Breaking The Cycle: A Veteran's Journey of Healing, Purpose and Transformation

11/11/2025 42 min

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Episode Synopsis

Ketamine didn’t erase his past—it gave it purpose. In this episode of Too Curious MDs, Pranil Shankar, a veteran, author, and advocate, shares how ketamine-assisted therapy helped him break long-standing cycles of fear and grief after decades of trial-and-error care. He emphasizes the importance of safety, trust, and integration practices such as journaling and meditation in transforming one's purpose, relationships, parenting, and community service.Pranil Shankar is a veteran, author, entrepreneur, and mental-health advocate whose healing journey with ketamine-assisted therapy inspired his book Breaking the Cycle. After two decades of conventional care, he found transformation through a therapeutic process emphasizing safety, trust, and integration. Pranil donates all proceeds from his book to efforts that prevent school shootings and protect children. Professionally, he works in security and safety and founded Spade Security Services to bring advanced protective tools to communities. He also serves his city through arts and civic boards, focusing on building safer, more connected neighborhoods.Pranil ShankarWebsite: spadesecurityservices.com/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pranilshankar/Dr. Alya Ahmad, MD, FAAPLinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alya-ahmad-md-0601b190/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/shamynds/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/shamynds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shamynds.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Suraiya Simi Rahman, MD, FAAPLinkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/suraiya-rahman-palamedicine/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/pala_medicine/⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/palamedicine.pasadena/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Too Curious MDsInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/toocuriousmds?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TooCuriousMDs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Produced by DrTalks:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drtalks.com/podcast-service/⁠