As the Children and Families Specialist at Operation Warrior Resolution (OWR), I work with children and families whose lives have been shaped by military service. Over 19 years of working with children, I’ve learned that helping a child doesn’t always have to begin with getting them to tell me what’s wrong.

At OWR, we recognize that supporting a veteran also means supporting the family. Children can experience the effects of a parent’s military service, trauma, transition or other challenges in ways they may not have the words to describe. Our Children and Family Services are designed to meet children where they are while giving parents tools to understand, support and connect with them.

Adults naturally ask questions: What happened? Why are you upset? What are you feeling? There are times when children need and want to talk, and listening is what we should do. But meaningful support doesn’t always require a child to identify, explain or retell a difficult experience.

Children have extraordinary imaginations. They understand story, metaphor, silliness, pictures, movement, pretend worlds and play. When we engage that imagination intentionally, we can invite a child to experience possibilities beyond whatever may feel difficult or fixed in that moment.

One child came to OWR struggling with recurring nightmares that were disrupting sleep and affecting the family at home. Rather than asking the child to explain or retell what was causing the fear, we used imagination and Brain-Based Healing to help create a different internal experience. Afterward, the parent shared that the nightmares had stopped and they were seeing a calmer, happier child at home. For the family, that change meant more than better sleep, it brought a sense of relief and connection back into the home.

We’ve seen similar changes across the children and families we serve. Nightmares have disappeared, sadness and anger have shifted toward empowerment, harmful behaviors and reactions have ended, and relationships within the family have improved. Sometimes challenges that once felt overwhelming become manageable.

That same philosophy can help parents. When a child is angry, fearful, withdrawn or simply behaving differently, our instinct may be to figure out what is wrong and fix it. Curiosity can open another door: What brings connection? What reminds this child of their strengths? What might help them experience this moment differently?

Parents don’t need another list of things they’re doing wrong. Sometimes they need more ways to understand and connect with their children, and tools they can continue using at home.

One of the tools we incorporate into this work is Sidewalk Magic: Resolving General Trauma in Children, a children’s book I developed using an abstract, imaginative journey that leaves room for children to bring their own experiences to the story. Its companion activity guide offers playful, creative activities families can use outside of our work together.

The message behind that tool reflects what we want children and families to understand through our work at OWR: hard things can be part of a child’s story without becoming their whole story. There can still be laughter, play, connection, curiosity and imagination.

If there is one thing I hope veteran parents take from our work, it is that you don’t always need exactly the right words, and neither does your child.

Sometimes we can stop asking children to explain their world long enough to join them in it.

Following his military service, Chris dedicated himself to understanding the lasting effects of combat, PTSD, and loss. Over the previous two years, he worked with more than 40 mental health providers while embracing practices such as breathwork, yoga, coaching, and holistic wellness. Each experience added another piece to his healing and ultimately inspired a new purpose.

Today, Chris and his wife, April, co-own Trinity Yoga Wellness Center in New Port Richey, Florida, where they help veterans, first responders, couples, and families through yoga, breathwork, coaching, and wellness. Chris, a former Army Captain, also serves as a death doula, life coach, ordained minister, veterans advocate, speaker, and breathwork facilitator, while April brings her own journey of resilience and a background in technology and business leadership.

Because helping others heal has become their life’s work, they’ve participated in other retreats and wellness programs. Yet they describe their experience at OWR as something uniquely meaningful.

Rather than replacing the work Chris had already done, OWR built upon it. The retreat reinforced practices he valued while introducing meaningful connections and practical tools that strengthened not only his own growth, but also his relationship with April. The experience was so impactful that he returned just a few months later with her for OWR’s Couples Retreat.

“One of the reasons Operation Warrior Resolution resonates so deeply with us is because we understand firsthand how military service can impact both the veteran and the spouse,” the Eatons shared. “Healthy relationships require intention, communication, and a willingness to continue growing together.”

From the moment they arrived, they noticed the difference.

“The warm welcome, the atmosphere, the schedule, the facilitators, and the overall experience reflected a genuine commitment to serving veterans and their spouses,” they said.

