Episode: 13 - "Post Traumatic Stress & Josh's House" with Valerie Palotta

There are certain episodes that give me pause and this is certainly one of them. Josh Pallotta watched 2 of his close friends in arms lose their lives in combat. When he returned stateside, he suffered from bouts of insomnia, depression and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). He succumbed to PTS on September 23, 2014. His mother, Valerie Pallotta, has been working with other veterans to create Josh’s House, a haven dedicated to seeking alternative therapies to help veterans (and others) work through the complications of Post Traumatic Stress.

At one point in the interview, Valerie says she “failed” as a mother. “Fail” is not a word I would associate with Valerie; she is a fierce defender of veterans, her son, and seeking alternative therapies to help those with this complicated, multi-faceted affliction that claims 22 veterans lives a day. A seeker, Valerie shows courage, compassion and a can-do attitude that is infectious. She had me at hello - I hope she captures your heart, too.

Links to topics in the Conversation:

• Learn more about the Josh Pallotta Fund and Josh’s House HERE
• Learn about Blue Star Mothers of Vermont HERE
• Amy Todisco was our guest discussing farming as therapy. We mentioned her in this episode. You can listen to Amy’s show HERE