
• Why anger often masks shame
• How generational trauma spreads
• What forgiveness really means
• How to heal from childhood abuse
• The role of faith and community in transformation

If you’ve struggled with father wounds, resentment, or identity confusion, this episode offers clarity and hope.

father wounds healing, abusive father recovery, christian testimony, forgiving abusive parent, breaking generational curses, men’s discipleship, identity in Christ, healing childhood trauma, dudes without dads, christian men podcast

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 Intro
 01:07 The childhood memory that shaped everything
 01:12 “I had no value” — the core lie
 01:14 Shaking his fist at God for 10 years
 01:16 The turning point at 29
 01:19 Double imputation explained simply
 01:22 Before Jesus vs after Jesus
 01:24 What to do if you feel worthless
 01:26 Why community is essential
 01:29 Message to abusive men
 01:32 How his father’s story ended
 01:36 “I forgive you… trust Jesus”
 01:37 Final encouragement