The VetsConnection Podcast

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We talk with Suzanne MacPhail about how horses help people access truth, regulation, and connection when talk therapy alone hits a wall. Along the way we trace her path from trauma counseling to founding Hands for Healing Equine and building a hands-on veteran program where the animals lead the learning. 

• Suzanne’s route into mental health counseling and trauma work 
• How early horse experiences shape a lifelong attachment 
• Why EGALA-style groundwork differs from riding programs 
• What separates equine-assisted therapy from equine-assisted learning 
• How horses respond to heartbeat, emotion, and body language 
• Suzanne’s personal trauma story and using EMDR for healing 
• The bond with a “heart horse” and why it matters 
• Building a 501(c)(3) and what nonprofit life really requires 
• The Windrush Farm partnership and an eight-week veteran curriculum 
• Meet the herd: Mama, Sophie, Poe, and Autumn 
• Donkey behavior, protection instincts, and what “stubborn” really means 
• Fundraising realities when the horses’ care comes first 

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We sit down with Marine veteran James Jackson to talk about the “creep up” of stress, stigma, and silence that can follow veterans long after service. We also unpack how Call On Me Foundation responds when the unthinkable happens by delivering immediate financial support and staying present for surviving families.
• James’ path from Virginia to the Marine Corps and Iraq deployment work on ordnance 
• Why comparing trauma shuts down veterans’ stories and delays healing 
• The hard reality of transition after service and finding a new career lane 
• How Call On Me Foundation starts by helping one fallen Marine’s family 
• The foundation’s mission to provide immediate assistance after unexpected loss with a focus on suicide 
• What it feels like to call a grieving spouse and hear the full story 
• PTSD, anxiety, depression and the danger of letting it all boil over 
• Finding the right mental health support when the first provider is not a fit 
• Building partnerships with other veteran nonprofits for referrals and resources 
• Fundraising through events, corporate sponsors, and recurring donations that fuel rapid response 
go to the website and give them your money. 
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Once again I record live from Herd Foundation in Delray Beach during a veteran barbecue that shows how grants, community partners, and horses come together to create real healing. We hear why equine assisted services build patience, calm, and connection, plus why a handmade Quilt of Valor can break through walls that nothing else touches. 

• partnering with Delray Beach Elks Lodge to fund Herd programming through a $10,000 grant 
• why locals miss the ranch even after decades nearby 
• veterans describing equine assisted services as calming and life changing 
• lessons from the arena about stories we make up and self regulation 
• the meaning of Quilts of Valor and why they feel different than awards 
• nonprofit collaboration, referrals, and supporting veteran families after loss 
• Herd Foundation growth, upcoming spring dinner, and expanded support for families and kids 
• patience defined as not letting emotions drive actions 

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I sit with Eric Weaver to trace the road from Gulf War service through hidden trauma, the life-changing role of a service dog, and the rise of Broward Vet Working as a practical, human network for veterans across South Florida. The talk blends hard truths, humor, and clear steps anyone can take to plug in.

• RIF fallout, base closures, and early exit impacts
• The slow arrival of trauma and loss of empathy
• How Gent the service dog interrupts panic and nightmares
• Inside Patriot Service Dogs training and pairing
• Founding Broward Vet Working from 10 to 350 members
• Jobs, VA navigation, legal help, and emergency support
• Activities that rebuild connection and purpose
• Becoming a 501c3 to fund meals and expand reach
• Membership options and transition support for new vets
• How to join and what meetings feel like

Go to oneman1micfoundation.org to learn more and apply
Go to browardvetworking.com to join, donate, or find a meeting

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We trace Thomas Coles-Reyes’s path from a draft-day shock and a brutal homecoming to two years on the streets, a life-saving mentor, and the creation of A Vets Place. He explains why permanent housing beats transitional models, how he built a one‑stop hub for veterans and families, and what it took to rebuild after losing everything.

• core theme of dignity through permanent, affordable housing
• childhood instability, institutional care, and forgiveness
• homelessness in New York and the mentor who opened a door
• early advocacy wins, including a direct line to the mayor
• building A Vets Place: property, partnerships, and services on-site
• food pantry, clothing closet, notary, and VSO under one roof
• coffee socials as early-warning and community care
• growth to 30 apartments, then property loss and reinvention
• funding realities and the nonprofit “two-tier” problem
• female veterans’ hidden homelessness and suicide risk
• jobs, training, and entrepreneurial bootcamp for veterans
• current caseload, how to book help, and how to support

If you like what Thomas is doing and you feel passionate about this, give him your money. Give him your Money. Go to vetsplace.org and donate

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Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: [email protected]. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

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I talk with Natasha and Lee from Points for Patriots to explore Battle Buds, a veteran wellness program that pairs yoga with hydroponic gardening to rebuild structure, lower stress, and deliver fresh food to neighbors in need. Former NFL player Lee Hightower and Army veteran yogi Natasha Rector share how breath, plants, and community help veterans find purpose and calm.

