Opening the Box: A Vietnam Veteran's Journey of Healing with Larry Berg
- S4E32
- 36:05
- June 15th 2026
In this episode of Veterans 4 Recovery, host retired U.S. Army Major John Donovan sits down with Vietnam veteran Larry Berg to discuss the journey of recovery, the impact of service, and the healing power of storytelling. Larry, who served in Vietnam in 1969, shares his background as a farm kid from Minnesota, his unique experience working with the Army Security Agency, and the life path that led him to teaching and coaching.
Together, they explore the concept of "opening the box"—the psychological process of releasing long-held combat memories and experiences to find peace and catharsis. The conversation highlights how the arts, music, and connecting with fellow veterans serve as vital "backdoor entries" to healing, helping veterans move beyond the silence that often follows military service.
Veterans 4 Recovery
All Things Recovery! Join your host, Maj. (Retired) John Donovan, a noted author, lecturer and person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, as he and his guests will breakdown current trending topics and research along with all things related to increasing recovery resilience and capital within our Veteran and service-member communities.
Major John Donovan is the co-founder of the Recovery Community Network (RCN) in St. Cloud, Minnesota, an organization devoted to serving and advocating for the recovery community of Central Minnesota. John is a person in long-term recovery with over 45 years of recovery. He is a highly decorated 27-year veteran of the Armed Forces and has deployed three times in the service of our nation since 9-11. He holds an associate’s and bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University and a master’s degree from Boston University. John serves on several recovery related boards and he is an active and energetic advocate for recovery. He is a popular speaker and workshop facilitator and he contributes monthly to a recovery blog. John’s book, “A Soldier’s Recovery Journey”, was published in April of 2021 and he was a contributing author to Hazelden's veterans' daily meditation book entitled "Leave No One Behind."