Scott DeLuzio 00:00:00 Thanks for tuning into the Drive On Podcast, where we’re focused on giving hope and strength to the entire military community. Whether you’re a veteran, active duty, guard, reserve, or family member, this podcast will share inspirational stories and resources that are useful to you. I’m your host, Scott DeLuzio. Now let’s get on with the show. Hey, everyone, welcome back to the Drive On Podcast. Today, my guest is Dylan Sesler. Dylan is a mental health coach, a professional speaker podcast, host of the Dylan experience, an entrepreneur combat veteran, and author of the book defy the darkness. A story is suicide, mental health, and overcoming your hardest battles. Welcome to the show, Dylan. I’m really glad to have you on appreciate
Dylan Sessler 00:00:48 Always glad to be here.
Scott DeLuzio 00:00:50 For the listeners who may not be familiar with who you are and your background, would you be able to tell us a little bit about yourself?
Dylan Sessler 00:00:59 I think I’m a normal person. I don’t see myself as being extravagant or ridiculous or anything like that. I just, I’ve been through a lot in my life. I lost my dad a suicide at six years old. I was abused by the, the next man, next man in my life physically. Then bullied in high school. I joined the military, went to Afghanistan in 2012, and also in 2019. I also went through my own battle with suicide and I find myself now in a place where I’m just working on my own weaknesses and the weaknesses that I’ve had throughout my life has always been remaining silent. I’ve never been able to or I shouldn’t say I’d never been able to, I didn’t have the capacity to express myself and share what, what I was struggling with through most of my adulthood, even into 25 years old.
Dylan Sessler 00:01:55 I’ve set myself to work on my weaknesses, develop them in strength. I’m here with you talking about myself and talking about what I’ve been through, which is in complete contrast to what I’ve been through my whole life. I would say I’m a normal person that just is trying to grow and adapt and overcome the battles that I’ve faced. I think what I’ve done with all of my content, with my podcast, with my book is trying to help other people do the same. That’s me in a nutshell.
Scott DeLuzio 00:02:33 I think the struggle that you were talking about about basically remaining silent and not opening up and talking about the things that you have had going on in your life is somewhat common. especially back a few years ago, 10, 15 years ago, even longer. Where mental health was looked at, kind of as a taboo subject, you didn’t talk about all these types of things, or if you were going through something and you did tell someone about it. You’d likely get we’ll just suck it up and deal with it kind of response. We’re realizing now that’s not the best way to handle these types of situations. We need to be able to open up and communicate some of these things that we’re going through in order to be able to heal from what we’re going through.
Dylan Sessler 00:03:32 Absolutely. I look at it very simply of like my battles suicide specifically was I always looked at suicide as the problem. It was always the thing that I needed to set myself against to not do. It was always the thing I looked at with my dad, if that was the problem, but I’d never realized that that perspective was very shortsighted. I realize that su...
