Host Laryssa Lamrock and guest co-host Justin Woodcock look at prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with special guest Dr. David Paul, a registered psychologist specializing in trauma treatment for military and public safety personnel.

They unpack the basics of PE, how it specifically helps those living with PTSD and the vital role Families play in supporting a loved one through this sometimes challenging but hopeful therapeutic journey. David addresses common misconceptions and shares practical insights to help Veterans and their loved ones make informed decisions and best prepare themselves for therapy.

David Paul, PhD, R. Psych, is a registered psychologist in private practice in Edmonton, AB. He has specialized in the treatment and assessment of trauma- and stressor-related disorders in military and public safety personnel for most of his career, including in previous positions at the Edmonton OSI Clinic and the Operational Trauma and Stress Support Centre (OTSSC) at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton. He holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from McGill University and is certified as a trainer in PE therapy by the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania.

Justin Woodcock is a proud First Nation Veteran and social worker from Opaskwayak Cree Nation. He served from 2009 to 2017 in both the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Navy.

Motivated by the loss of fellow soldiers to PTSD, Justin pursued a career in social work. He now serves as the First Nations Veterans Program Coordinator for the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, leading a program created by and for First Nations Veterans.

Key topics

• What PE therapy is and how it differs from general exposure therapy
• The two main components of PE: imaginal and in vivo exposure
• Why PE is targeted to treat PTSD and typical session durations and structure
• Common misconceptions and fears about PE among Veterans and their Families
• The vital role Family members play and advice for Families with loved ones considering or starting PE therapy
• The differences and unique challenges between treating Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Veterans

Resources

• About prolonged exposure therapy — The Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the Perelman School of Medicine
• Find a certified PE therapist
• Recorded trainings on PE therapy for service providers
• The Centre for Posttraumatic Stress & Anxiety Treatment
• Email list for service providers — sign up to be notified about upcoming no-cost PE training opportunities offered by the Atlas Institute
• Other training opportunities for service providers who work with Veterans and Families
• Join the Atlas Institute’s Evidence-Based Therapy Community of Practice

Lire en français ici : https://atl-as.ca/mbtm-ep31-fr

In this episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, host Laryssa Lamrock is joined by guest co-host Tarik Kadri and special guest Guy Dallaire for a conversation about the impacts and complexities of vicarious trauma and intergenerational trauma among military and Veteran Families. Guy Dallaire was born into a multigenerational military Family — both his father and grandfather served in the Canadian Armed Forces. Guy served in both the Reserve and Regular Forces until he was medically released with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2020. He is currently researching the impacts of vicarious trauma on adult children of Veterans and first responders.

Guy reflects on how his upbringing in a military Family and his father's service experiences have shaped his own life and mental health. The episode unpacks the far-reaching impacts that trauma can have on Veterans and their Families — even spanning across generations — emphasizing the need for awareness and increased support for affected Families.

Tarik Kadri served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 18 years, retiring as a Captain, Social Work Officer. Tarik is a registered social worker and trauma therapist and a member of the Atlas Institute’s Strategic Reference Group.

Key topics

• The key differences between trauma, vicarious trauma and intergenerational trauma
• The impacts of military service on Families, particularly children
• Guy’s personal experiences and reflections on growing up in a military Family
• Challenges faced by adult children of Veterans and first responders
• Support options and coping mechanisms for dealing with trauma-related issues
• Encouragement and advice for open conversations about mental health within Families

Resources

• Month of the Military Child — stories from military children and resources for parents and caregivers
• Dandelion child: How my military childhood shaped me
• Stories from young Veteran Family members, told in their own voices
• Why Is Daddy Like He Is? A book for kids about PTSD by Patience Mason
• Children’s e-books for military, Veteran and public safety personnel Families
• Making sense of why I am like I am: The journey of adult children of Veterans
• Recordings and materials from previous Veteran Family Summits  

Lire en français ici : https://atl-as.ca/mbtm-ep30-fr

Laryssa Lamrock and guest co-host Staff Sergeant (Ret’d) Gary Hollender are joined by Sheri Lux. Sheri opens up about losing her husband Mike, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer, who died by suicide in 2017.

