Episode 36: "Prudentia, Fortitudo, Gravitas: Healing Moral Injury & PTSD” with Mike Kenny

What does it mean to flourish when life includes trauma, moral injury, and hard-earned recovery?

In Episode #36 of The Flourishing Leaders Podcast, Dr. Scott Parsons and Jason Viyar sit down with LTC (Ret.) Mike Kenny — West Point Class of 1993, U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, and Executive Director of Warriors’ Ascent, a nonprofit dedicated to helping military veterans and first responders heal from post-traumatic stress and moral injury.

Mike shares a powerful vision of flourishing that isn’t limited to happiness or “feeling good,” but grounded in wholeness — embracing setbacks as learning, growth, and transformation.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why flourishing leadership means “win or learn” — and keep going
• Mike’s unforgettable West Point boxing story and the discipline of anti-fragility
• Why healing requires agency: learning to “control the controllable”
• The Warriors’ Ascent approach: tools for tending the mind, body, and soul
• The surprising power of group healing and peer mentorship
• Mike’s guiding ethos of three virtues: Prudentia (wise judgment), Fortitudo (grit), Gravitas (serious commitment)
• A closing reminder every leader needs: self-care is not selfish — “sharpen the saw”

This conversation is for leaders, educators, veterans, first responders, clinicians, and anyone who cares about resilience, recovery, and human flourishing.

If you or someone you love is struggling or in crisis: Contact the Veterans Crisis Line in the U.S., you can call 988, then press 1, text 838255, or chat online. A caring, qualified responder will listen and help. Your call is free and confidential, and you decide how much information to share. Support doesn’t end with your conversation. VA responders can connect you with the resources you need.

Note: The often-quoted “20 veterans a day” statistic has been updated in recent federal reporting; a 2025 U.S. Senate resolution cites 6,407 veteran suicide deaths in 2022 (about 17+ per day) and references the VA’s 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. 

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Hosted by Dr. Scott Parsons, this podcast explores how character, virtue, wisdom, and purpose can shape a more flourishing life and leadership journey.

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