Warrior

In this inspiring memoir, a former female Marine platoon leader recalls the wars she has fought—on the playing field, the battlefield, and inside her own soul—revealing how overcoming the harrowing circumstances in her life helped her ultimately redefine what it means to be strong and what “perfect” really is.

Theresa Larson has lived multiple lives. At ten she was a caregiver to her dying mother. As an adolescent, an All-Star high school, college, and professional softball player. As a young adult, a fitness competition winner, beauty pageant contestant, and model. And as a grown woman, a high-achieving Lieutenant in the Marines, in charge of an entire platoon while deployed in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Theresa was battling bulimia nervosa, an internal struggle which ultimately cut short her military service when she was voluntarily evacuated from combat. Theresa’s journey to wellness required the bravery to ask for help, to take care of herself first, and abandon the idea of “perfect.” In Warrior, she lays bare all of these lives in intimate and vivid detail, examining extremely personal and sometime painful moments and how, by finally accepting the help of others, she learned to make herself whole. From growing up in a log cabin outside Seattle to facing down the enemy in Iraq, Theresa’s journey demonstrates that good health and happiness is a daily, intentional act that requires persistence and commitment.

Theresa hopes that through sharing her story, she will help inspire others to empower themselves, embrace their inner warrior and re-define strength. Startling and funny, terrifying and triumphant, heartbreaking and inspirational, Warrior is at heart a story of perseverance and success—of a determined woman who is model for everyone struggling to conquer their own demons. Theresa shows that asking for help can be an act of courage, and that we are stronger than we think when faced with seemingly impossible odds.

How does a warrior fighting for her country find the courage to fight for herself?

A Woman in Combat: From leading a platoon of Marines in Fallujah to escorting female insurgents, this is a rare, firsthand account of life on the front lines as a female officer. Eating Disorder Recovery: A secret, harrowing battle with bulimia nervosa—a fight for control that raged even in a war zone and threatened to destroy everything she’d worked for. Redefining Strength: Discover how the pressure to be "perfect" as an elite athlete and a Marine created an impossible standard, and how true strength was found in finally asking for help. Vulnerability and Courage: A powerful, inspiring story of perseverance that shows asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but the ultimate act of a warrior taking command of her own life.