The retreat balanced education, reflection, and connection. Personality assessments, yoga, a sound bath, and equine experiences helped couples reconnect with themselves and each other.

For April, who grew up around horses, the equine experience was especially meaningful.

“It felt like coming home,” she said. “Seeing him smile and truly enjoy that moment alongside me is something I will never forget.”

The weekend also fostered authentic conversations with other veteran couples.

“Some were navigating challenges, others sharing successes, and many discovered we weren’t alone in what we were experiencing,” they said. “The space that was created for authentic conversation fostered trust, acceptance, and support.”

The Eatons left with practical tools they immediately applied at home.

“They weren’t just concepts discussed in a classroom setting,” they explained. “They were skills and practices we could immediately bring home and integrate into our daily lives.”

Their story reflects one of Operation Warrior Resolution’s core beliefs: healing doesn’t stop with the veteran. Military service affects entire families, which is why OWR intentionally serves spouses and children alongside veterans through Brain-Based Healing, couples retreats, and holistic wellness programs. Inspired by their experience, Chris and April have now enrolled three of their children in OWR’s Brain-Based Healing program.

“The support and services they provide have been some of the most uplifting and meaningful experiences for our family,” they said.

For the Eatons, OWR became another meaningful chapter in a lifelong journey of healing—one that strengthened their marriage, inspired healing for their children, and reinforced that when veterans heal together with their families, the impact reaches far beyond the individual.

On her second day in Operation Warrior Resolution’s Equine-Assisted Healing Program, Luckey described feeling an immediate connection.

“Her energy was calm and stable. I got grounded in the present moment, and I made sure my energy matched hers because I didn’t want to take her out of her Zen space.”

As the weeks progressed, that connection deepened.

“Today was very special with Tara. We’ve built more trust in each session, and today I felt protected by her,” Luckey wrote. “This beautiful creature where there is mutual trust offered me safety in that moment.”

The program also challenged her to explore leadership and boundaries. During one session, Tara repeatedly became distracted by another horse.

“My trainer had me redirect her by walking her in circles whenever she tried it. Simple, but powerful. It showed her I was in control and that we had a job to do.”

When motorcycles later startled Tara, Luckey remained calm and grounded.

“Today reminded me whether it’s horses or life, distractions will come, emotions will rise and things will try to pull you off track. But if you stay steady, set clear boundaries, and lead with calm confidence, that’s your control and you get through it.”

At the completion of the six-week program, Luckey reported that her emotional well-being had “significantly improved” and that she felt “much calmer and more manageable” emotionally. She credited the program with improving her communication, helping her maintain healthy boundaries, and giving her greater confidence to protect her own energy.

“The whole program from Day 1 to the end positively impacted my life,” Luckey wrote. “Communication and sticking to my boundaries. Having the confidence to check in with myself first and protect my energy. And it’s made me more gentle in my communications.”

She added, “This did more for me than talk therapy ever did.”

Luckey’s experience reflects the goals of Operation Warrior Resolution’s Equine-Assisted Healing Program, in partnership with Suncoast Therapeutic Equine Partners, which provides veterans with a supportive space to engage in meaningful experiences that foster personal growth and resilience. Through thoughtful interactions with horses, veterans build trust, deepen self-awareness, strengthen emotional regulation, and reconnect with themselves in a judgment-free environment. The program helps participants develop lasting partnerships with their equine companions while guiding them toward greater balance and well-being.

Unlike traditional riding programs, the focus is not on horsemanship skills. Veterans participate in ground-based activities that mirror real-life challenges and relationships. Because horses are highly sensitive to human behavior and emotion, they provide immediate and honest feedback, helping participants recognize patterns that may contribute to stress, relationship challenges, or difficulty regulating emotions.

The curriculum is intentionally structured, with each lesson building on the previous one. Veterans begin by learning about herd dynamics, safety, and the horse-human relationship before progressing through connection, confidence, trust, respect, leadership, self-awareness, gratitude, and moving forward with intention. Activities include breathing exercises, grooming, leading horses through obstacles, and practicing nonverbal communication. Horses provide immediate feedback, helping participants understand how their thoughts, emotions, and actions influence both the horse and themselves.

