Service men and women have risked their lives fighting for America.

Although they have returned home they are still wrestling with the after-effects of their service - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"They get pulled away by an obtrusive, traumatic memory or there's a sound or there's something going on in the environment that feels triggering," said Lillian Sultan, our New Yorker of the Week.

Lillian Sultan is a clinical psychologist at the Manhattan Veterans Administration hospital.

For the last four years, she's led veterans through mindful breathing and exercises to fight their PTSD. 

Her classes are a part of Connected Warriors, a national nonprofit organization that introduces veterans to yoga to help them relax.

"It's a way they can inhabit their body and feel safe and feel connected," Sultan said.

The classes are specially designed to help people who have experienced trauma.

"I actually stay on my mat. I don't walk around. I don't do any physical adjustment because the idea of that is that it can actually be anxiety-provoking," Sultan said.

Sultan says her students also use the exercises outside the class.

"They'll say 'I noticed I was stressed and I was just able to start breathing and to feel better.' A lot of them talk about sleeping better," Sultan said.

And it's encouraged participants to seek out different types of therapies.

"They may not necessarily be ready to talk in detail about their trauma, about their experiences. This is another way in," Sultan said.

Owen Hartley was one of Sultan's first yoga students. 

He fought for the Army during the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

After coming home to East Harlem, there were times he didn’t feel right.

"Didn't know why. I would get angry and upset for very little things," Hartley said.

He says it’s during moments like these that his yoga instruction is invaluable.

"All of it helps me to stay at peace, be calm, remain calm, to not get excited, react to situations," Hartley said.

So for leading veterans in the charge to heal themselves, Lillian Sultan is our New Yorker of the Week.