Sheri shares her journey of healing and self-discovery, providing insights into the unique challenges faced by RCMP Families, the power found in community support, and the importance vulnerability played in healing and processing such a profound loss. Gary discusses his own experiences in the RCMP and they emphasize the need for more open conversations about mental health in the military and Veteran community.

Sheri Lux is an author, entrepreneur, mental health advocate and ambassador for Wounded Warriors Canada. Her memoir Finding My Fire is available for purchase online.

Key topics

• The importance of community support in times of crisis
• Insights into the unique experiences of first responder Families
• The role the arts can play in healing and processing trauma
• How vulnerability can serve as a source of strength
• The impacts mental health challenges can have on Family dynamics
• The importance of open conversations around mental health in the community

Resources

• Suicide prevention for Veterans and Family members
• Military and RCMP Veterans and suicide prevention — a toolkit of practical information and guidance
• Looking after yourself and others — a toolkit of practical information and guidance on suicide prevention for Veteran Families
• A guide for people and Families struggling with suicide — St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
• 9-8-8 — Suicide Crisis Helpline
• Finding My Fire by Sheri Lux

Laryssa Lamrock et son coanimateur invité, le sergent d'état-major (à la retraite) Gary Hollender, sont rejoints par Sheri Lux. Sheri parle ouvertement de la perte de son mari Mike, un agent de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada (GRC), qui est décédé par suicide en 2017.

Sheri partage son parcours vers la guérison et la découverte de soi, offrant un aperçu des défis uniques auxquels font face les familles de la GRC, du pouvoir du soutien communautaire et de l'importance de la vulnérabilité dans le processus de guérison et d'acceptation d'une perte aussi profonde. Gary parle de sa propre expérience au sein de la GRC et ils soulignent la nécessité d'avoir des conversations plus ouvertes sur la santé mentale dans la communauté policière, des forces armées et des vétérans.

Sheri Lux est auteure, entrepreneure, militante pour la santé mentale et ambassadrice de Wounded Warriors Canada.

In this episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, Laryssa Lamrock is joined by guest co-host Andrew Gough — a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veteran, serving Reservist and medically retired police officer — and guest Emily Zufelt. Emily is a former police dispatcher, advocate for first responders, military members and Veterans, and host and creator of What’s Your Twenty?, a podcast featuring stories from first responders, CAF members and Veterans, and other trauma-exposed professionals.

Along with Laryssa, Emily and Andrew explore the parallels between the experiences and mental health journeys of first responders, military members and Veterans, and the unique nature of their work which puts them at high risk for exposure to trauma.

Emily shares her personal journey of recovering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, and how these experiences have shaped her advocacy work. They discuss the concept of posttraumatic growth and turning pain into purpose. They emphasize the need for supportive communities and structures to aid in recovery, highlighting the significant role of Family in the healing process.

Key topics: 

• The links between the mental health and well-being journeys of Veterans and first responders
• The power and challenge of overcoming stigma related to posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs)
• Strategies for finding purpose and healing in creativity
• The role of Family in recovering from PTSI
• The importance of self-advocacy in mental health treatment
• Navigating identity beyond professional roles in uniformed services

Resources

V-Eh! Veterans and Everyday Heroes: A not-for-profit organization providing wellness initiatives for Veterans and first responders, with the goal of reducing the stigma associated with mental health injuries

What’s Your Twenty?: Emily Zufelt’s podcast featuring stories from first responders, CAF members and Veterans, and other trauma-exposed professionals

Boots on the Ground: Anonymous peer support by first responders, for first responders

Public safety personnel and posttraumatic stress injuries: Find resources, fact sheets and videos about PTSIs designed specifically for public safety personnel

Your own brand of courage: A Mind Beyond the Mission episode featuring Andrew and Elizabeth Gough

The Mind’s the Matter – Understanding a Family member’s operational stress injury: A free, module-based educational resource for Family members and friends of people living with operational stress injuries

Wounded Warriors Canada: A national mental health service provider specializing in providing culturally informed services that utilize a combination of education, counselling, and training approaches to support resiliency and recovery from post-trauma injuries

Operation LOBE: Watch a video about the CAF operation to evacuate the Canadian Embassy in Tripoli, Libya during a near civil war and then to provide protection for it.