For many veterans, healing begins when they feel safe enough to reconnect—with themselves, with others, and sometimes with a horse that quietly shows them the way forward.

Operation Warrior Resolution (OWR), a Florida-based nonprofit serving military veterans and their families, was founded to address that gap. Having recently acquired a property, Warrior Spirit Ranch, the organization is taking a significant step forward towards building a purpose-driven center designed to support long-term healing, connection, and resilience. OWR is expanding a model of care that has already demonstrated measurable success for those who’ve served.

OWR was founded by Army veteran and licensed clinical social worker, Kendra Simpkins Walsh, whose own post-service struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation shaped the organization’s mission. After finding healing through neuroscience-based and holistic approaches that did not require reliving trauma, Walsh committed to ensuring other veterans would not continue to slip through the cracks.

Since its founding in 2018, OWR has served more than 2,000 veteran families through individualized mental health care, retreats, couples services, and community-based programming. The organization reports an 85–90 percent improvement rate in symptoms of trauma and depression, placing it in the top 10 percent of mental health organizations nationwide. In recognition of its outcomes and impact, OWR was named 2025 Nonprofit of the Year.

These results are driven by OWR’s brain-based approach, which resolves unprocessed trauma without requiring veterans to re-experience painful memories. Just as important in the healing process, is the emphasis on community and bringing veterans together to restore the camaraderie often lost after military service.

As demand increased, veterans began asking for continuity and a place they could return to beyond a single retreat or short-term program. That need became the foundation for Warrior Spirit Ranch.

The vision for the ranch and constructing the Veterans Wellness Center was developed through Walsh’s Personal Leadership Project while participating in the George W. Bush Veterans Leadership Program, which she recently completed. The program challenged fellows to identify systemic gaps facing veterans nationwide and design sustainable solutions. For Walsh, that gap was clear: effective care existed, but veterans needed a permanent place where healing and connection could continue.

At the heart of Warrior Spirit Ranch is a 4,500-square-foot Veterans Wellness Center currently under development. Designed intentionally outside of a clinical setting, the facility integrates outcome-driven care with nature and community. Veterans will access group workshops, private sessions, and integrative services including infrared sauna, cold immersion, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and medical massage—addressing both mental health challenges and chronic physical pain.

The center will also include a fitness space, areas for peer connection, and a yoga studio that opens into the surrounding landscape. Warrior Spirit Ranch is intended to function as a long-term community hub, hosting retreats, ongoing wellness programming, and workforce readiness opportunities.

As construction moves forward, OWR is actively seeking philanthropic partners and mission-aligned donors to help complete the Veterans Wellness Center and ensure its long-term sustainability. Warrior Spirit Ranch is being built not just as a facility, but as a commitment to help thousands more veterans heal, reconnect with purpose, and restore the warrior spirit that endures long after service ends.

For more information, please visit https://www.operationwarriorresolution.org/ or contact Kendra Simpkins Walsh at kendra@operationwarriorresolution.org.

A Year of Unexpected Loss and New Vision

In 2024, OWR faced a challenge that could have halted its progress. Hurricane damage destroyed its primary facility, leaving the organization without a permanent home. The loss was devastating, not only because of the physical space but because the space represented a safe haven for veterans in need.

But OWR’s team refused to let adversity become defeat. OWR is now developing a one-of-a-kind Veterans Healing Center designed specifically for the unique needs of military veterans and their families. The vision was not just to rebuild, but to build better and create more access to services that veterans are seeking.

A Sanctuary for Healing

The future Veterans Healing Center will be more than a building. It will be a sanctuary for hope and transformation, offering innovative approaches like Brain-Based Healing and Tactical Healing Retreats, coupled with acupuncture, chiropractic, medical massage, yoga, jiu-jitsu, ice baths, infrared saunas, recreational fitness, and peer to peer workshops–all equipping veterans with long-term tools for resilience and growth.

Here, veterans can find relief from chronic pain and injuries, address trauma at its roots, reconnect with a sense of purpose, and rediscover the joy of living. The center will also host community events, workshops, and retreats to create an environment where veteran bonds are built and isolation is replaced by connection.

