S3 E112 When Strength Becomes the Problem: A Vietnam Veteran's Journey Through Trauma, Burnout & Recovery
Growing Tall Poppies Podcast: Season 03, Episode 112
Burnout doesn't happen because you're weak.
More often, it happens because you've spent years being strong for everyone else.
In this deeply moving episode of Growing Tall Poppies, Dr Nat Green sits down with US Marine and Vietnam Veteran, author and speaker Keith A. Cole to explore the hidden cost of carrying trauma alone, the long road to burnout, and the powerful role that faith, connection and daily practices played in his recovery.
As a member of the US Marine Corps and Wounded three times during the Vietnam War, Keith returned home determined to simply keep going. He built a successful career as a CPA, became the guardian of his younger siblings after losing both parents, and worked tirelessly to provide for those around him. But beneath the surface, unresolved trauma, relentless responsibility and decades of pushing through eventually caught up with him.
Keith shares the moment everything changed, why asking for help became the strongest thing he ever did, and the practical recovery framework he now teaches to help others rebuild their lives after burnout.
Whether your trauma comes from combat, caregiving, childhood adversity, chronic stress or simply years of carrying too much, this conversation is a powerful reminder that healing isn't something you have to do alone.
In this episode we discuss:
Keith's journey from Vietnam combat veteran to burnout survivor
How unresolved trauma silently shapes our lives for decades
Why high achievers often ignore the warning signs of burnout
PTSD, hypervigilance and the long-term impact of chronic stress
The hidden danger of believing you always have to be strong
Why burnout is often the result of an overwhelmed nervous system
The importance of connection and asking for support
Keith's daily recovery framework built around action, gratitude, prayer, rest, exercise and intentional reflection
Practical habits that support long-term recovery after trauma and burnout
Why healing begins when we stop trying to carry everything on our own
Memorable quote
"It doesn't take strength to suffer. It takes strength to ask for help."
Connect with Keith A. Cole
Website: recoverybyfaith.com https://recoverybyfaith.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kacolecpa/
Book: (available online via Amazon and bookstores or via Keith's website)
Burnout: God's Recovery Plan – A Marine's Story of Trauma, Surrender, and Healing Through Faith
If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who may need the reminder that they don't have to carry their struggles alone.
Connect with Dr Nat
If this conversation resonated with you, I'd genuinely love to hear from you.
Instagram: @drnatgreen
https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/
Facebook: Dr Natalie Green https://www.facebook.com/groups/634559664981699/user/1184590204
Website: www.drnataliegreen.com.au
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👉 Episode 111 - When Strength Becomes the Problem: A Vietnam Veteran's Journey Through Trauma, Burnout & Recovery