Lire en français ici : atl-as.ca/mbtm-ep28-fr

This special compilation episode of Mind Beyond the Mission brings together the most valuable insights from two conversations with Dr. Lyn Turkstra and Veteran and CFL player Ryan Carey, who each joined Brian and Laryssa on Mind Beyond the Mission previously to share their perspectives as a clinician specializing in traumatic brain injury and a person with lived experience of TBI.

Dr. Turkstra is Assistant Dean and Professor of Speech-Language Pathology in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University. A speech-language pathologist by training, she has over 30 years of experience working with individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Ryan is both a Veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and former Canadian Football League (CFL) player. He played for five years with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He served as an infantry officer in the Royal Canadian Regiment from 2002 to 2016. Ryan is a brain donor and leader of Project Enlist, which brings awareness to head injuries in the military for the Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada (CLFC).

Key topics:

• Understanding what can trigger a TBI and short and long-term symptoms
• The differences and overlap between TBI and PTSD
• How TBIs can impact women and men differently
• The specific experiences in the military and sports that often contribute to TBIs
• Practical advice for living with a TBI

 Resources

• TBI 101: An overview of TBI, including causes, symptoms, treatment and ways to manage its impacts
• Tools and strategies: Practical information and guidance for Veterans and Families on day-to-day care for a TBI
• TBI and PTSD: Information on how TBI and posttraumatic stress disorder can overlap, including common symptoms and pathways to treatment
• A resource for service providers who work with Veterans
• A webpage with information about TBI including support services, causes of TBI and additional resources

Revoir la discussion sur les traumatismes crâniens avec la Dre Lyn Turkstra et le vétéran et joueur de la LCF Ryan Carey

Cet épisode spécial de L'esprit au-delà de la mission rassemble les perspectives les plus importantes de deux conversations avec la Dre Lyn Turkstra et le vétéran et joueur de la LCF Ryan Carey, qui se sont tous deux joints à Brian et Laryssa dans L'esprit au-delà de la mission pour partager leurs points de vue en tant que clinicienne spécialisée dans les traumatismes cranio-cérébraux et en tant que personne ayant vécu un TCC.

Thèmes clés

• Comprendre ce qui peut déclencher un TCC et les symptômes à court et à long terme
• Les différences et les chevauchements entre le TCC et le TSPT
• Comment les TCC peuvent avoir un impact différent sur les femmes et les hommes
• Les expériences spécifiques dans le militaire et le sport qui contribuent souvent aux TCC
• Conseils pratiques pour vivre avec un TCC

“If I'm forming a consultation group, I'm not going to bring someone there that I know whose role in life is to flip the applecart over. There's no value there. But if I look around the room at a grouping of people I've gathered and there's no one there that's ever showed me dissent to an idea before, I have not formed a consultation group. I have formed an applause choir that's going to tell me I have a great idea.”

In this episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, hosts Brian McKenna and Laryssa Lamrock unpack the idea of authentic consultation within the Veteran and Family community and what it can practically look like. They discuss the pitfalls of superficial engagement and the need for genuine, meaningful communication. They highlight the importance of trust-building, honest dialogue, and the distinction between dissent and disruptive behaviour in consultations. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, they emphasize the need for truly listening and validating the experiences of Veterans and their Families.

