Helping Others Overcome Sin, Trauma, & a Tough Life | An Interview with Glenn Schiraldi

Glenn R. Schiraldi, Ph.D., Lt. Colonel (US Army Reserve, Retired), is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and a Vietnam-era veteran. He holds graduate degrees from Brigham Young University and the University of Maryland, and has served on the stress management faculties at the Pentagon, the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, and the University of Maryland School of Public Health. He has trained mental health professionals and laypersons—including high-risk groups such as the military, police, and firefighters—on stress, trauma, and resilience. Glenn is the founder of Resilience Training International, which teaches how to prevent and recover from stress-related conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety, while optimizing mental health and performance under pressure. An eternally-grateful convert of 47 years, Glenn serves in a young single adult branch presidency and, with his wife, leads the Addiction Recovery Program in his stake in Florida. Highlights 02:40 Kurt introduces Glenn and the topic of childhood trauma. 05:15 Glenn shares his background and conversion story. 08:25 Glenn explains what he does and what led him to write many books and create courses to help people with their mental health. 11:30 Childhood wounds and how they affect people who are religious versus non religious 13:50 The original ten adverse childhood experiences that cause wounds that people carry into adulthood 16:00 Unresolved pain leads people to drugs and pornography. Unresolved childhood wounds can manifest physically or spiritually. 18:50 How can a leader be a resource to those struggling with childhood wounds and lead them in the right direction to find healing? 20:30 How memories are imprinted on us 23:30 We need a deeper, more dynamic approach to healing childhood trauma. It’s important to find a therapist that is a trauma specialist. 27:00 Glenn explains Accelerated Resolution Therapy, known as ART. This is a fairly new form of therapy that is very effective for helping people with trauma. 34:30 Leaders can encourage people to write out their feelings. Expressive writing and journaling can benefit people trying to deal with old trauma that don’t want to talk about it. 40:00 God is the ultimate attachment figure and his love is the ultimate answer to shame. 45:00 According to research it’s a myth that religion adds to more shame. Religion can cause guilt. Religion is the answer to guilt. 48:50 Big T trauma and small t trauma 51:50 Do most issues come from childhood trauma? 54:45 Coping with trauma by perfectionism and overachieving. They try to overcompensate. 58:00 Latter-day Saint people tend to be overachievers. Most overachievers were adaptive and they like it. Others have fear-driven overachievement. 1:01:00 We don’t have to suffer for decades. A lot of times we just need to learn certain skills to overcome. Take the time to find the right therapist. 1:03:20 A good leader loves the people as Christ did. Links The Adverse Childhood Experiences Recovery WorkbookGlenn R. Schiraldi booksAccelerated Resolution TherapyResilience Training International TRANSCRIPT coming soonWatch on YouTubeGet 14-day access to the Core Leader Library The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, DeAnna Murphy, Michael Goodman, Richard Ostler, Ganel-Lyn Condie, and many more in over 500 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.