Why This Work Matters

National Suicide Prevention Month serves as a reminder that behind every statistic is a name, a family, and a future that could be saved. According to recent data, the veteran suicide rate is significantly higher than that of the general population, and the first few years after leaving service are particularly high-risk.

OWR’s approach is unique and comprehensive. This is accomplished by addressing mental, emotional, and physical health, as well as connecting veterans with their families and others in the veteran community. This isn’t just about therapy sessions; it’s about creating a network of support that can intervene before a crisis becomes irreversible.

From Community Support to National Impact

Building the Veterans Healing Center is not something OWR can do alone. It requires the involvement of community members, donors, businesses, and fellow veterans who believe in the mission. Every dollar raised and every hour volunteered brings the organization closer to opening the doors of a facility that will save lives.

The goal is for the center to become a permanent cornerstone of healing in Florida, serving as a model for other communities across the country. In doing so, OWR hopes to spark a movement that challenges how the nation addresses veteran suicide by moving from crisis response to proactive prevention.

A Legacy Worth Fighting For

OWR’s story is one of resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment. From its founding to its response to disaster, the organization has demonstrated that adversity can be transformed into opportunity.

As we observe National Suicide Prevention Month, OWR extends an invitation to stand with them and to be part of building a place where no veteran ever feels alone in their fight. The Veterans Healing Center will not just honor those who have served; it will ensure their futures are filled with hope, purpose, and life.

For more information, please contact info@operationwarriorresolution.org or visit www.operationwarriorresolution.org.

At the heart of Operation Warrior Resolution’s work is their unparalleled Tactical Healing Retreat. This transformational, 5 day experience is designed specifically for veterans facing trauma, anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress. Using Brain-Based Healing approaches, the program helps participants process painful experiences without needing to relive them. The retreat allows veterans to experience calmness, clarity, and reconnection with self and their community.

More than 87% of OWR participants report significant improvement in symptoms. But beyond the data, the real power lies in the stories. Veterans who once felt broken return home with a renewed sense of purpose. They become more present, more connected to their families, and more hopeful for what lies ahead.

“My husband came home lighter, happier, and full of love. For the first time in 14 years, he’s consistently taking care of himself—doing yoga before I even wake up and proudly taking his vitamins. His commitment to our family has always been strong, but now he’s showing that same commitment to his own well-being, and it’s been life-changing for all of us. Thank you for healing those that gave everything to fight for our peace.” Mariah Hayden, a US Air Force veteran spouse, shared after her husband attended OWR’s Tactical Healing Retreat.

Military Appreciation Month is also a time to acknowledge those who serve alongside veterans. The spouses, partners, and children of service members carry the weight of long absences, emotional distance, and silent struggles. OWR finds that true healing for veterans must include their families.

To meet that need, OWR developed their Couples Retreat, a hands-on immersive experience designed to help veteran couples reconnect and strengthen their relationships. Over the course of two days, the retreat provides practical tools for communication, emotional understanding, and resilience. More than anything, it offers space to be together. It is a time to connect, breathe, and remember why they chose each other in the first place.

The impact of OWR’s retreats stretches far beyond the days spent on site. When a veteran finds peace, their family feels it. When a couple heals, their children thrive. This ripple effect is what appreciation in action truly looks like, not just in symbolic gestures, but in everyday life.

Operation Warrior Resolution is rapidly expanding, driven by a deep commitment to veteran families. In 2025, they aim to serve 500 Florida veterans and their loved ones. This goal is made possible by the creation of a state-of-the-art healing center, built in response to the loss of their previous facility during the 2024 hurricane season. Their vital work continues thanks to the unwavering support of the community, devoted volunteers, and the generosity of those who believe no veteran should have to face their battles alone.

As the nation honors its heroes this May, OWR encourages others to remember that true appreciation means more than recognition; it means restoration. It means building a future where veterans and their families are not just surviving, but truly thriving.

Because caring for the whole family is how we truly honor their service.

For more information about Operation Warrior Resolution and the ways you can support their mission, please visit www.operationwarriorresolution.org or contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@operationwarriorresolution.org.