Key topics

• Importance of authentic consultation versus briefing after a decision has been made
• Avoiding using patronizing or tokenistic language when engaging with the Veteran community
• Building trust throughout consultation processes
• The value of humility in interactions with Veterans
• Distinguishing between necessary dissent and disruptive behaviour
• The importance of follow-ups in consultations

Resources

• Watch a video sharing considerations and tangible strategies for engaging with Veterans and Families
• Learn about the Atlas Institute’s Veteran and Family engagement framework, Engaging with Veterans and Families: Creating a new approach to collaboration
• Learn about the Atlas Institute’s work engaging the Veteran and Family community, including our Network of Networks approach
• Apply to be a member of the Veteran and Family Cadre at the Atlas Institute
• Learn about the National Collaborative on PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions
• Why is communication so hard? – Mind Beyond the Mission episode 4
• Get involved with the Atlas Institute

Dans cet épisode, Brian et Laryssa analysent l'idée d'une consultation authentique au sein de la communauté des vétérans et de leurs familles et ce à quoi elle peut ressembler concrètement. Ils discutent des pièges de l'engagement superficiel et de la nécessité d'une communication authentique et significative. Ils soulignent l'importance de l'instauration de la confiance, d'un dialogue honnête et de la distinction entre dissidence et comportement perturbateur dans les consultations. Au travers d'anecdotes personnelles et de points de vue professionnels, ils soulignent la nécessité d'écouter véritablement et de valider les expériences des vétérans et de leurs familles. 

 Thèmes clés

• L’importance d'une consultation authentique par rapport à un breffage après une prise de décision
• Éviter d'utiliser un langage condescendant ou symbolique lorsque l'on s'engage avec la communauté des vétérans
• Instaurer la confiance tout au long des processus de consultation

Corporal (Ret’d) Josh Muir joined Brian and Laryssa to talk about his experiences with the complex and deep-rooted relationship between alcohol and military culture. Josh shared how his journey to sobriety grew from external pressures from loved ones into a deep, personal commitment and discusses the value of openness and vulnerability in his recovery.

The episode explores Josh’s transition to a sober life focused on physical and mental well-being and meaningful relationships.

Josh served two tours in Afghanistan, primarily as part of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. Josh is now president of the Seaforth Highlanders Regimental Association.

Key topics

• The role of alcohol in military culture and how this can impact personal and professional relationships
• The healing power of sharing personal experiences
• Josh’s personal strategies to maintain sobriety amid social triggers, like "playing the tape to the end"
• The impacts alcohol can have on sleep
• The concept of "dry drunk" and the importance of addressing underlying issues to maintain sobriety
• The positive impacts of long-term sobriety on physical and mental health

Resources

• Watch Josh’s digital story
• Coping with posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs)
• For Families: Supporting yourself when your loved one is struggling with a posttraumatic stress injury
• Resources for Families and friends
• Find resources and information for getting help with substance use
• Veterans Transition Network National Peer Support Team — trained Veteran peer supporters helping other Veterans in their transition to post-service life
• Wounded Warriors Canada Sleep Solution — a free virtual sleep clinic dedicated to the screening and treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders

Le chemin vers la guérison : Josh Muir sur l'alcool et la culture militaire

Le caporal (à la retraite) Josh Muir a rejoint Brian et Laryssa pour parler de son expérience de la relation complexe et profondément enracinée entre l'alcool et la culture militaire. Josh a raconté comment son parcours vers la sobriété s'est transformé, à partir des pressions extérieures exercées par ses proches, en un engagement personnel profond, et il a évoqué la valeur de l'ouverture et de la vulnérabilité dans son rétablissement.

L'épisode explore la transition de Josh vers une vie sobre axée sur le bien-être physique et mental et sur des relations significatives.

Josh a servi deux fois en Afghanistan, principalement au sein des Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. Il est aujourd'hui président de l'association régimentaire des Seaforth Highlanders.

