Have We Been Thinking About Trauma Wrong?
- Ron Krit
- 28 minutes ago
- 3 min read
I've had a lot of conversations about leadership, fundraising, culture, and organizations trying to solve complicated problems.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming and REM sleep were a slight departure from my usual discussions.
When I sat down with Dr. Pamela Arnell, Executive Director of 22zero, I expected to learn about a nonprofit serving veterans and first responders. Instead, I learned something much more interesting: she doesn't believe PTSD is a disorder.
She believes it's an injury.
And injuries heal.
Most of us hear the word disorder and assume permanence. We think of something broken that has to be managed forever. An injury, on the other hand, carries an entirely different expectation. If you sprain your ankle or break your arm, you expect it will recover.
Dr. Arnell believes emotional trauma deserves the same expectation: healing.
A Different Way to Heal
That philosophy is the foundation of 22zero, a national nonprofit providing free, confidential trauma coaching to veterans, first responders, Gold Star families, and their spouses and children. Since launching in 2018, the organization has served more than 11,500 people and was approaching 300 clients in the first five months of this year alone.
What makes the organization different is its approach.
Traditional talk therapy often asks people to revisit painful memories repeatedly. For many veterans and first responders, that's enough to keep them from seeking help in the first place.
Instead, 22zero uses Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), combining guided imagery, visualization, and reframing techniques to help the brain process traumatic memories differently. Rather than reliving the event, participants work through exercises designed to release the fear, guilt, helplessness, and terror attached to it.
The memory doesn't disappear.
The emotional trigger does.
As Dr. Arnell explained,
"The goal isn't to erase what happened. The goal is to release fear, guilt, helplessness, and terror attached to it, so the memory becomes just that, a memory instead of a trigger."
I love that concept. We all carry experiences that shape us. The goal isn't to pretend they never happened. It's to stop letting them control what happens next.
Trust Is Part of the Treatment
One of the biggest barriers isn't finding help.
It's trusting it.
Many veterans avoid seeking support because they're worried someone will find out. They fear it could affect a disability rating, their career, or simply how they're perceived.
22zero removes that concern entirely.
Sessions are completely confidential. Nothing is reported to the VA or a participant's agency. That isn't just a policy, it's one of the reasons people are willing to reach out in the first place.
Sometimes removing fear is the first step toward healing.
Taking Care of People
The more we talked, the more I realized Dr. Arnell has spent her entire life taking care of people.
Her father was a police officer. Her late husband served 26 years in the military. She volunteered with fire rescue, served as a reserve deputy, worked with at-risk youth, built a counseling practice, and now leads a national nonprofit.
Even as Executive Director, she still takes crisis calls herself.
When I asked how she balances leading an organization, fundraising, research partnerships, clinical work, and caring for her own family, she didn't talk about productivity or time management. Dr. Arnell talked about her team, and leveraging their talents.
She remarked, "My philosophy is that to be a good leader, you better be a good follower."
That answer tells you a lot about the way she leads.
Compassion Meets Research
Hope is powerful. Evidence, especially when you’re looking for funding,  is even more effective.
Under Dr. Arnell's leadership, 22zero partnered with Arizona State University to study its approach, resulting in one published study and multiple additional studies currently under peer review.
Although 22zero has thousands of success stories, Dr. Arnell wants more than anecdotes. Once you spend a few minutes with her, you get the sense that when she decides something needs to happen, she keeps moving until it does.
It's an approach that combines compassion with curiosity and optimism with accountability.
The Bigger Lesson
As someone who spends most of my days talking with nonprofit leaders, I kept coming back to one thought.
The organizations creating the greatest impact often start with challenging assumptions everyone else accepts as fact.
22zero is challenging that PTSD is more temporary than permanent.
If you'd like to learn more about 22zero, its research, or its free confidential coaching for veterans, first responders, Gold Star families, and their families, visit 22zero.org.
And don't forget: Injuries heal.
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I help nonprofits raise more money through education, coaching, and strategic planning. I also lead high-impact professional development, coaching programs, and retreats for companies of all sizes. If you're ready to strengthen your fundraising strategy, turn board members into advocates, or build a comprehensive legacy giving program, let's talk.