Kruse Corner Podcast Lani

When are we allowed to finally say that we have healed? Or, are we meant to stay broken? For over 3 years I have talked about struggling, trauma, and failure. Recently I began to talk about the healing that has taken place during that time. What did I find? That people were upset that I would "pretend" or "fake" being okay. When we say we are allowed to reach out, get help, and heal, do we truly mean it?

For this episode I cover multiple books to add to the discussion of women in the military, the differences they face, and how competition seems to hinder our healing in the veteran community more than it helps. Learning different perspectives or discussing the various experiences we can have does not take away from anyone else's story, service, or cause. If we don't know what others face, how can we truly know how to help them heal?

If you would like to explore the titles and topics covered in this episode further, please check out these books:



"The Wounds Within: A Veteran, A PTSD Therapist, and a Nation Unprepared " by Mark Nickerson and Joshua Goldstein

"Fight Like a Girl" by Kate Germano

"Combat Vet Don't Mean Crazy" by Duane France

"Bottled Away" by Lani Hankins

In the veteran community we talk about transition often. Mostly because we can all agree and acknowledge that it has a major impact on all of us. But why don't we talk about the transitions that take place in our service more often? They impact us, too. When I returned from deployment, I was aware that I was not the same person. I knew I was struggling to adapt and to integrate back into the life I left behind. Then I would experience that same helplessness, same struggle, when I left the Army. What we experience on a deployment varies from person to person, but one thing is certain: You will change.  

Marine Corps Veteran and co-host of Cancelled for Maintenance Podcast, Six, returns to the show so that we can discuss deployments. Specifically, the transition from being home, to being overseas, and then being home again. We try to cover all angles regarding this topic, offering insight and perspective from the one deployed, as well as the one that stays behind. Deployments are hard on everyone and we hope this conversation will help people to reach out, gain some understanding, and encourage communication.

To hear more from the Cancelled for Maintenance Podcast, visit www.cancelledformaintenance.com or find them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram @canxformaintenancepodcast.

This episode is based off information from Dr. Richard A. Heckler's "Waking Up, Alive." Lani discusses her most recent book recommendation and shares her experience with unhealed trauma and how it led to her descent into suicidal thinking, the suicidal trance, and how she moved on from the belief that life was not worth living. She will also discuss information about rebuilding the self and healing the past. Listener discretion is advised.

This episode covers the second half of the book, "The Wounds Within: A Veteran, A PTSD Therapist, and a Nation Unprepared" by Mark Nickerson and Joshua Goldstein. In this episode, I cover warning signs, risk factors, changes made by the VA and military, and stories about poor leadership and not taking someone's mental health seriously.