From Combat to Creativity.
In this week’s Team Never Quit episode, Marcus dives into the inspiring story of his guest, Kelsi Sheren, a combat veteran and artillery gunner in the Canadian military. She was a competitive Tae Kwon Do champion from the ages of four to nineteen and holds a second-degree black belt. Join us as we explore her experiences serving in Afghanistan, her battle with PTSD, and her remarkable transformation through art therapy, at the recommendation of her therapist, which lead to the creation of a successful jewelry and eyewear brand, Brass & Unity. Kelsi’s endeavor was to make jewelry from spent shell casings. Twenty percent of net profits go toward helping veterans who are suffering from PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicide. Listen in as the discussion details Kelsi’s journey to find healing and purpose.
Links
– https://brassandunity.com/
Socials
– Kelsi_sheren
– Brassandunity
Sponsors
– Navy Federal Credit Union
– Hillsdale.edu/TNQ
– Fitbod.me/TNQ
In this episode you will hear:
• When we start something, we finish it. (7:28)
• I became a high level competitive fighter and a national-level fighter by the time I was 12-13. (7:43)
• I learned a long time ago that Taekwondo was not super applicable in real life if I was being grabbed from behind. (12:24)
• That’s how you know you’re living a fulfilled live – if you’re laughing to the point that you hurt. (15:19)
• Comedy is levity. (16:19)
• [Marcus] PTSD is Pharmaceutical Training Stand By for Dosage. (36:12)
• My mom saw the side of me that she didn’t recognize. She saw what war looks like. I was 19. (40:10)
• Nobody knew how to deal with mental health at the time. Nobody understood that the reactions I was getting were disproportionate for a reason. (40:48)
• Yes, I guess I’m technically an author. My friends are all dying by suicide. And they’re dying at a pace I find unacceptable. How do I help? I don’t know, so why don’t I start helping myself and give myself the tools to then go and help others. (43:52)
• [Melanie] Your survival turned into a business. (44:20)
• In Canada, we offer medical assistance in dying, instead of treatment. (45:09)
• I’ve been screaming about suicide prevention since 2016. (47:53)
• Why aren’t we trying fitness? Why aren’t we trying nutrition? Why aren’t we looking at religion? That’s when I found psychedelics. (48:32)
• When I left the Canadian Army, I was left. No one called, no one knew where I was, no one cared. (51:37)
• Then I did brain treatment. I mean like I’m on some new shit. And when I say it got dangerous, it’s a scary level to feel this good. (53:59)
• I don’t care what you need – you just need to ask. (54:20)
• I got to go help some people, and close a chapter in my life that I didn’t get to close because of how I left Afghanistan. (59:05)
• It takes someone from within the community to heal the community. No one else is gonna do it for us. (69:25)