Now, OWR has found a new home and created their veteran healing center, a peaceful and nature-rich sanctuary that perfectly aligns with their mission. This transition marks a significant step forward in the organization’s commitment to moving away from sterile, clinical environments and into spaces that foster deep healing. It’ll be the first of its kind.

For years, OWR has been redefining mental health care for veterans, offering innovative programs that prioritize natural and holistic healing methods. This location provides the ideal backdrop for this work—surrounded by lush greenery, serene walking paths, and tranquil spaces designed for reflection and restoration. Unlike traditional clinical offices, this setting helps veterans feel at ease, making the healing process more effective and deeply personal.

The new space supports OWR’s Tactical Healing Program, which utilizes brain-based healing to clear trauma efficiently and effectively, without the need to relive traumatic experiences. OWR’s program allows veterans to foster the camaraderie that is integral in the military by bringing together groups of veterans to connect and heal. This is a factor that is often missed by members after service. The retreat setting enhances this process by providing a calming, immersive experience that fosters breakthroughs, transformation and connection through a variety of services, including equine therapy with horses. OWR has documented a 80 percent improvement rate in mental health symptoms due to their services and they perform in the top 10 percent of clinics nationwide. Reflecting on his experience, Tim Baldwin, a US Navy Veteran shared, “What OWR is doing is absolutely amazing. You couldn’t ask for a better group to help you if you are struggling.” He added, “They even help your spouse and your kids.”

Beyond its therapeutic benefits, the veterans healing center allows OWR to expand its vision. OWR is able to serve 30 percent more veteran families thanks to the new location. The center’s thoughtfully designed spaces also accommodate community-building, peer support, and ongoing wellness initiatives, where veterans can continue to come back and take part in all that OWR has to offer. This holistic approach addresses not only emotional challenges for both the veteran and their family members, but also creates long-term resilience and connection.

OWR’s move represents more than just a new location—it’s the realization of a vision that prioritizes veterans’ well-being in a space that truly supports their healing journey. From the chaos of the storm has come a foundation stronger than ever, ensuring that those who have served can find peace, restoration, and hope in a place that feels like home.

For more information about Operation Warrior Resolution and the ways you can support their mission, please visit www.operationwarriorresolution.org or contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn@operationwarriorresolution.org.

During the month of September, it’s crucial to raise awareness to end the tragedy of veteran suicide through National Suicide Awareness Month.

Veteran Non-profit and 501c3, Operation Warrior Resolution (OWR), helps veterans get the healing they need from PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Rather than following a traditional medical approach, they’re offering innovative and holistic healing options with promising results.

According to OWR’s Founder and CEO, Kendra Simpkins Walsh, who is a U.S. Army Veteran, the work they are doing with their programs is making a major difference for the veterans involved. This includes a specialized treatment that utilizes neuroplasticy to resolve trauma and optimize the brain’s functioning, called brain based healing.

“The results of our data are showing that our programs and treatments to resolve PTSD are remarkably successful,” Kendra said. “Veterans have a significant reduction in symptoms of trauma and depression, and on average, have a 80% improvement rate.”

“We serve hundreds of veterans, spouses and children every year, with our unique programs consistently standing in the top 10% of mental health programs nationwide,” she added.

U.S. Air Force veteran John Marr says that brain based healing had a major impact on him.

“After struggling with “revolving door” programs that left me with more questions than answers, I found myself in a place so dark that I couldn’t see any way out,” John said.

Marr says he survived that darkness, but guilt and depression still consumed him.

“I began searching for a new approach where I discovered OWR and brain based healing. When I learned they also provide help for my family, I knew that was the path I needed to take.”

OWR not only provides services to the family members of veterans, but also provides a holistic approach to address challenges on a physical, emotional, social, and spiritual level. In addition to brain based healing, OWR provides a wide range of services that includes equine therapy, chiropractic and chronic pain management, nutrition coaching, ice baths for inflammation, healing retreats for veterans and their spouses, and trauma-informed yoga to assist with overall health.

Kendra coined a new term for trauma-informed yoga, Combat Conscious Yoga, because she felt that veterans would be more receptive to it. Classes are focused on helping veterans resolve military-and transitioning-related challenges.

