# “I Had To Leave The Army To Heal" | A Veteran's Guide Communicating Through Burnout

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/speak-in-flow-6304208/i-had-to-leave-the-army-to-heal-a-veteran-s-guide-communicating-through-burnout
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/speak-in-flow-6304208/i-had-to-leave-the-army-to-heal-a-veteran-s-guide-communicating-through-burnout.md
Podcast: [Speak In Flow](https://stenobird.com/podcast/speak-in-flow-6304208)
Published: 2026-01-22T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://speakinflow.com/a-veterans-guide-communicating-through-burnout
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/f08eca2b-6441-415b-9c51-3515cb9bb18c.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/speak-in-flow-6304208/episodes/i-had-to-leave-the-army-to-heal-a-veteran-s-guide-communicating-through-burnout
Duration seconds: 1666

## Resource

Burnout is not always loud; sometimes it goes unnoticed until the results show the signs we ignored in our daily performance. For Riley Gruppo, a U.S. Army officer, those signs culminated in a medical retirement due to severe PTSD, a turning point that began a profound journey from survival to purpose. In this episode of the Speak In Flow Podcast with host Melinda Lee, Riley shares how the “mission-first” mindset of the military taught her to override her own needs until her body and mind forced her to stop. In This Episode, You Will Learn: The Courage to Heal & Lead “Vulnerability is the most courageous thing you can do as a leader.” How Riley's journey from a medical retirement due to severe PTSD led her to share her testimony with 200 soldiers, breaking the stigma and proving that healing is a sign of strength, not a career-ender. From "Mission First" to "People First" Why putting the mission ahead of your own well-being is a recipe for burnout, and how leaders can recognize their own red flags, and those of their team, before it’s too late. Creating Space for Magic “Slow down to have intentional mornings.” The critical importance of building intentional space, whether through therapy, vacation, or morning routines, not as a luxury, but as a necessary practice for sustainable success and unexpected opportunities. The Root of Unhappiness: Misalignment “Ultimately, what it boils down to, the unhappiness, the unfulfillment, is not recognizing what makes you as an individual tick. And how you can apply that to be fulfilled in your life.” How doing the “healing work” isn’t enough if you’re in the wrong role or environment. Riley explains the physical and emotional signs of misalignment and the empowering decision to walk away from what looks “perfect on paper.” BLOG:…

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## Transcript

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