Tier1 Podcast – Special Forces-TBI SME | Chris Lessard

Host: Brent Tucker
Guests: Chris Lessard (Retired Green Beret, Co-owner Brain Treatment Center Nova), Marcia Lessard (Co-owner, Brain Treatment Center Nova, Medically Retired Law Enforcement Officer)
Release Date: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of the Tier1 Podcast focuses on the often under-discussed topic of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the cumulative health impacts facing special operations veterans and first responders. Host Brent Tucker, a former Delta Force operator, is joined by retired Green Beret Chris Lessard and his wife/co-owner of Brain Treatment Center Nova, Marcia Lessard. Together, they dissect the realities of combat injuries, post-service trauma, overmedication, neuroplastic therapy, and the journey from personal struggles to frontline advocacy within the military healthcare system. The pair share raw personal stories, insights on holistic healing, and stress the importance of community and purpose for healing invisible wounds.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Why This Episode Matters

• Relatability: "Guys will check out… 'Oh, this isn’t a war story. No one’s stacking bodies.' But almost everyone listening either knows someone who can benefit from this discussion… or will need to in the future." – Brent Tucker (00:00)
• Stigma Breakdown: Candid conversation about mental health, suicide, and how even seemingly invulnerable figures can struggle.

2. Chris Lessard’s Journey: TBI, Treatment & Advocacy

Initial Struggles & Turning Point

• Chris initially hesitated to share his own struggles: "We had a friend who unfortunately put himself on the 22 a day… So that’s why we’re trying to do this now." – Chris Lessard (01:09)
• The loss catalyzed his openness about TBI and mental health, moving from self-medicating to seeking genuine help.

Discovering Brain Treatment Center & MERT Therapy

• Clinic co-founded due to their autistic son's success with Magnetic E-Resonance Therapy (MERT): "Within three weeks, he started talking… I was blown away." – Chris (05:26)
• Chris discovered his own TBI through interaction with other SF operators: "That’s normal, that’s team guy… They're like, no dude, get your stuff checked." (06:30)

The Recovery Process

• Chris outlined the “dark years” of heavy self-medication and chronic symptoms post-injury: "Alcohol and painkillers was it for me… I was probably under one or the other most days." (56:13)
• Prep Program: Holistic TBI/PTSD treatment at a world-class facility: "They focus on TBIs and PTSD… but they check you from head to toe… do a lot of blood work… really stabilized me to the point I could heal." (07:17–08:18)
• MERT Effects: "By week six, I started noticing, wow, I had a dream last night. I remembered it vividly… taking me 15 minutes to fall asleep, sleeping through the night." (10:46)

3. Medication, Overmedication, and Root Cause Approach

• Skepticism of Overmedication: “I’m just really, really tired of hearing another story from a veteran who's been overmedicated… That’s just the easy answer.” – Brent Tucker (13:04)
• Chris & Marcia’s Perspective:
  • "Medication is important to stabilize. But it doesn’t attack root causes… It just attacks symptoms." – Chris (14:17)
  • "We’re not anti-medication… but with TBI, if you don’t know it’s TBI and just say it’s depression... it can induce psychosis, increase anxiety." – Marcia (12:47)
• The Role of Hormones and Functional Health:
  • Hormonal imbalances (testosterone, vitamin D) are often downstream effects of TBI: "We see a lot of things at our clinic... looking at cellular function, metabolism, toxin load." – Marcia (16:01)

4. Military & Special Operations Culture: Backgrounds & Brotherhood

• Chris’ Path: From a high school dropout in Boston to Green Beret, multiple combat rotations, ODA Scuba Team.
• Tribal Support: “I would not be in this position if it wasn’t for her… probably would have done something drastic years ago.” (17:52)
• Stories of Special Operations Life:
  • Humorous “small world” moment: Chris and Brent discover they attended the same Army Dive School (29:15).
  • SF Team dynamics, training, and resilience in adversity.

5. Veteran Mental Health: Responsibility, Identity & Systemic Issues

• Personal Responsibility: "You are still ultimately accountable for all of it. That's a huge step… The first part is admitting 'I'm messing up.'" – Chris (61:16)
• Victim Mentality vs. Capacity for Recovery:
  • Pushback against institutionalizing trauma: “They were trying to push this, like, victim mentality on us… Guys aren’t going to have PTSD over that [combat trauma alone]. It's chronic stress, imposter syndrome… that really starts to build up." – Chris (63:46)
  • Marcia: “Having diagnoses like PTSD is very emasculating… If we can get your nervous system re-regulated, you can be fully functional again.” (66:12)
• Resource Scarcity: “Finite resources are being drained by people who either have been told they're weak or are true imposters… starving those who actually need them.” – Brent (65:26)

