Phenomena Podcast- The Science & Stories of Energy Healing

Phenomena Podcast- The Science & Stories of Energy Healing

No One Left Behind | PTSD, Healing Touch, and the Military’s Research Into Finding Relief

Jun 23, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min · 9 segments

Ron served in Vietnam and witnessed many harrowing scenes in his Air Force career, both at home and abroad. Later in life, he found himself in need of a bilateral lung transplant. And while the…

Ron served in Vietnam and witnessed many harrowing scenes in his Air Force career, both at home and abroad. Later in life, he found himself in need of a bilateral lung transplant. And while the surgery itself was a success, Ron fell victim to a surprisingly common post-op issue: ICU delirium. Most cases resolve fairly quickly, but for Ron and his memories of war and death, his delirium transformed into a monstrous form of PTSD—reality-shaking nightmares, every night, that lasted for years. Ron was ready to give up when he was introduced to an energy healer named Maggie. What happened next is an inspirational story of healing and well-earned peace. PTSD affects an estimated 13 million Americans and is notoriously hard to treat. Even among those who seek help, dropout rates can be as high as 54%. In an effort to treat this mental health crisis—as well as the incredibly common issue of chronic pain—the US military has participated in research that might at first seem surprising. In addition to meeting Ron and Maggie, we'll also hear from Dr. Wayne Jonas, a retired Army physician and former NIH director, who has led numerous studies with the military into alternative treatments like acupuncture and healing touch. Treatments that might seem on the surface to be too "woo woo" for something like the military. But there's a pragmatism at work here. The military is only interested in one thing—does it work? And as we'll see in the research, that answer is a resounding yes. For the links in this episode visit the website here: For links and resources related to this episode visit us here Music composed by Dan Baboulene. Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science.

Ron served in Vietnam and witnessed many harrowing scenes in his Air Force career, both at home and abroad. Later in life, he found himself in need of a bilateral lung transplant. And while the…

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Cold Open & Episode Setup0:00 – 3:10

RonGuest

0:00

[gentle music] Believe me when I tell you it was deep and dark, and I'm not embellishing.

RonGuest

0:08

One morning, I started praying for Jesus to come get me.

RonGuest

0:11

I'm not a guy to give up easy, and I begged him to come get me.

RonGuest

0:15

It had gotten so bad.

RonGuest

0:18

And all of a sudden, I feel something real warm on my back, like a hand.

RonGuest

0:22

And then all of a sudden I heard a voice and it said, "It's not your time."

0:29

We are in a time of convergence.

0:32

Throughout history, almost every culture in the world has used what we now generally call energy healing to help ease suffering.

0:41

But modern medicine pushed these practices, these phenomena, to the margins, and stories of energy healing became just that: stories.

0:56

I'm Ivy Ross, and as a business leader and artist, my life has always been about navigating these two very different worlds: the solid ground of hard data and the undeniable power of the invisible.

1:10

At heart, I'm a child of wonder.

1:12

I'm curious about the forces that connect us all, and so I invite you to join me as I explore this new frontier in medicine and healing with astonishing stories, compelling science, and an open mind and heart.

1:27

This is Phenomena: The Science and Stories of Energy Healing.

1:38

There's a kind of pain that doesn't show up on any scan.

1:42

There's no bone to set, nothing surgery can fix, and medications come with an entire spectrum of unknowns and risks.

1:50

Even worse, it's not some rare, unknown condition.

1:54

An estimated 13 million Americans suffer from it, and it is notoriously difficult to treat with any kind of durability.

2:04

I'm talking about trauma, and more specifically, PTSD.

2:10

As you would expect, the risk of PTSD for military veterans is significantly higher than for the general population, and today we're going to hear the story of one Vietnam veteran's PTSD brought on by lung surgery later in life and the condition known as ICU delirium.

2:29

We'll also meet a physician and researcher who has conducted studies investigating the effectiveness of healing practices in the military, including healing touch for PTSD and a practice that's now known as battlefield acupuncture.

2:45

First, I want to provide a brief content warning.

2:48

This episode contains descriptions of wartime violence that might be disturbing for some.

2:54

So please listen with caution and support, especially if you suffer from trauma or PTSD yourself.

3:01

But it's important to tell this story as our guest told it, because his memories are the stuff of nightmares, for him, quite literally.

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