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Event Series: EmpowerEd

Healing PTSD Through Nutrition: The Missing Link in Mental Health Care

Virtual

June 3 @ 12:00 pm 1:00 pm CDT

Discover Practical Strategies To Support Trauma Recovery 

The role of nutrition in mental health, especially in PTSD, is rarely addressed in treatment or lifestyle recommendations, yet it may be one of the most important missing links in recovery.

Join Dr. Leslie Korn as she explores how dietary, nutritional, and herbal strategies can support healing from PTSD. Learn practical tools to improve sleep, digestion, mood, and chronic pain while understanding how nutrition supports overall mental wellness. Participants will also receive a recipe booklet to help bring these strategies into their daily lives.

About the Speaker

Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH, LMHC, has been a traumatologist in private practice since 1977. She began working with veterans at the end of the Vietnam War and specializes in trauma and brain injury. She is the author of ten books, including Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health and Rhythms of Recovery: Integrative Medicine for PTSD and Complex Trauma. Dr. Korn maintains a bilingual (English/Spanish) practice focused on scientific and culturally aligned lifestyle and nutritional interventions, helping individuals improve mental health and reduce reliance on psychotropic medications.

The Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS) is a global community of activist scholars advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide. For more than 40 years, CWIS has worked as a leading Indigenous peoples’ think tank, helping communities safeguard their rights and resources through research, education, and policy grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems.

What You'll Gain

  • A deeper understanding of the connection between nutrition and mental health in PTSD recovery.
  • Actionable dietary, nutritional, and herbal strategies to improve well-being.
  • Tools to enhance sleep, digestion, mood, and chronic pain management.

This Event is Open To

This event is open to all members of the military and veteran-connected community. Eligibility varies by session. View our event calendar for details on other offerings.

About EmpowerEd

EmpowerEd offers expert-led, topic-driven seminars designed to equip military and veteran families and community members with valuable information, practical tools, and trusted resources.

Most sessions are followed by an optional peer support event, Let’s Talk About It—a space to reflect, connect, and share takeaways in a supportive community. While attending the seminar is encouraged, it’s not required to join the discussion. Please note that registration for Let’s Talk About It is separate from the EmpowerEd seminar.

Dr. Elisa Borah speaking at Military Social Work & Behavioral Health Conference hosted by the Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness conference at UT Austin

Take the First Step Toward Improving Your Wellness–Sign up Today!

Looking for one-on-one support? Peer 2 Peer Connect pairs you with a trained VSN Peer Leader for individualized support. For more resources and updates, follow @veteranspousenetwork and subscribe to the VSN Newsletter. Questions or concerns? We’re here to help at vsn@austin.utexas.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

EmpowerEd offers seminar-style sessions led by rotating guest experts. Unlike our peer-based programs, these are more informational than discussion-based and open to the broader community, delivering expert insights, practical tools, and evidence-based wellness strategies.

Let’s Talk About It is an optional peer support event hosted after many of our EmpowerEd seminars, offering space to reflect, connect, and share. While EmpowerEd is expert-led, this event centers on open conversation. Seminar attendance is encouraged but not required; register separately.

For the best experience, we recommend joining from a quiet, distraction-free space and arriving on time, as participants who join more than 15 minutes late may not be admitted. Be sure to have your Zoom link ready from your confirmation email.

You must register at least 72 hours before an event. Most programs are ongoing series with multiple dates. Please check our calendar for upcoming sessions.

No, all events are completely free to attend. We are a grant-based program and believe in removing barriers to connection and support and are proud to offer these sessions at no cost to our community.

No—VSN is based at the University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Military & Veteran Family Wellness, but we are a nationwide network open to any military-connected individuals in the US and beyond.

Modalities

Virtual

Session Types

Seminar

Eligibility

Spouse/Partner of a Service Member, Family Member/Caregiver of a Service Member/Veteran, Widow/Widower of a Service Member/Veteran, Spouse/Partner of a Veteran, Service Member/Veteran, Divorcee of a Service Member/Veteran and Provider/Supporter