6. Therapies & Assessment at Brain Treatment Center Nova

• MERT/EEG-Based Approach:
  • "EEG is done prior to MERT—not a diagnostic tool but helps localize brain issues… MERT increases communication between brain regions.” – Chris (09:30)
• Functional Labs: Cellular metabolism, detoxification (esp. methylation disorder like MTHFR, mercury exposure), nutrition, hormone testing.
• Buffet Model of Care: "We’re a buffet. Most come in for TMS and then move to more personalized MERT. We do EEG, functional labs, OT for brain balance, myofascial release…” – Marcia (75:23)
• Alternative & Adjunct Therapies:
  • Sleep devices (ALF), functional dentistry, attention to gut health, and for selected cases, ketamine therapy.
  • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT): "Has shown amazing results for some but time-consuming. 20-40 sessions recommended." – Chris (84:22–85:44)
• OT Program: Adds myofascial release to address trauma stored in the body: "Listening to ‘The Body Keeps the Score’—trauma accumulates in the fascia." – Marcia (75:25)

7. Social & Community Healing

• “Don’t just check in on people. Be community with people. Men heal in community with purpose.” – Marcia (02:11/91:14)
• Open discussion about the need for peer support, shared mission, and dropping stigmas.

8. Broader Social and Policy Issues

• Border Security, Human Trafficking, and Law Enforcement: Marcia shares sobering stories of working with cartels and human trafficking victims (highlighting the reality behind immigration narratives) (50:00–54:00).
• Military Standards & Leadership: Debate on current military culture and standards, referencing current leadership and the importance of maintaining high standards for SF selection (46:04–48:00).

Notable Quotes

• On the need for these conversations:
  "Almost everyone that listens… either knows someone that can benefit from this discussion, or will need to know something about this in the future... Don’t check out. Listen to this episode." – Brent Tucker (00:00)
• On men healing:
  "Men heal in community with purpose." – Marcia Lessard (02:11/91:14)
• On the aftermath of losing a friend:
  "We had a friend who unfortunately put himself on the 22 a day… as much as it was like, 'Hey, get in front of a stage and just talk,' you know, briefly about your issues... I was still weird. But it was just like, you know what? It’s worth it." – Chris Lessard (01:09/90:13)
• On overmedication:
  "Medication is important to at least stabilize. But it doesn’t attack root causes. It just says... it attacks symptoms. It’s not going to heal a person." – Chris Lessard (14:17)
• On responsibility:
  “You are still ultimately accountable for all of it. That’s a huge step… The first part is admitting: 'I'm messing up.'" – Chris Lessard (61:16)
• On victim mentality:
  "They were trying to push this, like, victim mentality on us… I remember when they were really pushing [PTSD] it was almost like they wanted us to be broken." – Chris Lessard (64:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–02:15: Importance of discussing TBI and mental health among veterans/first responders.
• 05:25–11:15: Chris Lessard's introduction, personal TBI journey, and MERT therapy success.
• 12:47–16:01: Medication—when it stabilizes, when it hurts, and downstream effects of TBI.
• 19:08–36:00: Chris’s military/ODA background, SF pipeline, and team culture (including dive school memories with Brent).
• 39:15–44:23: JSETS and SF noncombat deployments—the value and unpredictability.
• 56:13–67:18: “The dark years”—TBI, pride, self-medicating, and accountability.
• 67:18–75:15: Functional assessment and the comprehensive approach at Brain Treatment Center.
• 80:36–87:16: Reality checks: Commitment to healing, personal responsibility, and barriers to wellness.
• 91:14–92:14: Community, checking in, and living with purpose.
• 92:31–93:31: Big Pharma skepticism and risks of easy medication solutions.

Memorable Moments

• Personal connections: Brent and Chris discover they attended the same Army Dive School class (29:15–31:55).
• Raw stories: Marcia’s law enforcement stories on human trafficking and the human toll of failed policies (50:00–55:15).
• Humor amidst darkness: Tales of team hijinks, ODA humor, and getting "robbed by the Arabian nights" during a JSET in Mali (95:15–96:32).

Resources & Contact

• Brain Treatment Center Nova
  Instagram: @braintreatmentcenter_ashburn
  Website: btcnva.com / braintreatmentcenterashburn.com

Closing Note

This episode isn't just for those with “war stories.” It’s for everyone in the wider community—military, first responders, spouses, and civilians—who care about trauma, resilience, holistic healing, and supporting those who serve.

(Summary compiled to capture the original voices, honesty, and actionable insights from this episode. For the full context, listen to the complete podcast.)