Nature Therapy For Combat Veterans

Walking away from the uniform often means walking away from purpose, identity, and your tribe all at once. In this conversation, retired Marine Colonel Brian Gilman shares how his own unexpected orders to a Pentagon reintegration office opened his eyes to what veterans really need after service and eventually led him home to Montana to lead Warriors and Quiet Waters. He breaks down their nine-month Built For More program, in which post-9/11 combat veterans spend two-week immersions in the Montana backcountry, with fly fishing, hunting, or photography as "co-facilitators," and six months of guided work at home focused on purpose, community, and thriving. You will hear Brian explain what actually happens to your brain and body in nature, why light focus activities can trigger those shower epiphanies, and how journaling and small peer cohorts of eight vets give you space to finally process what happened and what comes next. He shares real-world outcome data, including significant gains in purpose, sleep, and connection, and explains why strong relationships beat money and status for long-term well-being. If you are a post-9/11 vet in a civilian job who misses the platoon more than you can explain and wants a roadmap for a life that feels worth getting up for, this one is dialed in for you. Timestamps: 01:12 - 27 years in the Marines 04:18 - About Warriors and Quiet Waters 09:32 - The science of nature and why your brain relaxes outside 14:05 - Inside the 9-month Built For More program 27:10 - Why strong relationships keep vets alive Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://www.warriorsandquietwaters.org/ Follow Warriors and Quiet Waters on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wqwMontana/timeline Follow Warriors and Quiet Waters on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warriorsandquietwaters/ Follow Brian Gilman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilmanbrian/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.