After eight deployments to Afghanistan and suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, Chad Robichaux has learned to cope and heal from the emotional wounds of war.

Now he is working to help others deal with those wounds through profit made at his martial arts studio in Magnolia, Gracie Barra. The studio offers martial arts classes for ages 5 and up, including kick boxing, self-defense and jiu-jitsu.

All the profits from the studio go to a nonprofit Robichaux started two years ago, Mighty Oaks Warrior Training Division, which helps veterans and active duty soldiers deal with the emotional wounds of war through spiritual healing at retreats.

Robichaux has teamed with the Roever Foundation, which has a similar mission, to help servicemen through retreats at its four ranches—in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and California. Mighty Oaks is the faith part of the program.

Robichaux, who served in the Marines for 14 years, spends one week a month at one of the retreats. Robichaux also runs the Gracie Barra studio, teaches martial arts and is a professional fighter.

After his Afghanistan deployments from 2003–2007, Robichaux suffered from PTSD and was working to save his marriage.

"I realized what made me successful in my professional life and how I can apply that to my personal life, and it had a lot to do with martial arts," Robichaux said. "I got the right help I needed, so I started helping other people."

To help with the high suicide and divorce rate among those who are deployed, he started a "fight club," which helps veterans and active duty fight for family, faith and their health.

"I believe the faith aspect is a strong part of healing," Robichaux said. "PTSD is a wound of the spirit and soul. There's no pill you can take for it."

At the ranches, all the instructors take a nonclinical approach and share their personal experiences.

"We show them how we've healed through our own experience," Robichaux said.

Through martial arts, Gracie Barra is working to help the community by teaching its students character, discipline and work ethics.

"Not only are you serving veterans, but we want to be a positive light in the community," Robichaux said. "We want to help make the community a better place."

Gracie Barra

6960 FM 1488, Ste. 103,Magnolia

www.gbmagnolia.com