Thèmes clés

• Le rôle de l'alcool dans la culture militaire et son impact sur les relations personnelles et professionnelles
• Le pouvoir de guérison du partage des expériences personnelles
• Les stratégies personnelles de Josh pour maintenir la sobriété au milieu des déclencheurs sociaux, comme « jouer la cassette jusqu'à la fin »
• Les effets de l'alcool sur le sommeil
• Le concept d'« ivresse sèche » et l'importance de traiter les problèmes sous-jacents pour maintenir la sobriété
• Les effets positifs de la sobriété à long terme sur la santé physique et mentale.

Corporal (Ret’d) Shauna Mulligan, a Métis Veteran of the Canadian Army Reserve, joined Brian and Laryssa to reflect on her experiences and insight on how Indigenous culture and military service can intersect and interact with each other.

Shauna shares her personal journey of understanding her identity and cultural heritage and the challenges of integrating them into her military career. From the vital role of Veterans at powwows. to the significance of relationship-building within Indigenous communities, to the deeper importance of land acknowledgements, their candid discussion leads us to explore the implications for the Veteran and Family community and beyond.

Discover how Shauna’s spiritual awakening and her identity as a Métis Veteran have shaped her experiences and understanding of service, community and environmental stewardship in this new podcast episode.

Key topics

• The significance of Veterans at powwows and their sacred roles
• Purpose and deeper meaning of land acknowledgements
• Shauna's military journey and challenges around the recognition of her Indigenous identity
• The intersections of Métis heritage and military culture
• Emotional aspects of transitioning from military to post-service life
• Cultural sensitivity regarding the use of Indigenous names and symbols
• Personal reflections on Remembrance Day

Resources

• Watch Shauna’s digital story
• Read about First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples’ long and proud tradition of military service
• Learn about the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Veterans and Veteran Families
• Indigenous Peoples and Canada’s military: Explore the impacts of war and service for Indigenous communities
• Indigenous Canada: University of Alberta course providing context on systemic issues that affect Indigenous experiences in the CAF and post-service
• Read 14 facts you may not know about the contributions of Indigenous Veterans 

La caporale (à la retraite) Shauna Mulligan, vétérane métisse de la Réserve de l'Armée canadienne, s'est joint à Brian et Laryssa dans l'émission L’esprit au-delà de la mission pour parler de ses expériences et de son point de vue sur la façon dont la culture autochtone et le service militaire peuvent se croiser et interagir l'un avec l'autre.

Shauna nous fait part de son cheminement personnel dans la compréhension de son identité et de son héritage culturel, ainsi que des défis qu'elle a dû relever pour les intégrer à sa carrière militaire. Qu'il s'agisse du rôle vital des vétérans lors des pow-wows, de l'importance de l'établissement de relations au sein des communautés autochtones ou de l'importance plus profonde de la reconnaissance des terres, leur discussion franche nous amène à explorer les implications pour la communauté des vétérans et de leurs familles et au-delà.

Découvrez comment l'éveil spirituel de Shauna et son identité de vétérane métisse ont façonné ses expériences et sa compréhension du service, de la communauté et de la gérance de l'environnement dans ce nouvel épisode du balado.

En savoir plus : https://atl-as.ca/mbtm-ep24-fr

Colonel Telah Morrison, OMM, CD, retired from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 2022 after 35 years of service in both the Regular and Reserve Forces. Telah joined the CAF in 1986 and went to Royal Military College (RMC) Saint-Jean, six years after the RMC began allowing women to attend in 1980. She is the first woman Logistics Officer in the Royal 22nd 3rd Battalion, and the first woman and first logistician to teach at the infantry school. She was inducted into the Order of Military Merit as an officer.

Telah achieved her illustrious 35-year military career despite significant professional barriers she faced after she came forward about a sexual assault she had experienced at military college.

Telah joined Brian and Laryssa on Mind Beyond the Mission to share about the personal and professional impacts of military sexual trauma (MST), the crucial role of leadership and community in supporting those who are impacted, and highlights the urgent need for cultural shifts within the military to address and eliminate MST. She shares practical coping strategies and advice for survivors, reflects on the importance of resilience, recovery and the enduring bonds fostered within the military community.