About three years ago, Navy veteran Dan Bue began attending Combat Conscious Yoga after learning about the program from a local news story that advertised free yoga for veterans and their families.

“I knew yoga was good for me and it made me feel good, so I made the decision to check it out,” he said.

After Dan attended another one of OWR’s programs, the veterans retreat in 2022, his wife Jen noticed a difference in him.

“I didn’t see any change in him until after he went to the retreat. He came home with a different attitude and perspective,” she said. “It was an opportunity for him to do something to benefit himself.”

After that retreat, Dan and Jen began volunteering at more of OWR’s retreats and events, and not long after, he was asked to teach Combat Conscious Yoga for OWR.

“It was a situation of being in the right place at the right time,” he said.

It’s been a year and a half since Dan began teaching yoga. He currently teaches three days a week for OWR and has expanded to teaching both veterans and civilians.

Dan regularly gets positive feedback from participants of his classes.

“It’s humbling,” he said. “People tell me they love the structure of it, that it’s a gentle yet powerful yoga class.”

Though he said it took a little prodding to get him to teach in the beginning, Dan is thankful that yoga has become such a big part of his life—and he enjoys the opportunity to provide this service to veterans in their healing journey.

Like Dan, John is thankful for OWR’s combination of mind, body, and spirit approaches through brain based healing and the other veterans programs.

“It provided the elements previous approaches failed to encompass for me,” he said. “Operation Warrior Resolution gave me a new lease on life, one with a bright future.”

To donate, or get involved in helping to end veteran suicide through OWR’s promising brain based healing or other programs, go www.OperationWarriorResolution.org

We give our veterans a lot of credit and recognition, but that’s only a portion of what they need. That’s why organizations like, Operation Warrior Resolution, are doing their part to ensure veterans, as well as their spouse and children, get all the help they require after military service.

While on deployment, servicemen and women are usually surrounded by supportive and understanding groups of like-minded individuals. Although, once they return home, there is often familial strain due to time in service, and that support and connection can be hard to find. That’s why Operation Warrior Resolution focuses on providing resources, innovative therapies, and programs for the whole family to successfully transition into civilian life.

At Operation Warrior Resolution, we believe that supporting veterans and their families means more than just offering recognition – it also requires providing resources and services to ensure they have the tools to succeed in whatever path they choose. We’re proud to do our part.

When it comes to the discourse surrounding veterans, we mustn’t get tunnel vision when discussing the subject. We must remember that Military Appreciation Month is not just a time to recognize our veterans and thank them for their service—it’s also an opportunity to acknowledge the families of those who have served.

Because of this, we also provide programs designed to strengthen families through increased communication and deepened connections between spouses and veterans who may have gone months or years without seeing each other during deployment or active-duty service. These families are also on the frontline of their veteran family member who struggles, so it’s crucial that the spouse and children also have access to resources and services for support.

Take one couple we were able to help, for example. After Eric Tomlinson left the military after two deployments, his wife noticed something was off. He had begun struggling with depression and anxiety, which spiraled out of control over the course of a few years. He had visited the VA and was enrolled in various counseling programs and traditional talk therapy, but he hadn’t made much progress. It was at the point where it took a toll on his marriage.

By chance, his wife Laura had happened to learn of Operation Warrior Resolution, and she suggested that he reach out. At this point, they had tried so many options they figured it wouldn’t hurt to try one more.

Thankfully, it worked. “I noticed a huge change in Eric after the retreat and ever since. OWR saved him and saved our marriage,” Laura explained. Through the innovative, Tactical Healing program, Eric was able to attend a week-long retreat designed to help him through his struggles and start to address the underlying issues that were causing him to spiral out of control.

Eric shared with us, “It was as if a hand was in front of my face–I can see the details in my hand–that’s the trauma that was in front of me daily. But after the brain-based healing and other therapies, I can move my hand into my peripherals. I know it’s there, but I’m not obsessing over it, and I can get on with my life.”

But for Eric and Laura, the story didn’t end there. The couple had learned of other services offered by Operation Warrior Resolution designed to focus on the family unit. Laura was able to receive her own therapy sessions, and with help and guidance at a Couple’s Retreat, they were able to relearn how to communicate with each other while working through the issues he had been dealing with during his service.

