The Hero's Journey

The Clinical Psychologist Challenging PTSD | Dr. Chris Frueh

Dr. Chris Frueh is a clinical psychologist and researcher who has worked with veterans for more than 35 years. He worked as a frontline clinician in a VA PTSD clinic, treating combat veterans while simultaneously conducting clinical research. He later held academic and leadership roles at the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Baylor College of Medicine, and the Menninger Clinic, where he directed research programs focused on trauma, military mental health, and long-term recovery outcomes. Through his work with hundreds of Special Operations veterans, private defense contractors, and high-risk professionals, Dr. Frueh identified a recurring pattern of brain injury exposure, hormonal suppression, sleep disruption, chronic pain, and cognitive decline that did not fit the traditional PTSD model. In 2020, he published a peer-reviewed medical paper (later released as a book) that introduced the term “Operator Syndrome,” challenging prevailing assumptions in military mental health. In this episode, Max and Dr. Frueh examine why PTSD became the default diagnosis for a generation of GWOT veterans, where modern medicine has fallen short, and why a physiology-first, peer-led coaching model may represent the next paradigm shift in healing for high-risk professionals.* This episode is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Chapters: 00:03 Introducing Dr. Chris Frueh 04:41 Growing Up Around Veterans & Choosing Clinical Psychology 07:36 Inside the VA PTSD Clinic 11:20 Why He Left the VA System 11:42 Meeting Special Operators Who Didn’t Fit the PTSD Model 15:44 Brain Scans, Hormones & Aging 40 Years Too Fast 17:47 What PTSD Used to Mean vs. What It Means Now 25:45 Defining Operator Syndrome 28:32 Allostatic Load & The Cost of 20+ Years of High Tempo 33:04 Institutional Betrayal, Afghanistan & First Responders 36:28 Why He Joined Sharp Performance 42:19 Firefighters Recognizing Themselves in the Framework 49:16 Cultural Competence & Why Therapists Miss the Mark 1:01:25 The Problem with “Normal” Lab Ranges 1:06:12 Healing, Recovery & The Virtuous Cycle 1:15:11 The Stanford Study Rejection & Medical Gatekeepers 1:22:24 The Future of Coaching & A Paradigm Shift [spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/33jeQtAbMoS0sKZHLVSMt9?si=pJT7gr5AT6iHdlmhKZS1mw [https://open.spotify.com/episode/33jeQtAbMoS0sKZHLVSMt9?si=pJT7gr5AT6iHdlmhKZS1mw]] [apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clinical-psychologist-challenging-ptsd-dr-chris-frueh/id1832731879?i=1000751995949 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clinical-psychologist-challenging-ptsd-dr-chris-frueh/id1832731879?i=1000751995949]] [youtube:https://youtu.be/ViGRR7omd18?si=NVOT-EeWXigwMMFT [https://youtu.be/ViGRR7omd18?si=NVOT-EeWXigwMMFT]]

