A U.S. Army veteran in Pennsylvania revived her life with fitness, and now, she’s sharing her strength with others.
Erica Liermann joined the Army after 9/11 and eventually came home with post-traumatic stress disorder, which she now manages with working out and empowering others.
That includes leading classes at Dub Fitness, her gym in King of Prussia.
Fitness is Liermann’s salvation. She says it helps her cope with PTSD from her time in the Army as a military police officer.
“I was stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,” Liermann said. “I was in Korea, I was in Baghdad, Iraq; Al-Asad, Iraq.”
The Montgomery County mom says her time in the military left her with invisible mental health wounds and a long struggle with anxiety.
“A lot of us just suppress it, which then makes it worse,” Liermann said.
Liermann says she’s better now, thanks to these classes and support from the Military Warriors Foundation and Wells Fargo, which helped her launch her post-military journey.
“I feel really fortunate to be here,” Liermann said.
Fitness gives Liermann physical strength and helps keep her mind clear and focused on giving back.
“People come from all different walks of life,” Liermann said. “But in here, we are all like one team.”
Liermann shares the power of fitness with the women she trains, knowing how it helped her.
“I look back and I say it may have saved my life,” Liermann said. “Suicide was a thought. I used to think about suicide.”
Now, it’s all about positive energy that comes from working out and sharing inspirations written on the wall.
“If you can’t beat fear, do it scared,” Liermann said. “And if you’re tired, do it tired.”
Her warriors in fitness have become a sisterhood of strength and empowerment. Liermann says she’s especially grateful to Wells Fargo, which helps veterans transition successfully to civilian life through vehicle donations and mentoring.
