Retired Army SFC Dan Jarvis was deployed to a combat zone in Afghanistan in 2011. Shortly after his arrival, he stepped on a pressure plate and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) five feet from his position on the patrol. The IED inflicted a traumatic brain injury. He insisted on continuing to lead his troops on the battlefield instead of taking a break, however, the Battalion surgeon ordered him out for a week before rejoining his Soldiers. After weeks of no sleep, as a result of the IED blast, he led his squad on a mission to escort an explosive team to defuse a bomb found by another Platoon. His role in the lead vehicle as the truck commander (TC) was to detect IEDs on the route, to ensure safe passage for the other vehicles in the convoy. An undetected IED exploded under the fourth vehicle in the convoy, taking the life of SPC Doug Cordo. Dan felt responsible for the losing Doug.

Near the end of his deployment, Dan received a Red Cross message informing him that his mother was deathly ill. He immediately left Afghanistan and headed to the United States in hopes of seeing his mom before she took her last breath. Unfortunately, he did not make it in time to say good-bye before she died, which weighed heavily on him. After her funeral, Dan returned to his assigned duty station in Fairbanks, Alaska at Ft. Wainwright. Burdened under the weight of such guilt and still unable to sleep, Dan sought an escape by binge drinking each night until he fell asleep.

On the night of March 2, 2013, he contemplated suicide – eyeing the rifle in the corner and convincing himself that it would be easy to end the mental torture. Hearing the pitter-patter of little feet on the floor of the apartment above him, he realized he would potentially endanger those kids if a bullet was fired. As usual, he passed out from the alcohol. He awoke the next morning to a call informing him that one of the soldiers from his former Platoon, SPC Corey Smathers, had shot and killed himself the night prior. Questioning how they missed the signs that Smathers was struggling, Dan realized that he too was masking the signs from those he knew and loved. Dan and the other men struggled emotionally as they grieved their fellow brother and Soldier. Watching the men struggle and worrying that he may “green light” one of them to do the same, Dan resolved that he would not take his own life. However, the mental torture remained as did the binge drinking each night.

Due to multiple combat injuries, Dan retired from the Army on September 11, 2014, and returned home to Winter Haven, Florida. He quickly busied himself by reentering the law enforcement profession. Mutual friends introduced Dan to his future wife in January 2015, whom he married in April 2016. All the while, he hid his struggles. Unfortunately, his combat injuries forced his retirement from law enforcement in May of 2017.

With little to occupy his time, the weight of his military experiences, and transition out of service began to manifest more visibly in his drinking, depression, nightmares, night sweats, and negative outlook. His wife strongly encouraged him to seek help, and he contacted the local VA Office. The VA diagnosed Dan with Post Traumatic Stress and began to treat him with prolonged exposure therapy, which tormented him nearly as much as the trauma he had experienced. He opted not to continue this line of treatment after the VA canceled a couple of appointments.

Dan went through the breakthrough treatment and his experience with alternative therapies was so life-changing that he was compelled to help others find the same relief from traumatic memories.

Jesse is a former US Marine and Firefighter with a passion for helping others overcome adversity and execute on their goals. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Wellness and Master’s Degree in Global Management both from Arizona State University. He’s an entrepreneur and life coach that helps people transform their lives after trauma.

Jesse was in 7th grade on the morning of 9/11 and ever since that day he has been called to serve something larger than himself. A former troubled youth, he cleaned it up just enough to graduate early from high school and join the Marine Corps. Over the following four years, he went on three deployments, was meritoriously promoted twice, and recognized as “Marine of the Quarter.” Struggling to find meaning in the world and make sense of his time in the Marines, Jesse was fortunate enough to be selected for a volunteer trip to Lima, Peru to teach at an orphanage in one of the cities poorest districts, Villa El Salvador. On the flight down, “I thought about how I couldn’t wait to help those kids,” he said. After two life changing weeks, it became clear, “They helped me. They changed me.”

Jesse decided to continue his education and discovered a passion for volunteerism and coaching. Since that trip to Peru he has spent hundreds of hours volunteering, coaching and mentoring individuals spanning all generations from all across the country and world. He was hired by the Mesa Fire and Medical Department in 2014. In 2016, Jesse lost his best friend from the Marines to a heroin overdose. The loss of his comrade fueled a drive to form a nonprofit that paired up veterans and troubled youth in a resiliency training and mentorship program. Due to his work in the community Jesse was recognized as the state “Firefighter of the Year” (Arizona – 2017).

Jesse says, “Nonprofit, volunteer, and fire service experience opened my eyes to the gaping hole in the mental health space that lets countless Americans slip through the cracks. I found that while drug overdoses, suicide and mental health issues rise across the Western world so does separation from the purpose, people and sense of connection that gives life the most meaning.” This realization, coupled with his own battles with depression, substance abuse, anxiety and PTSD, inspired him to resign from his firefighter career in search of a better way to bring about sustainable shifts in the mental health care system. He knew there was a better way.

For 2 years, Jesse backpacked around the world, going to grad school online, in search of answers and healing from his own childhood and traumatic past. He landed in Lakeland, FL summer of 2020 where he connected with Dan Jarvis. Jesse feels like he has found the team he’s been looking for and he’s motivated to help his veteran and first responder family find the relief they need to take back their life.

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