SPEAKER_00: 0:30

My name is Jillian Bull, and my business is Epizalus. And it's more specifically not my business. It's a nonprofit. So we serve um veterans, military veterans, in particular those suffering with PTSD and TBI.

SPEAKER_01: 0:47

Wonderful. I'm excited to learn more just about everything you guys do. So kind of take me back to how you got started in all of this. Tell me how you got to where you are today.

SPEAKER_00: 1:25

But what we started to learn was there's a very big outreach for special forces and lots of nonprofits, but other people who were also in combat and supporting them were having a harder time finding those resources. At one point, he was reaching out for a friend and it was kind of a struggle. And I was hearing him on the phone, and I think it was one of those moments of like, I could do that. You know, we we can get something going and help them just the same. And so we do help, you know, special forces, but other individuals that were, you know, taking care of the country post-9-11 in different capacities.

SPEAKER_01: 2:07

Okay. Wonderful. It sounds like some really amazing work you guys are doing.

SPEAKER_00: 2:12

Yeah, it's been a journey, and definitely the work that we do is facilitated by our donor base. Without them, um, without our sponsors and stakeholders, we wouldn't be able to make an impact that we do make. And we also have some really great um medical providers that support our veterans. So it's, you know, a village and a real network that I'm happy to be a part of. And I'm just kind of the facilitator, but it's been amazing to see people come together and support.

SPEAKER_01: 2:46

Perfect. And to dig into that just a little bit more for those hearing about Epizalis for the first time, how would you describe kind of the mission and the true heart behind what goes on here?

SPEAKER_00: 2:59

The mission definitely is just to help military veterans integrate back into society, and that can be a lot of things, but because we focus on individuals with a PTSD diagnosis, and if they're also having issues with TBI, it's very specific to that. But it's also we're only three years old, and I think in the first year we recognized why they aren't getting certain treatments at the VA. And that helped us kind of have a two-pronged approach that we do now where providers who want to serve veterans but aren't in the VA network need to prove that what they're doing is in demand. So they need a certain amount of veterans to come to them and say, we do need this treatment. We can't get it at the VA, but you're offering it to us. But because it's an out-of-pocket pocket expense, the providers can't prove that it's in demand. So we pay for it. So it proves that it's in demand. It gives them the ability to get treatment that they can't afford, and it gives the provider the ability to say, I, you know, I'm offering something of value, and therefore I should have a place in the VA community care network. So instead of just going and lobbying and saying the VA should do this, we kind of are helping the veteran and helping the provider and saying the VA should do this at the same time. So our resources aren't, you know, to lobbying efforts. They are to the veterans, healing, and to our providers who are overwhelmed. And some of them have done a lot of things for free. And, you know, that's a hard thing to do to work for free. And they need support too to do what they do to take care of our veterans.

SPEAKER_01: 4:45

So absolutely. What a great just opportunity and resource to be able to get access to. And going into that, as you said, you know, many people don't realize that certain life-changing PTSD and TBI treatments still aren't covered by the VA. What kinds of therapies is Epizalis helping veterans access and why are they so important?

SPEAKER_00: 5:09

So we kind of agree, if they qualify, we will kind of agree to fund what they need. And that's a range. We have a very big ask for ketamine right now. And we have requests for celate ganglion block treatments, but we will also cover costs for cognitive talk therapy if they are just saying, I have this person at the VA and I'm not getting what I need from them. This is somebody outside of my network and they've been amazing, but I can't afford the cost. So it's kind of a range, and it maybe could be something that's at the VA, but it's not their local VA. It's not specifically giving them what they need. Um, the VA as a system has lots of different locations, and some might offer certain treatments, but that might be in it in Atlanta. And there's a veteran who's in Colorado and their VA doesn't have that. So it's kind of a range. The big thing right now has been ketamine infusions, and that is helping a lot with just kind of the relief of where they're at, and maybe they don't know how heavy it is until they get that. And then they're kind of like, Oh, I was in a really dark place, and now I can do the work on my own with just talk therapy or something else. And it's still a lot of work for them. You know, they've kind of gone from one battle, come home to our country, and then they have a second battle to fight, and certain treatments like ketamine can help them fight that battle.

