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Healing the Warrior Mind: Rewiring Trauma and Finding Purpose After Military Service

The Challenge Veterans Face After Service

Transitioning from military service to civilian life can be one of the most emotionally complex and psychologically demanding phases for veterans. From PTSD and moral injury to a loss of camaraderie and purpose, these challenges affect not just mental health—but the very identity of those who served.

In a recent conversation on The Veterans Outlook Podcast, host Pastor Robert Jordan invited mindset coach and neuroscience expert Zahra Karsan to unpack how service members can heal and rebuild a meaningful life post-service.

“The brain gets wired for fight or flight, and after trauma, it doesn’t just go back on its own. You have to teach it how to return to calm.” – Zahra Karsan

Understanding the Science of Trauma and the Path to Recovery

Zahra emphasizes that 95% of our behavior is driven by the subconscious—the part of the mind where trauma is stored. When veterans return from service, their brains often remain in a hyper-vigilant state, trained to stay alert and ready to respond. Over time, this leads to chronic stress, disrupted sleep, and emotional exhaustion.

But with consistent practices rooted in neuroscience and positive psychology, the brain can be rewired.

Tools to Rewire the Brain for Calm and Resilience

  1. Breathwork and Meditation
     Breathing exercises activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate and calming the body.

  2. Physical Exercise
     Walking outdoors or engaging in consistent movement floods the body with endorphins and creates new neural pathways linked to emotional health.

  3. Happy Neurochemicals
     Zahra outlines how dopamine (achievement), serotonin (mood stabilization), oxytocin (connection), and endorphins (pain relief) can all be intentionally activated.

  4. Sleep Hygiene
     Prioritizing calm, tech-free wind-down routines can drastically improve sleep and reduce parasomnia or nocturnal panic attacks.

Reclaiming Purpose and Community Post-Service

For many veterans, one of the greatest post-military struggles is the sudden absence of a mission. Zahra’s insight: fulfillment comes from identifying your core needs and consciously creating opportunities that meet them—such as leadership, contribution, and connection.

“You might feel like you lost your purpose, but it’s about rediscovering what drives you and finding new ways to serve.” – Zahra Karsan

From joining community projects to coaching others, veterans can create a new legacy beyond the uniform.

Six Weeks to Rewire: A Proven Framework for Transformation

Zahra’s best-selling book Six Weeks to Happy offers a structured roadmap to shift from survival mode to a state of clarity, calm, and purpose. Each week, readers are guided through tools that:

  • Rebalance neurochemistry

  • Process and release emotional blocks

  • Reframe trauma with evidence-based techniques

Build new habits for joy and resilience

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone—and Healing Is Possible

The path forward may not be easy, but with the right tools, support, and mindset, healing is more than possible—it’s powerful.

Where to Listen

Tune in to hear the full conversation and take the first step toward peace, purpose, and possibility. Spotify or Riverside.

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RONDA ENGELHARDT

Ronda is a Peak Performance Coach focusing on Life Coaching and the Mental Wellbeing of Athletes in her practice. She is also contracted through a large Division 1 University program to work with their athletes as a mental coach. She specializes in fear, pressure, adversity, uncertainty, removing obstacles, anxiety, doubt, recovering from injuries or setbacks, and identity beyond a sport or a role. She provides a proactive approach to the mental health of athletes and teams on wellbeing and the mental side of the game. Ronda is also an accomplished athlete herself and spent five seasons as a head coach for a Professional Women’s Hockey team in the Premier Hockey Federation, and is a scout for the Nashville Predators of the NHL.

Ronda’s education includes undergraduate studies in Psychology, a Masters in School Counseling and post graduate certifications in Applied Positive Psychology, The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ, and is certified as an Applied Positive Psychology coach, specializing in Leadership, Mentoring and Coaching, Teamwork and Collaboration. While Ronda has specialized in the athletic mindset, she is passionate about helping any person wanting to uncover what is possible and learn to use their mind as an asset for reaching their full potential.

SYLVIA HALLIGAN

Sylvia Halligan is a mind-body mental agility and change management coach. She helps organizations successfully lead and navigate change, make it stick, and empower individuals to transform into flourishing, thriving beings. Her personal coaching practice incorporates a blend of eastern philosophy practices backed by western science. Interventions include guided visualization, hypnosis, breath work, embodiment, energy psychology, positive psychology, and neuroscience.

Sylvia is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), holds certifications in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) and Applied Positive Psychology Coaching (CAPP), and is an ICF credentialed Associate Certified Coach (ACC). She is also a Prosci-Certified Change Management Practitioner and certified in The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ. Specialties: Leading organizations through change and making it stick. Guiding individual change journeys through holistic mind-body coaching. Teaching people to thrive, not just survive.

ANJALI IYENGAR

Anjali is a Holistic Health & Positive Psychology Pracitioner. As a naturally intuitive, compassionate, and deeply empathetic coach, Anjali creates an environment for her clients that allows them to truly understand the connection of how the mind and body coexist and relate to one another. Assisting clients in understanding the mind & body connection, how blocked emotions can reappear in emotional patterning or physical alignments in the body, and aids in healing through the use of various techniques, including The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ.

Anjali holds degrees in Communications and an MBA, along with post graduate degrees and certifications in Applied Positive Psychology, Integrative Holistic Health Coaching and Breathwork.ᵀᴹ

MARJOLEIN VAN DER KRUK

Marjolein is a trainer, facilitator and coach, specializing in Emotional Intelligence and Leadership. In her individual coaching practice, Marjolein works with people to educate and empower them with the tools from Positive Psychology, Self Compassion and Emotional Intelligence. Her work with corporations includes embedding innovative, human-centric mindset coaching, training and facilitation. She’s a Senior Leadership Facilitator for THNK, The School of Creative Leadership in Amsterdam, Netherlands where she develops global leaders in international corporations to unlock their full potential in leading themselves, and others, for greater impact.

Marjolein holds certifications in Emotional Intelligence and Leadership, Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) and is an Applied Positive Psychology coach. She is also trained in Self Compassion, through the thought leader in this space, Kristen Neff, and is certified in The R.E.W.I.R.E. Mindset Systemᵀᴹ. Marjolein holds a Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences and Post Graduate degrees in Management and Positive Psychology.