PTSD Toolkit in Your Pocket: How Percy the “PTSD” Platypus Uses the Mental Health Warrior Coin
- Bruce Schutter
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
It was a foggy morning at the edge of the Hundred Acre Wood, the kind of day where even the squirrels looked like they had unfinished business. I spotted Percy the “PTSD” Platypus sitting under a tree, straight-backed, arms crossed, wearing his usual “I’m fine, don’t ask” expression.
He wasn’t scrolling social media or sipping tea. He was doing something much more serious — flipping his Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin between his fingers with military precision.
“Morning, Bruce,” he said, not looking up. “Trying to keep my head on straight. This week’s been... loud!”
I knew that look. That tone. Percy and I share something deep — PTSD. Mine came from years working as an EMT, his from military service and a decade of pretending not to have emotions. The Mental Health Warrior Program didn’t just give me tools to survive — it gave me tools to THRIVE.
And today, Percy was showing me how one warrior coin was helping him do the same.
The Warrior Story
Percy knows my story inside and out — 20 years battling Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. Challenges that left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life.
But in those dark times, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming 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 charge of your emotions, triumph over any challenge and build the life you truly want.
And an important part of that program? A simple, powerful tool you can carry with you every day — a sign of strength, support and motivation: the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin.
Power of the Warrior Coin
The Warrior Coin isn’t just cool to look at (though it absolutely is). It’s tangible mental strength. It’s something you can hold when your thoughts won’t sit still — something solid when the ground feels like it’s shifting.
It reminds you:
You are a Warrior, not a victim.
You are in charge of your next step.
Every moment of progress deserves to be honored.
Plus, with the Warrior Creed “Bend Not Break” engraved on the back, this coin isn’t just metal — it’s a pocket-sized battle cry. A daily reminder to stay grounded, stay flexible and keep moving forward.
And no one wields it quite like Percy. In fact, he’s got three go-to ways the Warrior Coin helps him manage PTSD — each one a tool for turning stress into strength!
Tool 1: The Grounding Grip
“I carry this thing in my vest,” Percy said, flipping the coin up and catching it with practiced ease. “When I feel that creeping tension — heart rate rising, flashbacks tickling the edge — I grip the coin tight.”
He paused, tapping the coin against his palm.
“I’m not always in a place where I can stop and breathe or talk it out. Sometimes I’m surrounded by noise, movement, or reminders. But this coin?” He held it up. “It’s solid. It’s cool to the touch. It gives me something real to focus on when everything in my head is spinning.”
He nodded. “I press the ridged edge into my fingertips. I count the grooves. I remind myself that I’m here — not back there. And that’s the difference between a challenge running my day… and me taking the wheel back.”
Our Turn:
When PTSD flares up or anxiety starts to spike, I’ve learned how essential it is to ground myself in the present — because if I don’t, my brain spirals fast.
That’s where my Mental Health Warrior Coin comes in. I carry it every day. And when things get intense — when the flashbacks hit or my chest tightens — I reach for the coin.
Just holding something physical interrupts the chaos. I grip it tight, run my fingers along the ridges, and feel its weight in my palm.
That sensory input pulls me out of the storm and reminds me: I’m here. I’m safe. I’m not alone.
Tool 2: The Pocket Reboot
“Sometimes,” Percy added, “I feel the warning signs early — tight chest, irritability, that itch under the skin. I reach into my pocket, feel the coin, and just press it. Five seconds. That’s my check-in moment.”
He glanced at me. “Kind of like rebooting an old computer. Except less likely to require a hammer.”
Percy flicked the coin once more, letting it spin in his palm before pocketing it again. “It’s subtle,” he said. “No one else has to see it. But for me? That moment of pressure — just holding the coin — slows everything down. Reminds me I have a choice in how I respond.”
Our Turn:
What Percy said really hit home — because I use the coin the same way.
When I feel myself getting overwhelmed — whether it’s PTSD, anxiety, or just that rising tension I’ve come to recognize — I reach into my pocket and press the Warrior Coin between my fingers.
It’s not dramatic. It’s not loud. But it’s mine. A reset.
I focus on the coolness of the metal, the ridged edge pressing into my fingertips, and I take one solid breath. That’s all it takes to interrupt the spiral — to shift from being stuck in my head to being grounded in my body.
Over time, this small habit has helped me move from reacting out of panic or pain… to responding with calm and control.
Tool 3: The Victory Reminder
“This one’s my favorite,” Percy smirked, flipping the coin once and catching it with a sharp clap. “When I get through a flashback or handle a tough situation without falling apart — I flip the coin and give it a nod. Sometimes even a little salute. It’s my way of saying: That was hard — and I did it.”
He held the coin up and stared at it for a moment. “Reminds me I’ve earned this. I’m not where I was. I’m stronger now.”
He exhaled. "And I need to see that sometimes — because PTSD has a nasty habit of making you forget how far you’ve come.”
Our Turn:
I feel that deeply. When I get through a difficult moment — when I stay present, when I don’t shut down, when I don’t fall back into old ways of coping — I take the coin out of my pocket and hold it for a second.
It’s not bragging. It’s not ego. It’s acknowledgment.
Because when you’ve spent years in survival mode, even small victories matter. And if you don’t pause to recognize them, your brain will convince you you’re still stuck.
The coin reminds me: I’m not where I used to be. I am making progress. I am getting stronger.
And some days, that reminder is everything.
Wrap Up
“This little disc of metal,” Percy said, holding it up to the sunlight, “has more emotional intelligence than I did in my twenties.”
He doesn’t need loud affirmations or long meditations. He needs something solid. The Warrior Coin gives him that — support without fuss, strength without shouting.
“It’s quiet strength,” he added. “Like me.”
As the sun cut through the trees, I handed Percy my Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin — so he could share it with a friend in need.
So if you’re struggling with PTSD, anxiety or anything that throws your world off-balance, don’t go it alone. Use the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin as your anchor — a focus point and proof that your progress is real.
Because Warriors don’t wait for rescue — they take action and triumph.
Bruce Schutter
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
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