118 Creating Calm: War, PTSD, and Healing with Tom Voss

Tom Voss is an Infantry veteran of the Army's Stryker Brigades having served between 2003-2006 in a scout sniper platoon. He's also an author, yoga instructor, and meditation teacher.  It wasn't long into his deployments before Tom experienced the darkest parts of war which left him with severe PTSD that he denied for over a decade. Tom turned to drugs and alcohol to cope and spiraled into planning his suicide. The only thing that saved him was a sister who wouldn't put up with it.  Tom is the author of Where War Ends: Recovering from PTSD and Moral Injury Through Meditation. He also organized a walk across the country to raise awareness for veteran's issues and is the star of the documentary Almost Sunrise.  In this episode, you'll learn:  How Tom nearly killed himself by avoiding treatment for over 10 years by self-medicating.  How he learned to accept the experiences he endured.  The difference between PTSD and Moral Injury.  How meditation helps him manage his new path as a veteran.  How to begin a simple practice of meditation if you're intimidated.  Tom's book: Where War Ends: A Combat Veterans 2700-Mile Journey to Heal Follow Tom on Instagram @themeditatingvet  Tom's website is themeditatingvet.com