Lessons from Local Leaders:

Jillian Bull

The Second Battle: Empowering Veterans with Epi, a Conversation with Jillian Bull

Jillian Bull’s journey to founding the nonprofit Epi is rooted in a deeply personal understanding of the silent, enduring struggles faced by military veterans, particularly those navigating PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) after returning home. What began as a mission to support her ex-husband, a Special Forces veteran, quickly expanded into a vital movement for systemic change.

“We felt very fortunate that there were organizations that were kind of bridging the gap in giving treatment that maybe wasn’t available through the VA,” Jillian recalls.

But she noticed a stark discrepancy: while Special Forces often had robust outreach, other combat veterans faced a much harder time finding the necessary resources. In a flash of insight while hearing her ex-husband struggle to find help for a friend, Jillian realized, “I could do that.” And with that powerful intention, Epi was born.

The Heart of the Mission: Integration and Innovation

At its core, Epi’s mission is simple yet profound: to help military veterans integrate back into society. But the path to integration is often blocked by a crucial, frustrating gap in care.

Many life-changing, cutting-edge therapies for PTSD and TBI—such as ketamine infusions and stellate ganglion block (SGB) treatments—are often not covered by the VA or are unavailable at local facilities. These out-of-pocket expenses create a devastating catch-22 for providers: they can’t prove their treatment is in demand (a prerequisite for VA Community Care inclusion) if veterans can’t afford the treatment in the first place.

Epi shatters this barrier. They pay for the treatment.

“So we pay for it,” Jillian explains. “So it proves that it’s in demand. It gives them the ability to get treatment that they can afford, and it gives the provider the ability to say, ‘I’m offering something of value and therefore I should have a place in the VA community care network.'”

This two-pronged approach simultaneously helps the veteran heal and helps the provider drive essential, systemic change within the VA, ensuring future veterans won’t face the same funding hurdles.

A Tool for Relief: The Ongoing Process of Healing

Jillian describes these crucial treatments not as a “cure,” but as a “tool for relief.” For a veteran who has been carrying the crushing weight of PTSD for years, treatments like ketamine can act as a catalyst, lifting the profound darkness enough for them to recognize how heavy it was.

“They’ve kind of went from one battle, come home to our country, and then they have a second battle to fight,” Jillian says.

The relief allows the veteran to access the idea that life can be better, sparking the motivation to continue the demanding, ongoing work of talk therapy and self-care. Because Epi takes an individualized approach, funding everything from advanced SGB to cognitive talk therapy, they meet each veteran where they are on their unique healing journey.

The Unanticipated Miracle of Connection

While initially focused on post-9/11 veterans, word-of-mouth within the military community soon brought a surprising request: a Vietnam-era veteran seeking help.

“It was eye-opening that their PTSD is different… and I hadn’t even thought about what maybe they’ve tried or what they’ve experienced,” Jillian reflects.

The feedback from these older veterans, who found relief after decades of suffering, was profoundly moving. Hearing their gratitude—knowing they were finally finding peace at a point in their lives where they may have given up hope—was truly “magical” and deeply inspiring.

The providers and the donors who make this possible, forming a nationwide network of support with clinics like Stella and Treasure Coast Infusion, are the backbone of Epi’s success. As Jillian notes, “Teamwork makes the dream work,” and the commitment of this village of donors, sponsors, and medical professionals is what truly empowers this mission.

The Meaning Behind the Name

The name Epi itself carries the weight of history. It’s short for Epieikelides, an Athenian hoplite from the Battle of Marathon, believed by historians to be one of the first documented cases of PTSD, having gone blind after witnessing a friend’s death.

The name serves as a poignant reminder that this is a “centuries-old ailment”—and while there is still no cure, there is a growing understanding, a growing community, and a growing network of support, driven by the dedication of organizations like Epi.

Get Involved

Epi exists only because of its community. Whether it’s by spreading awareness, seeking a partnership, or making a donation at https://www.epizelus.org/ every action helps lift the darkness and empower a veteran to win their second battle.

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