Key topics

• The professional and personal lifelong impacts of MST and coping strategies for those who are impacted
• The vital role of community and peer support in processing traumatic events and supporting your well-being
• Fostering resilience and strength over time
• The importance of advocacy and awareness, and the broader cultural shifts needed in the military to address and prevent MST
• The significance of leaders talking openly about mental health and leading by example in seeking support

Resources

Resources on MST for people who are impacted, their Families and Friends, and health care providers

Canadian Military Wives Choir — providing a supportive network for women in the Canadian military community through music

Inspiring inclusion: What this means to women Veterans — a Perspectives blog post co-authored by Telah Morrison

Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre — services for currently serving and former CAF members impacted by sexual misconduct

Apply to Veterans Affairs Canada for disability benefits if you live with a mental or physical condition due to a service-related sexual trauma


Lire la description en français ici.

When Jim Davis saw on the news that a Canadian soldier had been killed in Afghanistan, he thought to himself, “My son is serving there… but so are 2,000 other Canadian soldiers. The odds are that it isn’t him.” Jim faced a parent’s worst nightmare later that day upon learning that his son Paul was the person killed in the line of duty.

In the 18 years since, Jim continues to cope with this loss by honouring his son’s legacy, sharing poignant memories of Paul with other military and Veteran Families impacted by the loss of a loved one — and helping them find healing too. 

He opened up to Brian and Laryssa about his journey moving through grief and the immense pride he feels for his son, sharing his coping strategies and the positive impacts of shared experiences and peer support.
 
Key topics

• The unique challenges faced by bereaved military Families, particularly in situations of separation
• The HOPE (Helping Our Peers by Providing Empathy) program's supports for grieving Family member
• The healing power of empathy and shared stories
• How honouring and cherishing a loved one’s memory can look different for everyone
• Managing grief and fostering strength over time
• The importance of peer support in coping with loss

 
 Resources

Corporal Paul James Davis – Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Exploring and navigating unspoken grief in Veteran Families — Presentation from the Veteran Family Summit

MyGrief.ca — Free e-learning resource to help people better understand and move through grief in different situations

HOPE program  — Peer support program for military and Veteran Families who have experienced loss

Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services — Programs and services for Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans and their Families 

Resources for Family and friends

Lorsque Jim Davis a vu aux nouvelles qu'un soldat canadien avait été tué en Afghanistan, il s'est dit : « Mon fils sert là-bas... mais il en va de même pour 2 000 autres soldats canadiens. Il y a de fortes chances que ce ne soit pas lui ». Ce jour-là, Jim a été confronté au pire cauchemar d'un parent en apprenant que son fils Paul était la personne tuée dans l'exercice de ses fonctions.

Au cours des 18 dernières années, Jim continue de faire face à cette perte en honorant la mémoire de son fils, en partageant des souvenirs poignants de Paul avec d'autres familles de militaires et de vétérans qui ont perdu un être cher, et en les aidant à guérir à leur tour.

Il s'est ouvert à Brian et Laryssa sur son cheminement à travers le deuil et l'immense fierté qu'il éprouve pour son fils, partageant ses stratégies d'adaptation et les effets positifs du partage d'expériences et du soutien par les pairs.

Thèmes clés

• Les défis uniques auxquels sont confrontées les familles militaires endeuillées, en particulier dans les situations de séparation.
• Le soutien apporté par le programme HOPE (Helping Our Peers by Providing Empathy) aux membres des familles en deuil.
• Le pouvoir de guérison de l'empathie et des histoires partagées
• Comment le fait d'honorer et de chérir la mémoire d'un être cher peut varier d'une personne à l'autre
• La gestion du deuil et le renforcement de la force au fil du temps
• L'importance du soutien des pairs pour faire face à la perte d'un être cher