Manage episode 520386870 series 3671794
What if the way back from trauma isn’t a single breakthrough, but a stack of small, stubborn habits that actually hold you up? We sit down with Navy veteran and author Kevin Macomber to trace a path from complex childhood trauma and Beirut-era deployments to breakdown, suicidality, and a hard-won recovery built on practical daily steps.
Macomber opens up about losing trust, withdrawing from the world, and slowly rebuilding with tools that require no perfection —j ust repetition. Journaling becomes a compass for messy minds, revealing patterns across hours and weeks. Nature does the quiet work that clinics can’t, as a hiking trail reawakens senses dulled by hyperarousal and numbness. We dig into choosing the right therapist, running your sessions with clear goals, and embracing discomfort as a sign the work is real. For the tough days — anniversaries, triggers, and headlines — Macomber shares breathing protocols, thought reframing, and movement cues that turn panic into plan.
We also get specific about food-as-mood: eliminating dirty carbs, cutting ultra-processed staples, and supporting gut health to stabilize energy, reduce anxiety, and lift the midday fog. On medication, Macomber offers a frank, balanced approach — why acute relief can be vital, how to plan off-ramps, what questions to ask in your doctor or therapist, and why bringing a trusted advocate to key appointments changes outcomes. Together we challenge
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Hi friends, welcome to the new normal, Big Life Podcast! We bring you natural news and stories about nature that we hope will inspire you to get outside and adventure, along with a step-by-step plan to help you practice what you’ve learned and create your own new normal and live the biggest life you can dream. I’m your host, Antoinette Lee, the Wellness Warrior.
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Chapters
1. Why The Book And Mission Began (00:00:00)
2. Meet Kevin: Author, Veteran, Advocate (00:01:04)
3. Childhood Trauma And Early Enlistment (00:01:55)
4. Life In The 1980s Navy And Beirut (00:03:27)
5. The First Breakdown And Aftermath (00:05:04)
6. Church Support And Stabilizing Years (00:07:49)
7. Adventure Interlude: Kayaks And Nature (00:09:07)
8. Journaling To Untangle PTSD Symptoms (00:10:21)
9. Nature As Therapy And Ending Isolation (00:12:04)
10. Writing The Book From 15 Years Of Notes (00:14:02)
11. Veteran Suicide, Stigma, And Transition Gaps (00:15:37)
12. Reframing Thoughts And Forest Bathing (00:18:20)
13. Therapy That Works And Self-Management (00:20:04)
14. Food As Medicine: Ditching Dirty Carbs (00:22:08)
15. Listener Resources And Newsletter (00:24:28)
16. Choosing Therapists And Owning Sessions (00:25:20)
17. Triggers, Breathing, And Planned Coping (00:27:04)
18. Self-Advocacy With Providers And Meds (00:29:10)
19. Bring An Advocate And Journal Care (00:31:14)
20. Hope, Community, And Practice Over Time (00:33:05)
21. Closing Reflections And Next Steps (00:35:04)
41 episodes