SPEAKER_01: 6:55

Wow. Yeah, it's I and I like the point you made about how um they are coming back to a whole new battle, and that is a battle of healing. I think that that that's wonderful that you guys are able to help with that. And you know, one of the most unique things about your work is that it's not just about funding treatment, it's about driving systemic change. How does Epizalis help create the proof of demand needed to expand access through the VA's community care program?

SPEAKER_00: 7:25

So that would be a really good question for one of our providers, but I will try to articulate it as best I can. With if you're a provider and you are providing a treatment like ketamine, you they would apply for the community care program through the VA, and the VA would recognize them as a provider who would get reimbursed through the VA's benefits. So kind of like insurance. So when our providers get paid through the insurance, that's how they make their living. So a provider could charge just somebody out of pocket, but that's a large expense for somebody who desperately needs the treatment but can't afford it. They have no choice but to offer it to them out of pocket because it's not in a provider network. So all they need to do, which sounds really simple, but it's not, is um apply for the community care program with the VA and then say, I have treated these many individuals with this treatment. This is the outcome. And so it's a it's a demand that's needed. This is something that veterans are asking for. So I would like to be in your network. And then the VA essentially says, okay, you're in our network. But that is where things still get complicated, to where I don't work that part of it to understand. But I do know I've had a lot of providers tell me their frustrations still with that. And so it's still a thing just with the VA, the complications with government as we're experiencing currently, that there is a lot of challenges, and sometimes they just make decisions that aren't to the best benefit of the citizens. But it's that's essentially how it works. And it still is an ongoing challenge for providers to just be accepted into the network.

SPEAKER_01: 9:20

Okay. Thank you for explaining that. Those are kind of good pieces of information to just kind of know. You've described these treat treatments as a tool for relief. Can you talk about that philosophy and how you see healing as an ongoing process for veterans and their families?

SPEAKER_00: 9:38

So, a tool for relief, I think the best way to describe that is that can really be anything. So even if it's an antidepressant or an anti-anxiety or a psychedelic or it, you know, just an injection. Somebody who's suffering from something like even just depression, they aren't really aware of it. Um, and I think anybody who maybe has had anxiety or depression could attest to that, that they don't really know how they're feeling until maybe they get put on a medication and then they go, oh, okay, life's not life's not so dark. So these are a tool to help them kind of see how dark things were, but they're not necessarily a cure. It just helps them realize how life can be. And if they continue to be able to work towards what they want for themselves, then things can be better, hopefully. And that's why we don't focus on one thing. Like we don't say, oh, it has to be a stellar ganglion block. Because for every individual, they're gonna react differently to different things and they're gonna find that one thing that goes, okay, I feel so much better. And this is how I want to feel, and I don't want to rely on this, but what can I do? And what are the the other things I can do probably for the rest of your life? That's just something that that they will have to do is like get up every day, one foot in front of the other, talk with their therapist, you know, be healthy, check in with themselves. So it's just kind of a tool to turn on that idea that life can be better than how it is, and maybe not just life, but just a feeling of darkness can kind of be lifted with those tools.

SPEAKER_01: 11:22

For sure.

SPEAKER_00: 11:23

There's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. That's I think that's what they kind of help people feel.

SPEAKER_01: 11:28

Got it. And, you know, you partner with several leading clinics like Stella and Treasure Coast Infusion. What do those partnerships look like and how do they help you reach more veterans across different states?

