Many veterans today are suffering—and isolation is a key cause.

Without the shared mission and tribe of active duty life, mental and emotional wounds can deepen in silence.

Could nature, skill, and community be the antidote?

Retired Lt. Col. John “Saint” Langford thinks so.

As CEO of Project Healing Waters, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving disabled veterans, Langford now leads one of the most unique healing organizations in America. Through the therapeutic art of fly fishing—and the power of nature and community—his team helped over 7,000 veterans in 2024 rediscover strength and post-traumatic healing.

In this episode, we discuss:

- Why fly fishing offers a potent combination of focus, challenge, and community for trauma recovery

- How nature and structured discomfort can rewire the brain and support long-term mental health

- The science behind community as medicine—and how loneliness is killing more Americans than heart disease

- The idea of “tribe” and how veterans can find it again outside of uniform

- What civilians can learn from this model—and why we’re all wired for meaning, purpose, and shared mission

Whether you’re a veteran, a family member, or simply someone feeling lost in today’s world, this episode offers hope—and a reminder: sometimes healing starts waist-deep in a river, fly rod in hand, with someone beside you who gets it.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- Start your healing journey with Project Healing Waters: Locations : Project Healing Waters

- Support the mission / Donate: Get Involved : Project Healing Waters

- Having suicidal thoughts? Dial 988 (Available 24/7)

SPONSORS:

- Take control of your drinking with medication-assisted treatment from Oar Health: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/OarStrength⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Boost your performance and recovery with Momentous Supplements—get 20% off with code "STRENGTH": ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://livemomentous.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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- How to Eat to Drink Less Alcohol | Dr. Brooke Scheller: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/JAPP9g3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Life is short, and it moves fast. This show will help you make the most of it.

Running Free is a podcast about optimizing health, and breaking free from the habits and distractions that hold us back. We cover fitness, mental health, culture, addiction, parenting, humor, and everything in between.

Hosted by veteran, fitness expert, and health advocate Jesse Carrajat, each episode explores what it means to live fully—through honest conversations with thinkers, creators, and everyday people who teach and inspire us to live healthy, long, meaningful lives.

Stop Chasing Life. Start Running Free.