DeepSummary
In this podcast episode, Tom Spooner recounts his remarkable 21-year military career, including time in the 82nd Airborne, 7th Special Forces Group as a Green Beret, and numerous deployments with the elite Delta Force. He describes his experiences during the Gulf War, the intensity of selection and training, and the challenges he faced on deployments, such as mass casualty events and the loss of teammates.
Spooner shares his struggles with substance abuse, unprocessed trauma, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in combat. He candidly discusses his journey to sobriety, the support he received from fellow warriors, and his decision to seek help for his TBI after contemplating suicide. His vulnerability and resilience are evident as he recounts his path to healing.
The episode also features Spooner's work as the co-founder and president of Warriors Heart, a comprehensive treatment program for veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. He explains the program's unique approach, which emphasizes a warrior culture, peer support, and addressing both substance abuse and trauma concurrently.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Tom Spooner's remarkable military career spanned 21 years, including time in the 82nd Airborne, 7th Special Forces Group, and multiple deployments with Delta Force.
- Spooner struggled with substance abuse, unprocessed trauma, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained in combat, but found healing through sobriety, therapy, and taking responsibility for his recovery.
- Spooner co-founded Warriors Heart, a comprehensive treatment program that addresses substance abuse and trauma concurrently, emphasizing a warrior culture and peer support.
- Honoring fallen teammates involves living a purposeful life, rather than indulging in self-destructive behavior or self-pity.
- Taking responsibility for one's own healing and recovery is empowering, as it allows individuals to actively work towards improvement.
- Addressing both substance abuse and trauma concurrently is crucial, as these issues are often interconnected and cannot be treated in isolation.
- Having a strong support system, whether through family, fellow warriors, or treatment programs, can play a vital role in the healing process.
- Seeking help and engaging in various therapies, such as cognitive therapy and vestibular therapy, can be instrumental in recovering from injuries like traumatic brain injuries.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Like, no, cognitively, I completely understand. You know, I have brain damage, and that's bad. 50% processing speed, 50% verbal memory. I said, the reason why I'm relieved, though, is you just told me I was injured and that I wasn't crazy, you know, because I can work with injury, you know, I mean, I understand.“ by Tom Spooner
- “But it's the peer network. And the difference is, is that. I mean, we're one person, man. I can't go to this rehab to work on my chemo dependency, chemical dependency in this rehab to work on my pts like one of them feeds the other, you know?“ by Tom Spooner
- “But I'm also super happy, you know what I mean? I'm also living a good life because I don't. You know what I mean? Like, I'm. We're all. We're gonna see them again. I mean, my belief system is I'm gonna see those guys again, and they're gonna be like, hey, motherfucker. Yeah. It's gonna be aar time in the team room. It's gonna be in the team room with the door locked. And now we're gonna have an Aaron.“ by Tom Spooner
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Episode Information
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan | Cumulus Podcast Network
5/13/24