SPEAKER_00: 11:42

Yeah, so we are really fortunate to have a lot of providers all across the country. We have some here in Virginia and DC. But what happens is one veteran might have a friend in Florida and they'll say, I had this and it really helped, and you should try it. And so they go to a provider and it's like, it's out of pocket. How do we cover the cost? So then they'll say, Well, we know an organization in Virginia, and let's see if we can reach out and make things work. So we have just gotten in contact with these providers because they had somebody come to them and they said, I want to help this individual, and how can I help this individual because they need funding? I have the resources and I have the way to treat them, but they are just looking for the funding portion of it. So really it's kind of word of word of mouth and just the demand that's there. And the military community is pretty good at communicating with each other. If they know somebody's struggling to find treatment, they'll say, hey, try this or go here, or what about this place? So that's not just true for our organization. I know there's a lot of nonprofits that serve military veterans that we just kind of speak to each other. You know, maybe it's something we don't offer. We'll say, Oh, you know, go try this other organization because we don't cover that, but they'll do it for you. And this one might even cover your flight to get there. So there's no shortage of network within all of this. That the mission is is fairly large. And there's a lot of people trying to do what they can. And our providers are just the same as us. Like somebody came to them, they need help, and they do it.

SPEAKER_01: 13:22

That's wonderful. Everybody's just kind of working together. I mean, I always say teamwork makes the dream work, and I feel like that is just so true, especially in this specific nonprofit.

SPEAKER_00: 13:32

Teamwork makes the dream work is like one of those lines that you just hear and you don't think much of it, but it's like it's exactly what that means. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 13:40

For sure. So one of the most powerful parts of your mission is hearing from Vietnam-era veterans who finally find relief after decades of living with PTSD. What has that feedback meant to you personally?

SPEAKER_00: 13:55

So that was kind of a surprise when the organization was started. It was, you know, it was specific to post-9-11 veterans because that was who I was surrounded by. Um, but similar to what I had talked about, where kind of word gets out and somebody recommends something, I had gotten the first request from a Vietnam-era veteran, and I thought, I hadn't even thought about what maybe they've tried or what they've experienced. And it was eye-opening that their PTSD is different from, you know, somebody who was in Afghanistan or somebody who was in World War II, and somebody who was in World War II was maybe different. They just had a different experience and they came home to a different experience and they went to the VA and had a different experience. And I think some of them maybe gave up on the VA a lot earlier, and they've just kind of been going through life, and then they've kind of heard about different things. And so the first one that came, he was approved, he qualified. He didn't have to be somebody who was in Afghanistan. He just had to be a veteran with PTSD. And he had tried several other treatments. And so since then, we've we've served a few, a handful of Vietnam veterans. But what was really eye-opening, I think, was when I would get feedback, like an email from them talking about how grateful they were that they were able to receive the treatment. The thought of like how long they have been suffering or how long they had been trying to find relief. And some of them are at a point in their life where I don't know if maybe they thought they never would get it. And when they did to hear that feedback, it was like, wow, this is just something I hadn't really thought about. I hadn't thought about how long maybe they were carrying it with them. Um, because my focus was more on the military community that I was surrounded by.

SPEAKER_01: 15:49

For sure. To be able to provide that for somebody that has been in it for so long, I imagine that's just kind of like a magical feeling.

SPEAKER_00: 15:57

It was definitely one of those things where you you feel like I felt so grateful for my donors again, because we I was like, well, I have the resources, so I I can, you know, approve this. I don't have to say, oh no, we have this specific group. Um, and grateful for my providers who said, Hey, this guy came in, we want to help him. And and can you help us? So it's, I think magical is, you know, the term you use, but I would just say it's just like very inspiring for me to have the support that I have to be able to say, yeah, we can help you. And I guess that is kind of magical the way that a lot of people can come together and take care of one person.

SPEAKER_01: 16:36

Absolutely. Well said. And I have to ask, the name Epizilus is so distinctive. What's the story or meaning behind it and how does it connect to your mission?

SPEAKER_00: 16:46

Our organization landed on the name Epizilus because historians believe that Epizilus, who was a Thadian hoplite during the Battle of Marathon, might be one of the first documented cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. He suffered an ailment where he went blind after witnessing a friend be killed on battlefield. And so we chose that name just kind of to represent PTSD through that story, but also just as a reminder that it's a, you know, centuries-old ailment, and there wasn't a cure then, there isn't a cure now, but there's lots of resources and there's lots of people who are wanting to help, and there's a growing understanding of it. So that's how that name came about. And there are, you know, it's like, okay, people have a hard time pronouncing it or knowing how to say it. So it was like, was that the best name? But it does represent, I think, what we're doing well.