From Pararescueman to Navy SEAL: Steve Milgazo’s Mission to Heal and Serve

Steve Milgazo spent nearly 30 years in two branches of the U.S. military. He began as an Air Force Pararescueman (PJ) and later became a Navy SEAL. He chased purpose, leadership, and combat across two elite communities, but the cumulative toll eventually followed him home. In this episode, Steven Bunting traces that journey with him: why he left one special operations pipeline to start over in another, how 9/11 reshaped his trajectory, and what it was like to seek conflict. Milgazo also talks openly about the years after service, including burnout, divorce, identity collapse, and the moment he nearly took his life. He explains how he approached recovery like a mission, rebuilding his mental and physical health from the ground up, and how that work led him to coaching. Now at Sharp Performance, he serves high-risk professionals who are still in the arena, helping them extend their impact beyond the uniform. 01:10 Going from the Air Force to the Navy 05:03 Steve’s Early Life Inspiration 08:40 Choosing the Air Force 11:33 From Cocoa Beach to BUD/S 14:28 Starting Over at 27 17:38 Going to SEAL Team 2 22:01 Waiting for War in the Wake of 9/11 24:55 Learning to Manage Expectations 27:04 Burning Out and Thinking About Retirement 31:28 Retiring and Going Through Divorce at the Same Time 35:37 Going Back to School 37:11 Hitting Rock Bottom 39:02 Going All-in on Healing 41:03 Becoming a Sharp Performance Coach 44:16 Healing is for Everyone 45:28 It’s Never the Wrong Time to Try Coaching [spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nY27e3Bkv9D9L4QGoPz0D?si=8e36d7ec3bde45ec [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nY27e3Bkv9D9L4QGoPz0D?si=8e36d7ec3bde45ec]] [apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-pararescueman-to-navy-seal-steve-milgazos-mission/id1832731879?i=1000731875041 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-pararescueman-to-navy-seal-steve-milgazos-mission/id1832731879?i=1000731875041]] [youtube:https://youtu.be/IkvMlE_pyzs?si=GJp7D_Cq6e7auMRC [https://youtu.be/IkvMlE_pyzs?si=GJp7D_Cq6e7auMRC]]

From Green Beret to Tech Recruiter: Justin Crocker on Leadership, Family, and Burnout in High-Stress Careers

Justin Crocker spent two decades in the U.S. Army, starting in the infantry as a paratrooper before commissioning as an officer and completing Special Forces selection. He deployed to Iraq during the surge as a platoon leader and later commanded a Special Forces detachment in Afghanistan. In this episode, he walks through the lessons learned across Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. He explains what combat really teaches about leadership, trust, and the cost of constant performance. He also breaks down why the best units run on decentralized decision-making and why paying attention to your people is more important than tactics. Justin also opens up about the invisible toll of service. He talks about the strain on marriages, the disconnect of coming home, and the loss of purpose that hits when the mission ends. He lays out parallels between the military transition experience and the burnout spiral he sees in both law enforcement and the fire service. Now serving as Head of Talent at Sharp Performance, Justin is fighting a new battle. His focus is on ensuring first responders and high-stress professionals do not wait until a crisis to get support. His message is direct: purpose must be protected, and no one earns longevity by grinding themselves into the ground. 00:00 Introduction 03:04 Where Justin Was on 9/11 06:37 Military Service as a Family Inheritance 08:59 Early Lessons as a Paratrooper 13:31 Leading Through the Baghdad Surge 20:20 Risking It All to Join Special Forces 27:38 Earning the Green Beret 32:16 Loss, Family Strain, and the Cost of Service 36:51 How First Responders Struggle to Switch Off at Home 42:15 Why So Many Retire and Decline Quickly 47:19 Choosing Purpose Again at Sharp 52:45 Overtime, Burnout, and the Loss of Mission [spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/2H0NXRlRo2jWwOMEdNEF8O?si=ec37537e2fbb4a21 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2H0NXRlRo2jWwOMEdNEF8O?si=ec37537e2fbb4a21]] [apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-green-beret-to-tech-recruiter-justin-crocker-on/id1832731879?i=1000729382494 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-green-beret-to-tech-recruiter-justin-crocker-on/id1832731879?i=1000729382494]] [youtube:https://youtu.be/JzhSdVldLIE?si=xO2Pwsbc2QOUrvfg [https://youtu.be/JzhSdVldLIE?si=xO2Pwsbc2QOUrvfg]]

From Navy SEAL to Firefighter/Paramedic: Guy McDermott on the Transition From Taking Lives to Saving Lives