• origin of Points for Patriots and its three pillars of wellness, connectedness, social entrepreneurship
• Lee’s path from NFL to Japan to urban gardening
• Natasha’s Army Guard service, deployment, and yoga certification
• why yoga and hydroponics align for veteran wellness
• how Battle Buds works week to week on Zoom
• what cohorts grow and why leafy greens win
• patience, breath, and routine as transition tools
• bridging veterans, civilians, spouses, and youth
• Boca cohort details and donating produce locally
• ways to join, volunteer, or give

Give them your money. Go to pointsforpatriots.org and give them your money

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We sit down with Marine veteran and counselor Tim Roberto to trace how pain became purpose and why Stomping Out The Stigma offers ten free, confidential therapy sessions to first responders and veterans. We follow his 100-mile Surfside walk, the moments that changed minds, and the simple systems that save lives.

• origins of long-term recovery and stigma
• Marines, AWOL, addiction and depression
• first 20-mile walk and organic momentum
• why confidentiality beats fear of HR and EAP
• ten free sessions with licensed therapists
• kitchen table culture in firehouses
• Surfside tribute: 98 lives, 100 miles
• expansion to Georgia, North Carolina and New Jersey
• small costs like 35 dollar copays change outcomes
• mentorship, vulnerability and speaking up
• how to reach SOTS and get help

If this episode touched you in any way, shape, or form, and you know somebody or you are somebody, please reach out to Tim. Do it. Don’t white knuckle it. If you know somebody or you are somebody, reach out. And it’s free. First name only. No HR. Nothing. We don’t report to any agency.

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Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: [email protected]. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

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We talk with filmmaker and actor Robert X. Golphin about Chest Candy, a 17-minute short that shows how PTSD reshapes a home and how three generations of women fight for one veteran. We explore craft choices, authentic casting, festival wins, and why community screenings matter.

• origin of the story in a 30-second reel and veteran feedback
• why the film focuses on family impact over battlefield scenes
• research, consultants, and restraint to avoid sensationalism
• casting serendipity and a military child’s authentic perspective
• a compressed 48-hour shoot and visual claustrophobia
• festival grind, awards, and deeper validation from veterans
• Brian McKnight Jr.’s intimate score and framed dedications
• title meaning linking medals to family as true chest candy
• veterans’ benefits battles, stigma, and better language for thanks
• plans for screenings, talkbacks, and possible expansion

If you want to find the short film, go to YouTube and type “Chest Candy film.” To request a screening or connect: robertxgolphin.com • robertxgolphinentertainment.com • [email protected]

Support the show

Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: [email protected]. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

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We open the year with a candid look at veteran transition, from hard knocks to a practical roadmap that turns service into civilian success. Natalie Schibell, Navy veteran and founder of Mission to Commission, shares how a 60-page playbook, secure tools, and “always care” support veterans, spouses, and even students.

• origin story in Navy medicine and recruiting
• painful transition lessons and repeated resets
• why “everyone hires veterans” is a myth
• translating rank and billets into business outcomes
• the 50–60 page career strategy playbook
• certifications, ATS keywords and targeted outreach
• TAP strengths and limits for personalization
• AI as a research and resume ally with guardrails
• virtual reach, secure portal and weekly content
• donations, employer matching and merch on the way
• “always care” approach beyond first job offer

Give Natalie a call at 877-622-7473 (RISE)

“If you liked it, share it. If you didn’t like it, well, thanks for watching and listening for one hour and 27 seconds.”

Support the show

Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: [email protected]. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast

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We trace Haley’s path from Navy Master-at-Arms to K9 handler, through injury, loss, and COVID isolation, and into a Skillbridge placement at an equine nonprofit that helped her reframe control, connection, and purpose. Candid stories of hypervigilance, TBI questions, therapy wins, and the reality of starting over as a single mom sharpen a hopeful blueprint for transition.

• choosing the Navy and MA route amid height and weight assumptions
• earning the leash, certification pressure, and kennel culture
• Bahrain duty, mentorship, and leadership’s impact on morale
• injury, family loss, COVID quarantine, and mental health fallout
• clear Skillbridge guidance, timelines, and approval insights
• equine-assisted learning at Herd and the predator vs prey shift
• transition stress, hypervigilance, sleep images, and TBI questions
• therapy as a performance system and guarding care continuity
• faith, single motherhood, and redefining purpose and leadership
• future plans: MBA path, nonprofit vision, serving veterans

If you liked it, share it. If you didn’t like it, well, thanks for watching and listening for an hour and seven minutes, eight minutes.

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Like, Subscribe and Share. If you have comments or suggestions email us at: [email protected]. You can also find the video of this podcast on our YouTube Channel - Vetsconnection Podcast