Repetitive Brain Trauma, PTSD, and the Treatments Actually Working for Veterans and Athletes | Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman Ep. 92

Send us Fan MailEpisode 92 of Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman features Dr. Shauna Springer, one of the most respected voices in trauma psychology and veteran mental health. Bruce and Dr. Springer dig into why so many veterans and athletes get misdiagnosed, what repetitive brain trauma actually does to the nervous system, and which emerging treatments, ketamine therapy, stellate ganglion blocks, and psychedelic-assisted protocols, are showing real, measurable results. They also tackle moral injury, faith, and the cultural disconnect that keeps too many warriors from getting the right care.About the Guest Dr. Shauna Springer is a Harvard-trained psychologist and one of the nation's leading experts on psychological trauma, PTSD, and military and first responder mental health. She is the author of WARRIOR: How to Support Those Who Protect Us and Beyond the Military: A Leader's Handbook for Warrior Reintegration, and her work has shaped how clinicians, families, and communities understand the warrior experience.Key Topics CoveredWhy repetitive brain trauma is a biological injury, not just a mental health issueHow PTSD and transitional trauma get misdiagnosed in veterans and athletesWhat ketamine therapy and neuroplasticity mean for long-term recoveryHow stellate ganglion blocks reset the trauma response in the nervous systemWhy culturally competent care matters for veterans, first responders, and athletesThe role of psychedelics in treating moral injuryThe dangerous myths in mental health that quietly cost livesWhy This Matters Repetitive head impact is the silent epidemic running through football fields, fight gyms, and special operations team rooms. Most of the people affected don't know what's happening to them, and the providers treating them often don't either. Dr. Springer's work bridges that gap with science, lived understanding, and actionable next steps. Listen now, follow Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman wherever you get your podcasts, and share this episode with anyone in your life who's living with the long shadow of brain trauma.Broken Brains with Bruce Parkman is sponsored by The Mac Parkman FoundationSupport The Mac Parkman Foundation by donating today!https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CR24MY2GDUCZL CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW! https://www.mpfact.com/headsmart-app/ Chapters:00:00 Intro: Why Repetitive Brain Trauma Is a Biological Injury  01:52 Understanding PTSD and Transitional Trauma in Veterans  05:28 Why Biological Treatment Beats Talk Therapy Alone  09:53 The Cultural Disconnect Failing Veterans in Mental Health Care  12:55 What Culturally Competent Therapist Training Actually Looks Like  16:24 Neuroplasticity: How the Brain Heals After Trauma  19:41 Innovative Treatments Changing Veteran Recovery  22:41 The Science Behind Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy  30:54 Ketamine Therapy and Rebuilding Neural Pathways  32:21 Culturally Attuned Integration After Psychedelic Sessions  33:48 Responsible Innovation in Psychedelic Treatment Protocols  36:14 Treating Moral Injury With Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy  38:18 Faith, Spirituality, and Psychedelic Healing  41:24 How Dr. Springer Found Her Mission Supporting Veterans  45:09 Stellate Ganglion Blocks Explained: Resetting the Trauma Response  50:48 Debunking the Mental Health Myths That Cost Lives  55:40 Mental Warfare and Silencing the Voices of DespairProduced by Security Halt Media