Drive On: Helping Veterans Navigate PTSD & Life After Military Service

Bona Normandeau, host of the Happier You podcast and a happiness coach, shares her inspirational journey from a military career to discovering her own happiness. Bona discusses her mission-to empower individuals to find their own path to joy and resilience and confront their unique journeys with a greater sense of strength. She shares her experiences of coming to grips with life after military ser...

Mark Kershaw dives deep into discussions around veteran mental health, military experiences, and his documentary 'Tribal'. A passionate advocate for veterans' mental health and a creator of the documentary 'Tribal', Mark has a unique perspective on the importance of destigmatizing mental health struggles, addressing the rise of suicide rates among service members and fostering a sense of community...

In this episode, our guest is Josh Thompson, a former Army Air Defense Artillery Captain. Thompson shares his powerful testament to the transformative power of inner strength. He discusses his inspiring journey, from battling toxic work environments and chronic health issues to achieving healing and personal breakthroughs. Despite the grueling adversities he's faced, Josh turned his life around, o...

In this episode, our guest, Thyron Heyward, a Navy veteran and mental health advocate, openly discusses his powerful journey of resilience and transformation. Suffering from PTSD after his services in Desert Storm, Thyron embarked on an arduous journey of healing and self-discovery. Today, he holds a master's degree in clinical counseling psychology, and runs a coaching and mentoring business dedi...

In this episode, our guest is Katharine Giovanni. Katharine is dedicated to helping others unlock the transformative power of forgiveness based on her personal journey marked by adversity, including her own battle with breast cancer, a tough childhood, and her husband's status as a disabled veteran. Despite these obstacles, she discovered the importance of forgiveness on her mental and physical we...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Michael Barnes, an expert in addiction counseling, trauma-integrated treatments, and family therapy. Drawing from over forty years of experience, Dr. Barnes brings a wealth of knowledge about the complex interplay of addiction, trauma, and family dynamics. He passionately discusses the concept of secondary trauma and its impact on the family members and caregi...

Sean Knudsen, an army veteran turned consultant for veterans and entrepreneurs, discusses his experiences during his transition from active duty into entrepreneurship. Sean provides insightful explanations about what he does, how he got there, and the challenges he faced. His experiences illustrate the importance of finding the right life and career path after leaving the military, and how his rol...

In this episode, army veteran, caregiver, and entrepreneur Zorina Pritchett shares her inspiring journey. Zorina sheds light on her experience transitioning from active duty to reserves, managing her own disability, and then taking on the role of a caregiver for her brother. Zorina also discusses the significance of maintaining structure and discipline from her military experience and how she appl...

In this episode, we look at the importance of emotional intelligence in law enforcement and the military with seasoned police officer and founder of Reid Solutions, Gene Reid. The discussion explores how emotional intelligence permeates several facets of these professions, from managing emotions in high-stress situations to cultivating self-awareness and building relationships. Gene shares his per...

In this episode, army veteran Aaron Futrell shares an in-depth recounting of his dramatic life-altering experience following a missile strike on Al Asad Air Base in January 2020. This story unfolds Futrell's resilience and determination as he navigated from recovering from a traumatic brain injury to transitioning to civilian life after being medically retired from the army. Despite adversities, h...

In this episode, Toni King, a passionate educator in the complexities of Medicare, shares her insights to help veterans understand how Medicare works and how it blends with Veterans Affairs benefits. Toni underlines the fact that Medicare does not offer a 'cookie cutter' solution, with alternatives varying according to individual needs. The episode includes definitions of Medicare Part A to D, ann...

In this episode, distinguished army veteran, trial lawyer, and CEO of Berry Law, John Berry, shares insightful stories about his military career, including service in Bosnia and Iraq. John emphasizes the importance of soldier camaraderie, team building, and transitioning military lessons to civilian life. He also highlights how his law firm has been helping fellow veterans in service-related dispu...

