In this powerful and unfiltered episode of Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn, Donald sits down with Sam J. Peterson — former Army EOD technician, combat veteran, and co-founder of Patriot Power Up and Mind Spa Denver — for one of the most important conversations in the veteran community today.

Sam J Peterson

Sam shares his journey from disarming bombs overseas to nearly losing his life to PTSD back home. That personal battle pushed him into a mission to transform how we treat depression, trauma, and brain injuries in veterans and first responders. He breaks down the truth about current mental-health treatment, why traditional medications fail so many of us, and how innovative therapies like ketamine, TMS, hyperbaric oxygen, and even MDMA-assisted breakthroughs are reshaping recovery.

Together, Donald and Sam dig deep into:

• The reality of blast exposure and trauma in EOD
• Why so many antidepressants don’t address the real root causes
• How the system unintentionally punishes service members who ask for help
• What the military could have done — and still can do — to prevent PTSD
• Sam’s six-week treatment protocol that’s producing life-changing outcomes
• The mission to collect data, reform policy, and save the warfighter
• Why stigma, fear, and outdated guidelines still hold back progress

This episode is raw, honest, and packed with insight every veteran, spouse, leader, and policymaker needs to hear. If you’ve ever felt like traditional help didn’t work… or you know someone who is struggling… this conversation might change a life.

To learn more about Sam’s work:

👉 MindSpaDenver.com

👉 Connect with Sam on LinkedIn (Sam J. Peterson)

If this helped you, share it with someone who needs it.