From Ramadi to Ayahuasca

Content Warning This podcast contains detailed discussions of sensitive topics, including combat experiences, childhood trauma, and substance abuse. It also includes a first-hand account of a mental health crisis involving a firearm and thoughts of suicide. In this episode of the DAV Podcast, host Matt Saintsing sits down with Justin, a combat veteran who served as an infantry Marine in Fallujah and Ramadi. Justin shares a raw and candid account of his journey from enlisting to seek his father's approval to his decade-long struggle as a firefighter masking deep-seated anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse. While initially believing his suffering stemmed from war-related PTSD, a spontaneous encounter with the psychedelic medicine Ayahuasca led to a profound spiritual awakening. Through this experience and his subsequent work with Save A Warrior, Justin realized the roots of his trauma actually lay in his childhood, leading him to a new path in spiritual chaplaincy and a mission to help others heal through the power of psychedelic integration.