As a child of Christian Iraqi immigrants who escaped an oppressive society, Dan “Zia” Joseph was very familiar with being a minority and the concept of intergenerational trauma. Despite being taught not to “go back to the nightmare he came from”; he felt a calling to join the US military post 9/11 at the age of 32 years old. His life changed when one of his fellow soldier's survived a suicide attempt while at the same time, his best friend in the military lost 13 men from his unit to suicide. Working closely and sparring Jiu-Jitsu with several combat Veterans brought deeper awareness about the psychological weight they carried each day while helping him uncover and work through his own trauma, navigate his own spiritual journey and reframe his perspective on helping others.

After obtaining a master’s degree in organizational psychology, Dan combined his education, research and life experiences to write, "Backpack to Rucksack: Insight Into Leadership & Resilience By Military Experts" which honors the struggles that his fellow military brothers and sisters still face while highlighting the importance of strong leadership in providing much needed support.

@combatpsychology, www.combatpsych.com