In this episode, guests Stephen Garrington and Jim Carson share their rewarding work with Honor Flight Network, an organization dedicated to helping veterans visit war memorials in Washington, D.C. Both Stephen and Jim are veterans themselves focused on honoring the service and sacrifices of former military personnel from the Vietnam, Korea, and World War II generations. The discussion covers the...

In this episode, we look at the relationship between trauma, biology, and mental health with guest and expert Michelle Brown. Michelle is a functional nutrition and lifestyle practitioner, clinical herbalist, and a master level Biology of Trauma advanced provider. This conversation covers the understanding of the trauma response, its impact on our health, and the crucial role that proper nutrition...

In this episode, we have an enlightening conversation with Sean Duclay, co-founder of Sail Ahead, an organization that fuses the healing power of sailing with a mission to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and veteran suicide. Sean shares valuable insights about the birth of Sail Ahead, the impact it has had on empowering veterans, and some deeply touching experiences he...

Karl Porfirio, a Gold Star father, joins us to share how he turned his grief into a poignant children's book, 'My Daddy's Heart is Purple.' Karl offers a heartrending account of the loss of his son, Senior Airman Tre Porfirio, and shares stories filled with laughter, tears, and moments of inspiration. While discussing Tre's military legacy, Karl also unpacks the ups and downs of his journey throug...

In this episode, we look into Ketamine infusion therapy with our guest, Sam Mandel, the co-founder and CEO of Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles. With his strong dedication to mental health advocacy, Sam discusses Ketamine infusion therapy. This treatment method offers relief for a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, PTSD, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. The conversation provide...

Jennifer Nash, an executive coach and passionate ballroom dancer, provides an enlightening perspective on dance as a therapeutic, social, and competitive activity. She shares her revealing experience of picking up ballroom dancing post-divorce, a journey that led her to discover its immense potential for healing, self-discovery, and community building. She emphasizes the dance floor's innate power...

In this episode, we are joined by Cheri Mason, a distinguished attorney who dedicated years of service to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Cheri's career includes becoming the first woman and military spouse to be Chairman of the Board of Veterans Appeals. The discussion focuses primarily on the inner workings of the Veterans' Appeals process and the improvements made to streamline and enhance...

In this episode, our guest, Jeff Circle, a veteran author, award-winning journalist, and creator of 'The Writers Dossier,' shares his extraordinary journey. From serving in the army to becoming a professional writer, Jeff's path has been anything but ordinary. Highlighting his experiences from the jungles of Korea to the burn pits of Iraq, and the corporate world, he discusses stepping into the da...

In this episode, our guest is Navy Veteran Kristof Morrow. He shares his experiences in the military, and specifically the lasting effect of his shipmate's suicide on his life. We talk about handling mental health issues in the military, the hard road of grief, and steps toward suicide prevention. Kristof underscores the importance of a sympathetic and genuine approach when interacting with vetera...

Andrea Vallely, a transformational coach shares how she helps individuals navigate their state of mind towards better health and wellbeing. The conversation helps listeners understand the essence of self-acceptance, the power of a positive mindset, and techniques for transitioning from a state of worry to a state of calm. Andrea brings to light the importance of breathing and physical activities,...

Doug Brinker is the founder of Beacon 4 HOPE, an organization dedicated to providing suicide prevention techniques and workshops. Our conversation begins with Doug's life background and journey. He shares his experience serving in two different branches of the military and talks about the ups and downs he faced. From being a survivor of two suicide attempts to becoming a beacon of hope for others...

Allicia Johnson Niles shares her experience of losing her father in the military at a young age, which had a heavy impact on her life. Allicia discusses the importance of openly addressing grief, her own journey to healing, and her groundbreaking revelation about her father's untimely demise. Throughout this journey, Allicia emphasizes the importance of community support, such as the Tragedy Assis...

Paul Vann is a leadership consultant, author, and military veteran with an extensive career in the U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, and the private sector. This episode explores his experiences in the military, his role in the National Guard Family Readiness Program, and his work on military and veterans' issues on Capitol Hill. It looks into the challenges facing military families, including struggl...