Finding peace after combat

Dr. Tiffany Tajiri, an Air Force veteran, is the first American woman to publish a faith-based combat recovery book. She is this month’s guest on The American Legion Be the One podcast where she talks about her family’s military legacy, her experience as a psychologist working with special forces and more.

The wife of an Army combat veteran, she also is the CEO and founder of Freedom Rhythm, PLLC and her nonprofit organization, Energy in Motion.

“Over time I have learned that spirituality is one of the most important factors to suicide prevention,” says Tajiri, whose book is entitled, “Peace After Combat.” “But so many people lost their faith when coming back from combat after seeing the atrocities of war. For whatever reason, they are keeping themselves locked up in their own mind prison for whatever trauma they’ve experienced or whatever they did or saw in combat.”

(Like this podcast? Share a review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow. Here’s how.)

As a civilian, she became chief of the Behavioral Health Clinic at Fort Bliss, where she was born and raised. Tajiri says her mission is to inspire people to create a life they love by teaching them how to harness the power of their mind. 

“Our suicide rates tend to be so high,” she says. “When we embrace our authentic self and work through some of the problems from our past and embrace our creative outlets, things that make us shine brighter and we do so without fear of repercussions and do it in a way that respects everyone around us, we shine brighter. We feel better. We don’t feel like we are stuck in a box.”

Tajiri, along with her husband, have more than 200 years of family service in the military.

“It’s part of my family legacy but I also joined because I wanted to give back,” says Tajiri, who joined the Air Force as a clinical psychologist. “I loved my time in the military. It has taught me so much discipline, values and incredible leadership skills that you wouldn’t otherwise learn in the entire world.”   

Tajiri, a member of American Legion Post 58 in Sonora, Calif., praises the community she has found at the post.

“They understand you, they speak the same language as you,” she says. “We just get it. We’re connected. It’s magical. I appreciate The American Legion as a place to go as a respite and connect with people I know and love.”

For the full episode, as well as more than 250 other podcast episodes from The American Legion, visit legion.org/tangoalphalima.

This episode is the 10th in the Be the One series. The others:

Part one: Marine Corps veteran Waco Hoover, who oversees the Be the One strategy, talks about its next phase. “We’re doing an extensive amount of research and also looking for suggestions from our community about who we should be aligned with,” he said. “We have to have a conversation about this issue, this topic.”

Part two: Air Force veteran Dr. Regan Stiegmann discusses how lifestyle medicine can play a role in the reduction of veterans who die by suicide.

Part three: Dr. Ruth Moore is a survivor of suicide, which she attempted after leaving the Navy in 1987 following Military Sexual Trauma assaults. After earning her Ph.D. in Mind-Body Medicine, she now helps veterans and others dealing with trauma and related issues.

Part four: Former Army Apache helicopter pilot Adam Marr, a member of American Legion Post 12 in Dothan, Ala., shares how he has helped organize, operationalize and advocate for innovative solutions to the veteran mental health and suicide crisis since 2015.

Part five: Former Navy SEAL Marcus Capone found relief in psychedelics for his post-service transition issues after a “downward spiral” of seven years. Now, Marcus and his wife, Amber, are helping other veterans facing similar struggles.

Part six: Marine Corps veteran Tim Jensen recalls his military service, downward spiral and connecting with Grunt Style that led him on a path to healing.

Part seven: Marine Corps veteran Juliana Mercer discusses her work to support veterans, using psychedelic therapies for PTSD symptoms and advocacy for MDMA-assisted therapy.

Part eight: Retired Navy SEAL Jason Redman has mastered the “art of getting through tough times.” He discusses resilience, leadership and more.

Part nine: Army veteran George Eshleman set out to hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail with one purpose: taking his life. But along the way, he found hope, camaraderie and purpose, and his journey is now told in a documentary, “The Keeper.”

The next Be the One episode will drop July 1. All episodes are available in both audio and video formats here as well as on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel