Mental Health + Self-Help = Triumph: John Rambo and the Power of being a Mental Health Warrior
- Bruce Schutter
- Aug 28
- 4 min read
It started with a noise in the woods behind my house. Normally, I’d blame squirrels — or my neighbor’s oddly aggressive garden gnome — but this was different. Quiet. Too quiet.
Out of the shadows, camouflaged and holding a protein shake like a grenade, stepped John Rambo.
“Rambo?” I blinked. He grunted, nodded. “Heard you’re leading a mental health movement. Figured it’s time I joined the fight.”
Not the kind of guy you expect at a therapy circle or journaling his emotions. But over a crisp diet soda, he admitted: “I may know tactical warfare, but I’ve never had a battle as tough as the one inside my head.”
And just like that, we were bonded — not just as fighters, but as Mental Health Warriors!
My Warrior Journey
As we sat down in my backyard bunker (okay, fine… patio), I told Rambo how the Mental Health Warrior Program came to life.
I shared my story — twenty years of battling Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders, and PTSD. It left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life. But in that darkest place, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to triumphing over any challenge.
Armed with that knowledge, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge. So you can take control of your emotions, overcome challenges, and build the life you really want.
Rambo listened intently. He respected action, understood struggle, and more than anything, recognized the power of having a plan he could do himself.
Rambo was so fired up that he shared three powerful ways he’s using the Mental Health Warrior SELF-HELP approach to take back control — and how you can too!
Action 1: Self-Help = Self-Empowerment
Rambo always took action on the battlefield. But now, he’s turning that same energy inward.
“Every morning,” he said, “instead of strapping on ammo, I take a deep breath and set a clear intention for the day.”
Why? Because intrinsic motivation is the strongest force in the world. When you choose to act for your own growth — not because someone told you to, not for validation, but because you know your life matters — you take back your power.
Our Turn:
Choose one small action today that puts you in the driver’s seat.
Read a blog article.
Talk about your emotions.
Journal for a few minutes.
Don’t do it to be perfect — do it because you can. That’s your first triumph — and it builds self-confidence, empowering you to keep moving forward from your challenges.
Action 2: You’re in Charge of the Tools and the Timing
“Warriors don’t wait for the perfect moment,” Rambo said, cranking out push-ups on my welcome mat. “They make the moment right.”
The Mental Health Warrior Program is loaded with real, practical tools. But here’s the key — you’re not chained to anyone else’s schedule. You pick the tools that fit your life, your energy, your reality. That’s what makes it stick.
Rambo leans on the Warrior Mnemonic and Grounding Tools. Me? I’m big on Cooking Therapy (even Rambo’s warming up to the idea) — though he still insists on treating the spatula like a weapon.
Our Turn:
Just like Rambo, you don’t need the “perfect” setup — you just need to start.
Choose one Warrior Tool today.
Set a timer for 5 minutes.
Use it.
Then take a breath and give yourself credit. Your Choice + Your Action = Your Results.
Action 3: Support Abounds
I told Rambo something that surprised him. “Being a warrior and following a self-help approach doesn’t mean doing it all alone. It means knowing when to reach out and build your team.”
He nodded slowly. “Even a lone wolf needs a base camp.”
And in the Mental Health Warrior Tribe, you’re not just practicing self-help — you’re building a self-powered community.
Our Turn:
Even warriors fight stronger with backup. Today, take one small step to build your tribe:
Tell one person you’re working on your mental health like a warrior.
Invite someone to try a tool with you.
Or simply sign up for the Friday Recap Newsletter and join the Warrior Tribe online.
Bonus Support: Even if I’m not in your town, I’m always just a click away. And the Mental Health Warrior Program has got your back — ALWAYS.
Wrap Up
Rambo stood up, stretched, and glanced around like he was about to rappel off the back deck.“ So what you’re saying is… the Mental Health Warrior Program doesn’t just give me permission to take care of myself — it makes it a mission?”
I nodded. He grunted his version of “understood.”
And as he disappeared into the trees (presumably to emotionally ground himself in nature or bench press a tree stump), he left behind a note scribbled in tactical font:
Mental Health + Self-Help = Triumph
Every day. One action at a time.
– Rambo
(P.S. It was signed in mud. Very on-brand.)
So next time you’re struggling, remember: if Rambo can do it… so can you. The power is already in you. All it takes is one action to unlock it!
Because you’re not broken — you’re battle-tested. And now is the time to rise above your challenges!
Bruce Schutter
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