Podcasts + Posts

In this talk, I fire the podcast back up- after a long hiatus- and talk about a project I’ve been involved with for the past year +++). A few months ago, we released the book Warrior Hope, which I wrote with the Executive Director of Crosswinds Foundation- a nonprofit that’s been involved in the PSTD + Moral Injury space for 7 years and counting.

Last week we launched a group based on the book- a group currently being hosted at Hoover Tactical on Monday evenings, 6:30pm- 7:30pm.

Here are the main talking points from this podcast.

#1- Perception CAN be reality.

I’ve heard the phrase “perception is reality” a bunch of times. You probably have, too.

But, as correct as that statement sounds, it’s not accurate. Perception MIGHT be reality, but it might not be. Perception might just be the way you view things.

Let me explain…

You may have seen the cartoon online.

From one person’s perspective the number on the ground is clearly a 6. From...

I'm not much on over-promising. Just the opposite. I like it when others under-promise and then over-deliver, so I try to do the same thing.

That said, there's one "tool" I've learned (I didn't make it up, in other words- someone taught it to me) that works for healing 99.99999999% of the time. 

Dare I say it works 100% of the time? Yes, it's that good...

First, why- and then what

Let me tell you why it works, first...

Basically (and this is the way simplified version of it, OK?), your limbic brain manages your memories and handles your emotions. The two are often connected.

Sometimes, there's a positive aspect to it. You remember something exciting- and there's emotion attached to it. Feeling. Heart.

Many times, though, there's a negative association. You remember a painful person, place, or thing... and there are emotions attached to it, too. Your heart might start beating faster, your speech may become more intense and...

- Andy Jenkins

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a relatively new term. In fact, you may not know anything about it unless you actually have it- or unless someone you know does. Its effects have been around for centuries, but the visibilty of our vets is giving us new language and ways to understand it. 

The Mayo Clinic says PTSD is "a mental condition that's triggered by a terrifying event..."

Though common in soldiers, PTSD can show up in anyone, anywhere. In other words, you might find PTSD in...

* Victims of rape or other forms of abuse

* People who endure a tramautic event, such as a car wreck, plane crash, or natural disaster

* Pastors who've been kicked out of churches

* Men & women who've been fired or consisntently overlooked for job advancement

* People who've endured divorce (even relational rifts in your family can give rise to symptoms)

(A few years ago we adopted two boys from Africa. Since that time, we've seen how relationally difficult...