SPEAKER_01: 17:45

Absolutely. It has um a great meaning behind it, as well as it's a distinctive name. I think it's something that um you can definitely remember in and people will know where to go. Yeah. If they need it. It's distinct because you're sitting there trying to know if you say it right. You have an exciting event coming up, the gala on November 22nd at the Salamander Resort in Middleburg. What can guests expect from that evening and how can people get involved?

SPEAKER_00: 18:14

So, yeah, that is next weekend. It's coming up fast, the 22nd, if I have my dates right. And it's our third gala. So, like I said, we're a very new organization. We've only been operating for three years, so it's our third annual gala. And we have sold out for our sponsored tables, but we do still have individual tickets available, and those are on our website. And I, if people want to get involved, I do sometimes need help with that. Pretty good for this year, but you know, it's never too soon to have people who might want to reach out for next year. Um, this year is a gala and uh casino night type of theme. And we always do a guest speaker who's also an author. So our first year we had Captain Phillips who wrote a book. This year we have Jessica Buchanan, and she's our guest speaker and author, and she'll be speaking of her rescue. And one of the Navy SEALs who read or who led her rescue mission is also also going to speak with her. So it's dinner, and you listen to a speaker, and then you get signed copies of the book, and then we have fun gambling at the casino tables. We have an amazing DJ, and I'm really excited for him because he just brings like so much energy. And then you you know who's our top five winners for the casino? And then there's some prizes. So we have Foo Fighter tickets this year that I'm like, I wish I could win those prizes, but so yep, that's our gala. Looking forward to it. It's coming up soon.

SPEAKER_01: 19:45

Wow, it sounds like a pretty exciting night coming up. I want to go.

SPEAKER_00: 19:49

You can go.

SPEAKER_01: 19:50

I can get a good spot for sure. All right, we're gonna have to talk about that later. But um, aside from that, it you know, it's a great cause, and I'm I'm I'm excited for you guys for that event coming up. And finally, as you know, as we move into giving season, what's the best way for listeners to get involved, whether through donations, partnerships, or simply spreading awareness about Epizalis's mission?

SPEAKER_00: 20:14

All of those. Anything, spread our mission, go online, epizalus.com. There's a donation button, do a donation. You want to partner with us in some way. You have an event space that you want to host something. It's, you know, anything is an amazing give to us. So just, you know, speaking of us is helpful.

SPEAKER_01: 20:37

Absolutely. Just spread the word. Yeah, spread the knowledge. Perfect. As we wrap up, Jillian, is there anything you would like to add that I haven't touched on today?

SPEAKER_00: 20:47

No, I think actually that's that is it. I, you know, I think that I've probably said it already, but I just do want to emphasize that the organization doesn't exist without the amazing donors and sponsors and providers that we have. And that I think the term that you use magical is like that might be how I describe some of them. I can think of like some providers right now that are just always doing hard work and making sure everybody's getting treated. I'm like, they're pretty magical, they're pretty special people.

SPEAKER_01: 21:20

So absolutely. They're putting in the hours doing the homework and getting it done. Yeah, for sure. Amazing. Well, I want to thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today and sharing your story with me. Um, it was super inspiring. And, you know, I wish the best of luck for you guys and all that comes your way in the future. And you're just doing you're doing really great work. So it was just it was a pleasure to to hear your story.

SPEAKER_00: 21:44

Well, thank you for having me. This has been this has been really fun. I was a little bit nervous. Absolutely. But you made it so like easy and made me feel comfortable. And I I don't think that I could have sp spoken to the mission if I was nervous. I appreciate you putting me at ease.

SPEAKER_01: 22:04

No worries, it's what I'm here for.

SPEAKER_00: 22:06

Thank you.