You don’t have to hit rock bottom to decide you’re done living in survival mode.

Teresa Schindlbeck sits down with Eric Rush—military veteran, ballroom dancer and instructor, and host of The Rush Outrospective—for a conversation about trauma, recovery, and what it really takes to rebuild your life.

Eric shares the identity crash that followed deployment, the pain he tried to numb, and the rock-bottom moments that forced change—including prison. But the turning point wasn’t a perfect plan. It was movement. Dance became therapy because it brought him back into his body—and back into real emotion, connection, and joy.

In this episode, you’ll hear why joy can feel vulnerable after trauma, why healing requires community, and the truth most people avoid: you can choose help before everything falls apart.