Episode Details

What happens when a Marine Veteran, firefighter, and police detective loses the career that defined him because of alcohol addiction?

In this powerful episode of This Sober Vet Podcast, Army Veteran Joe Yurick and Dr. T sit down with Marine Corps Veteran, former police detective, and mental health counselor Bryan McCauley for an honest conversation about PTSD, alcoholism, addiction recovery, and the hidden emotional toll of serving others.

Bryan spent years serving as a Marine, firefighter, EMT, and police officer, including working undercover narcotics investigations. On the outside, he was successful, driven, and thriving in high-pressure environments. Behind the scenes, however, untreated trauma, escalating alcohol use, and an identity built around his career were slowly destroying his life.

On September 2, 2010, everything changed.

After being arrested for DUI with his two-year-old daughter in the vehicle, Bryan lost his law enforcement career and found himself confronting the consequences of his alcoholism. What followed was a painful journey through shame, PTSD, treatment, sobriety, and the challenge of discovering who he was without alcohol or a badge.

But Bryan's story didn't end there.

Today, Bryan uses his lived experience and professional training to help Veterans, police officers, firefighters, and their families navigate trauma, mental health challenges, and substance use disorders.

Together, Joe, Dr. T, and Bryan explore why Veterans and first responders often turn to alcohol to cope, why quitting drinking is only the beginning of recovery, how therapy and peer support can change lives, and why asking for help is a sign of strength.

They also discuss EMDR therapy, the science of addiction, non-alcoholic beer in recovery, rebuilding relationships, and the importance of finding a community that understands your experiences.

Bryan shares his work with Hard Charger Counseling and Consulting and Drengir, a developing behavioral health program dedicated to supporting Veterans and first responders.

If you're a Veteran or first responder struggling with drinking, PTSD, anxiety, or the feeling that you've lost your purpose, this conversation is for you.

You don't have to lose everything before asking for help. And you don't have to figure out recovery alone.

Our mission is simple: Normalize sobriety with Veterans.

Learn more at www.thissobervet.com

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