Reorienting After Trauma: From Yom Kippur War Hero to PTSD Pioneer | Dr. Yuval Neria

Jan 15, 2026

Dr. Yuval Neria, a decorated Israeli tank commander and prominent PTSD researcher, shares his harrowing journey from the Yom Kippur War to pioneering trauma care. He distinguishes between trauma as an event and its emotional fallout, emphasizing the need for tailored recovery strategies. Discussing the diversity of PTSD responses, Neria highlights factors like genetics and prior experiences. He also explores innovative treatments, including psychedelics and equine therapy, advocating for holistic approaches to healing and the imperative of restoring meaning and identity after trauma.

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ANECDOTE

Twelve Days That Shaped A Life

Yuval Neria recounts being a 21-year-old tank commander during the 12 brutal days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
He repeatedly rescued crew members, changed tanks, and filtered bad orders to keep his unit alive.

INSIGHT

Reorienting Beats Reckless Bravery

Neria emphasizes filtering bad orders and updating reality to survive and lead effectively.
He credits continuous reorientation, not recklessness, for earning the Medal of Valor.

INSIGHT

Trauma Versus Disorder

Trauma equals the event, while disorder is the emotional charge welded to the memory.
Recovery requires separating the memory from its emotional charge and rebuilding meaning and trust.

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A decorated tank commander and recipient of Israel's Medal of Valor sits down with us to rethink how trauma is understood and treated. Dr. Yuval Neria recounts twelve brutal days during the 1973 Yom Kippur War—where he was severely injured and awarded the Medal of Valor (equivalent to the U.S. Medal of Honor)—that taught him to filter bad orders, protect his crews, and update reality on the fly, a mindset that later shaped his groundbreaking research on PTSD.

He explains a pivotal distinction: trauma is the event; the disorder is the emotional charge welded to memory. The job of recovery is to separate the two, restore meaning, and rebuild trust. We explore why three people can share a firefight and come away with different scars. Capacity varies—genetics, sleep, prior wounds, and the deeply interpersonal nature of harm all matter. Prisoners of war often face heavier burdens because cruelty was targeted and identity-stripping. Early support after homecoming is decisive; without it, sleep fails, depression blooms, and people chase relief through alcohol, marijuana, or compulsions. One-size-fits-all treatment misses the mark, especially when anxiety-heavy cases diverge from depression-dominant, morally injured profiles.

From leading a battalion in the 1982 Lebanon War to founding the Columbia-NYP Military Family Wellness Center and pioneering equine-assisted the

John R. Boyd's Conceptual Spiral was originally titled No Way Out. In his own words:

“There is no way out unless we can eliminate the features just cited. Since we don’t know how to do this, we must continue the whirl of reorientation…”

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John Boyd’s Conceptual Spiral was originally titled “No Way Out.” In his words:

“There is no way out unless we can eliminate the features just cited. Since we don’t know how to do this, we must continue the whirl of reorientation…”

Download a complete transcript of Conceptual Spiral for free by clicking here.

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