Former Navy SEAL and firefighter paramedic Guy McDermott shares his unfiltered story of service, struggle, and redemption. Over the course of 24 years in the Navy, he experienced unbreakable brotherhood and the physical toll of training, including surviving BUD/S with pneumonia and fractured ribs. When his military career ended, Guy faced the painful loss of identity that so many warriors encounter. He became a firefighter and paramedic, stepping into homes not with a weapon but with the tools to save lives. Yet even in the fire service, silence and stigma followed him. A critical call in October 2019 caused him to freeze, and he carried that shame home. In this powerful conversation with host Max Bush, Guy reflects on losing friends to suicide, battling shame, and finding his way back through daily practices that rebuilt his sense of self. He explains how relentless coaching saved lives, why protecting your energy matters, and how warriors can bring each other home. Chapters 00:00 Intro – Meet Guy McDermott 01:00 24 Years in the Navy 02:10 Growing Up in an Unsafe Household 06:08 Choosing the Warrior Path 09:43 Hell Week with Pneumonia 11:55 What SEAL Brotherhood Really Means 15:16 Becoming a Firefighter - Saving Lives vs Taking Lives 24:22 Withholding the Truth 25:12 Suffering Through the Loss of a Friend 26:27 The Breaking Point 32:37 Exploring the Wellness Process 38:08 Relentless Coaching and Accountability 40:52 Guy’s Coaching Style 42:21 Preparing Police and Fire Chiefs for Retirement 50:08 Advice for First Responders [spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/0BjO71jXzG7tlr0MVJDck2?si=00270869451b4c48 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0BjO71jXzG7tlr0MVJDck2?si=00270869451b4c48]] [apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-navy-seal-to-firefighter-paramedic-guy-mcdermott/id1832731879?i=1000727063112 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-navy-seal-to-firefighter-paramedic-guy-mcdermott/id1832731879?i=1000727063112]] [youtube:https://youtu.be/bwntl0AAZG8?si=PTF1WND2O-uqH4KU [https://youtu.be/bwntl0AAZG8?si=PTF1WND2O-uqH4KU]]

From the 101st Airborne Division to Firefighter: Jared Cheselske on Desert Storm, Finding the Fire Service, and the Call that Saved his Life

In this episode of The Hero’s Journey, Jared Cheselske shares his path from a military household in San Diego to the Army’s 101st Airborne Division, and eventually the fire service. He recalls serving in Panama on security operations and deploying to Kuwait and Iraq during Desert Storm. After leaving the Army, he completed three different fire academies and spent nearly 30 years on the job in Salt Lake City and San Diego. Jared talks about the physical and emotional cost of those careers: chronic injuries, sleepless nights, and the loss of close friends. By 2017, the strain had compounded and taken a major toll on his family life. A call from a fellow firefighter led him to get help, and working with a coach gave him tools to restore his sleep, regulate stress, and rebuild his health. He explains how coaching gave him language to make sense of what he was experiencing, and why he started sharing those tools with others. Jared describes his work today with Sharp Performance coaching first responders. He notes that while his clients come from very different backgrounds, the patterns are strikingly similar, and the same practical tools continue to make the difference. Chapters 00:00 A Lifesaving Call 01:22 Growing Up in a Military Household 10:43 Deciding to Join the Army 14:05 Boot Camp and Joining the 101st Airborne 20:20 Desert Storm 31:45 Transitioning Out of the Army 33:05 Finding the Fire Service 36:00 Going Through Multiple Fire Academies 37:05 Hitting Rock Bottom 38:46 The Call That Changed Everything 40:50 Finding Coaching 41:41 Sharing Tools That Work 42:55 Building a Support Group for Firefighters 48:22 A New Chapter with Sharp Performance 50:57 Using the Operator Syndrome Framework 52:36 Nonprofit Work in Hawaii 56:40 You’re Not Alone [spotify:https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bmnyhUKNNx9gRUK5qOGyH?si=cb93669e2ae24322 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bmnyhUKNNx9gRUK5qOGyH?si=cb93669e2ae24322]] [apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-101st-airborne-division-to-firefighter-jared/id1832731879?i=1000724632869 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-101st-airborne-division-to-firefighter-jared/id1832731879?i=1000724632869]] [youtube:https://youtu.be/qSkRP0HRnlE?si=mwRZ8sAa0V4An17g [https://youtu.be/qSkRP0HRnlE?si=mwRZ8sAa0V4An17g]]