Show Notes
A Holistic Approach to PTSD
Maggie, host of the Positude show, introduced her guest, Jennifer Hixon, from the non-profit A Soldier’s Heart. Maggie highlighted the "drastically growing" numbers of veteran suicides, attributing the crisis to the government's failure to address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) effectively. She contrasted the government's approach—which she described as releasing soldiers directly into the public, medicating them with pills, or even researching brain chips to "nullify" emotions—with the work of A Soldier's Heart.
The organization, founded by Dr. Ed Tick, focuses on healing veterans' "invisible wounds" in a holistic and spiritual manner, encouraging them to talk about, process, and heal from their trauma rather than suppressing it.
Jennifer's Path to A Soldier's Heart
Jennifer explained her involvement began six years ago when a successful, MIT-educated friend (a veteran) re-entered her life. He was deeply depressed and had attempted suicide twice, though the gun jammed both times. He was exhibiting severe physical symptoms, but doctors could find nothing medically wrong, leading Jennifer to understand the concept of an "invisible wound."
Together, they explored spiritual and holistic texts (A New Earth, Soul Retrieval), which began to help him. A few years later, a friend gave Jennifer Dr. Ed Tick’s book, War and the Soul. She was stunned to find it articulated everything she and her friend had experienced. Upon discovering Dr. Tick was local, she volunteered at his organization, A Soldier's Heart, and has been there for nearly three years.
Redefining Post-Traumatic Stress
Jennifer explained the philosophy of A Soldier's Heart, emphasizing that they reject the term "Disorder" (the "D" in PTSD). She stated:
- Post-traumatic stress is a "natural reaction to an abnormal situation."
- It is not a medical disorder but a "moral injury," a "fall from grace," and a "loss of innocence."
She stressed the profound disconnect between veterans and the public. The military constitutes less than 1% of the population. While civilians are "at Starbucks," soldiers are making impossible moral decisions and witnessing atrocities, such as seeing children set on fire or a 12-year-old girl (the same age as their daughter) begging to be killed after being repeatedly raped during an ethnic cleansing.
When these soldiers return, they often "protect us" by remaining silent, especially when they sense civilians (and even some therapists) cannot handle their stories. A Soldier's Heart aims to teach civilians and families to "honor that sacrifice... by hearing their stories" without judgment.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Wounding
Jennifer detailed how Dr. Tick’s methods are based on studying how ancient cultures integrated their warriors:
- St. Francis of Assisi: Jennifer noted he was a 13th-century POW and wounded warrior who came home angry, alienated, and only fit in with other warriors.
- Native Americans: They modeled their care on the buffalo, where the strong form a perimeter to protect the wounded in the center. When warriors returned, the entire camp was "at war" (no disconnect), and the warrior was first tended to by a shaman for spiritual cleansing (sometimes buried in dirt to "leach out the war toxins") before the entire community (including children) gathered to listen to their stories.
- Ancient Greeks: They distinguished between Ares (god of bloodlust) and Athena (goddess of wisdom, who used war only to protect civilization).1
How the Retreats Heal
A Soldier's Heart holds retreats 4-5 times a year that bring veterans (from all eras), active-duty members, families, and civilians together. Jennifer described a powerful exercise:
- Veterans place red tape on the part of their body that carries their "wound" (e.g., their head, heart, or a missing limb).
- Civilians enter and are asked to "pause at the sacrifice" each veteran made.
- Civilians then take a piece of the tape off the veteran and place it on themselves, symbolically "taking responsibility" for the injury.
- Finally, the tape is moved to a map of the United States, representing the country taking responsibility.
Jennifer explained this shared ritual gives veterans a profound sense of honor and the feeling that someone is "willing to go there with you."
Addressing Internal Trauma
Jennifer also highlighted that the trauma is not just from combat. She shared the story of a female nurse with 20+ years of service who treated horrifically wounded soldiers in Germany (with "dust from Iraq still on them"). She had to fight for disability because she "didn't see combat." At a retreat, a group of Vietnam veterans circled her, gave her a flag, and said, "You saw more combat than we did. You're one of us," providing the validation and healing she had been denied.
A Success Story
Jennifer's most "successful story" is her friend who first led her to this work. His healing is measured in small, profound changes: "to see him take a picture of a butterfly," decide to go gluten-free, or take a yoga class. Six years ago, he could barely name one thing he liked about himself; recently, he filled two pages.
Call to Action and Resources
Jennifer urged civilians to educate themselves. Instead of just saying "thank you for your service" (which many vets reject, feeling they did terrible things), she encourages people to look them in the eye, put a hand on their heart, and simply say, "Welcome home."
She also pitched a long-term goal: creating "acclimation centers" or campuses where vets can "sweat the poisons of war out" through art, farming, and ironwork, and where older veterans can mentor the newly returned—a concept she is working to make a reality.
- Website: soldiersheart.net
Book: War and the Soul by Dr. Ed Tick