The spouses don’t have a lot of services or therapeutic support available to them, and “I love how OWR also takes care of the spouses,” Laura expressed.

“I have to admit, I never looked at it from my spouse’s point of view. I was selfish in only looking at it that it was my trauma, and only I could deal with it. I didn’t realize I was creating pain and trauma for her. The retreat opened my eyes to the fact that I wasn’t only self-inflicting but spreading it,” he shared.

Stories like this remind us why supporting our veterans and their families is important – not only during Military Appreciation Month but all year long. At Operation Warrior Resolution, we are proud of the work we do in bringing attention and rebuilding the lives of those who protect us every day: our nation’s military service members and their families.

Kendra Simpkins is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Operation Warrior Resolution

I served in the Army for seven years as a Logistics Officer. During that time, I experienced unspeakable trauma due to the actions of a fellow soldier. The last three of my years of service were haunted by serving as a witness in a court martial.

It took a toll on my mental health, and I struggled to make sense of life afterward. The depression and post-traumatic stress were crippling, and I felt like I was in a dark hole I could never escape. I was later medically retired, and after leaving the service, finding a place in the world where I belonged was hard.

Things got worse when I returned home and tried to find a job. The symptoms from the trauma made it hard for me to even apply for jobs, let alone hold one down. Anxiety took hold, and I couldn’t even leave the house without my husband by my side. As the years went by, my relationship with my family became strained. My daughters wanted nothing to do with me.

I had spent years trying to get help from wherever I could find it–I tried it all. I went to multiple therapists and intensive inpatient programs, but nothing seemed to help. I started experimenting with holistic forms of healing, such as wilderness retreats and even visiting various shamans. While they were helpful, I still felt like I was stuck in my own head.

It wasn’t until a friend of mine told me about a veteran’s retreat program down in Florida that was really helping people heal. Operation Warrior Resolution was the answer I had been looking for.

This organization dedicates itself to offering veterans free therapy services using innovative tactics, including a specialized brain-based healing for trauma, yoga, meditation, chiropractic, pain management, nutrition and equine therapy. I was fortunate to be accepted into their Tactical Healing program, which is a 3-month program, starting with a 5-day retreat. I was surrounded by veterans who were just as broken, scared, and hurt as me, all starting this journey together.

At this point in my life, I had so many problems trusting people, and after trying so many other alternative therapies, I was also skeptical of the program. But as soon as I entered the retreat house, I could feel the energy of healing and hope.

The combination of specialized brain-based healing, peer support, and alternative therapies profoundly affected my life. I felt a sense of peace and purpose for the first time in years. The program gave me the tools to cope with my trauma and take back my life. By the time I went through the first brain-based healing session, I felt like the baggage of 12 years of trauma had fallen off my shoulders. I was right where I was supposed to be when I was supposed to be there.

Through their compassionate guidance and instruction, I was able to start rebuilding my relationship with my body and mind. With the help of yoga, mindfulness practices, brain-based healing, and community support, I began to find peace within myself again. On my way down to Florida, I thought I would have to get a divorce to spare my family from my pain. On the way back, I had a plan for how to mend my relationships.

For me, it has been a spiritual journey. I grew up with a firm belief in God and believed that God was the only one who could help me heal. But Operation Warrior Resolution taught me that healing comes in many forms, and through the power of community and connection, it’s possible to find healing and peace. If anything is the good word, this is the good word. Passing on love, light, and life to the next person hurting and dealing with trauma.

Since completing the retreat, I’ve taken an active role in utilizing my master’s degree. As a family outreach specialist and wellness coach, I went on to train in the specialized brain-based healing that Operation Warrior Resolution provides, called the Cortina Method. I am now on their team providing the same treatment that saved my life to fellow veterans. I can now pay it forward to support other veterans in their healing process. Operation Warrior Resolution rewrote my story and gave me the tools to rewrite the story of veterans who need healing. It’s a privilege for me now to serve as an advocate for those who have served in so many ways before me. Let me assure you: there is life after trauma. There is joy after suffering. There is hope after heartache. And with the right resources and support, there is healing.