• Find a balance between personal and professional life, which can be challenging, especially in high-stress environments.
• Seeking help and leaning into one's faith or support network can be instrumental in overcoming such difficulties.
• Working with high-performing military units can be emotionally and mentally challenging, particularly when dealing with injuries and setbacks.
• The recognition of the vulnerability of high-performing individuals when they face setbacks highlights the importance of providing them with physical and emotional support during their recovery.
• There is value in reaching out for support when needed.
• It is important to be humble and to not underestimate the challenges and sacrifices of military life, whether as a military spouse or a professional.
• Keep one's sense of purpose and passion alive, as it can be a driving force in the face of difficulties.

In today's episode, Ryan introduces himself first and foremost as a parent. More specifically, a person trying to be a good parent. I know we all can relate to this. Ryan is a Navy Veteran, Former Professional Firefighter, CrossFit gym owner, and real estate investor. While his story is incredible and adventurous, what Ryan believes about all of us is what is most inspiring. He believes that being a good parent begins with the foundation of being a good person and shares that with the world because he's seen and experienced the lack of resources for fathers seeking true and positive connections with their children. Listen in as Ryan coaches us on our perspective of the past, the power of thoughts, beliefs, and words, and why "doing the best I can" isn't a phrase that can be applied to human beings.

Child of a Vietnam Veteran, Spouse to a GWOT Veteran, and Mental Health Provider for Veterans and their Families, Celeste has a lot to share. Listen to Celeste's story and experience her wisdom and joy!

Welcome to Episode 17 of the In the Name of Service Podcast with host and psychologist, Dr. Barb Thompson. Here, she broadcast stories of everyday men and women who’ve answered a call to serve others in hopes of inspiring and catalyzing the rest of us to follow suit in our own way. Today’s interview is with Ashley Wilson, counseling psychology graduate student at Liberty University. You’ll quickly realize that Ashley’s interview is a bit different from those previous to hers. Ashley’s story is exceptional not because she can reflect on a long career of service she’s already endured, but because she embodies the incredible character necessary to serve others well even at a young age. Barb knew Ashley from a distance when Ashley was in High School because they attended the same church. Since then, she’s had the privilege of watching Ashley grow these last few years and admire how courageously she faces life's twists, turns, and even tragedies with grace and wisdom beyond her years. Whether it’s facing the fact that her life-long dream of being in Vet medicine wasn’t going to happen, or the loss of her brother to suicide, Ashley may be young, but has no less experience in loss. Today Ashley speaks about how early in life she felt an additional responsibility to serve others, her journey in learning the difference between interests and giftings, the importance of gaining perspective through mission trips to Honduras, Costa Rica, and Uganda, and the lesson that through the toils of life, we become stronger. I hope this episode encourages you to keep taking that next right step in your own story and that it also highlights the importance of nourishing the lives of the young people in your life. Thank you for listening!

Welcome to Episode 15 of the In The Name of Service Podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Barb Thompson. Here we broadcast stories of every day men and women who’ve answered a call to serve in hopes of inspiring and catalyzing the rest of us to follow suit in our own way.

Today’s interview is with Ben Davis, former Navy SEAL and Director of Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group or “VOAG”. VOAG’s all-volunteer team works to enable access to outdoor adjunct therapies for all Veterans in need by promoting the benefits of outdoor adjunct therapy for Veterans by delivering research and advocacy, while driving access, proving efficacy, and perpetuating the well-being of our public lands. Ben and his team do the work that most of us in helping roles despise; developing relationships with lawmakers, earning a seat at the table in legislative efforts, and creating a way for those of us hoping to help to actually do so.

Although he works full-time as a cyber security specialist, Ben is also leading a team of bright and driven individuals already successful in advocating for the passing of the Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act in 2020, bringing attention at the national level that many Veterans have been helped by spending time in nature as an adjunct to traditional medical or mental health treatment. Additionally, they have founded the VOAG Coalition which is a gathering of partners collaborating to mutually support ongoing veteran outdoor experiences and to establish standards of quality and best practices for outdoor therapy implementation.

If you would like more information on VOAG, would like to contribute directly to VOAG, or are part of a program that would like to collaborate with VOAG, please check out the show notes. There you will also find one of my favorite projects VOAG completed in 2022 called the 31 in 31 Project. This project focused on the men who died aboard a CH-47 helicopter on August 6th, 2011; call sign “Extortion 17”. 31 Americans and 7 Afghan Nationals were killed that night resulting in the greatest individual loss of life for the U.S. Forces during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Over the course of 31 weeks, between 1 January, 2022 and August 6th, 2022 VOAG and its Coalition partners, took 31 Veterans into the outdoors in various capacities. These trips ranged from climbing, hiking, skiing, and mountain biking, to hunting and fishing. All of these trips will focus on remembering one of the 31 who were killed more than 10 years ago in the Hindu Kush Mountains. My son, Jonas, is named after Jonas Kelsall, a friend of my husband Jared, and a Navy SEAL Officer aboard the aircraft. It holds additional dearness to me because of the 3 AF Special Tactics Airmen also aboard, TSgt John Brown, SSgt Andrew Harvell, and TSgt Daniel Zerbe, whose unit I had the opportunity to serve from 2016-2022. The call to action is this, let’s get Ben and his team the metrics they need to advocate for Veterans and the programs serving them. If you are a Veteran or a care provider with experience incorporating adjunctive outdoor therapy, you can find VOAG contact information on their website. Thank you for listening!For more information: www.voag.org