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Former Black Hawk Pilot Finds Healing from Trauma Through Equine Therapy at Quantum Leap Farm

Former Black Hawk Pilot Finds Healing from Trauma Through Equine Therapy at Quantum Leap Farm

Former Black Hawk pilot Kyle Baker, a trauma-tested combat veteran, has found renewed stability and purpose through equine therapy at Quantum Leap Farm in Odessa, Florida. After over a decade in uniform, including perilous deployments as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in Iraq, Baker struggled to adjust to civilian life, leading to a deep personal crisis. Despite an initial fear of horses, Baker experienced significant positive emotional shifts during his retreat at Quantum Leap Farm. The farm merges mental health therapy with hands-on equine activities, teaching veterans to build trust, regulate emotions, and rediscover inner strength. Program director Jenna Miller noted that participants often show visible transformations and feel lighter within days of engaging with the horses.

Project D.R.E.W. Connects Veterans and Songwriters for Therapeutic Music Creation in Cleveland

Project D.R.E.W. Connects Veterans and Songwriters for Therapeutic Music Creation in Cleveland

Project D.R.E.W., an initiative founded by Avon Lake resident Marilyn Zeidner, is pairing military veterans with musicians to help them process and share their military service stories through song. The program, named in honor of U.S. Army veteran Drew Ferguson who died by suicide, aims to provide a therapeutic outlet for veterans struggling with the trauma of war and reintegration into civilian life. During two-day weekend events, veterans meet individually with a musician to recount their experiences. The musician then has one day to compose lyrics and music based on the veteran's narrative. These songs are performed at a private concert for the veteran and their loved ones, with recordings later shared on Project D.R.E.W.'s website. Zeidner notes that many veterans find it easier to open up to a stranger, like a songwriter, about their experiences than to family members, facilitating a release of emotions and stories that have often been suppressed for decades.

Lady Gaga's Foundation and Jack.org Train Over 100,000 in Mental Health Support

Lady Gaga's Foundation and Jack.org Train Over 100,000 in Mental Health Support

Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, in partnership with the Canadian youth mental health organization Jack.org, has achieved a significant milestone: over 100,000 people worldwide have completed their 'Be There Certificate' training. This online program is designed to equip individuals with practical skills to support friends, family members, and peers who are struggling with mental health issues, aiming to intervene before difficulties escalate into a crisis. The initiative, launched in March 2022, emphasizes that mental health support should not be limited to professional settings, as friends and family are often the first to notice changes in behavior. The 'Be There Certificate' is a free, self-paced course consisting of six interactive lessons, taking less than two hours to complete, and is available in English, French, and Spanish.

Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health Announces Youth Mental Wellness Champions and Upcoming Events

Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health Announces Youth Mental Wellness Champions and Upcoming Events

The Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health (OCMH) has announced its 2026-27 Youth Mental Wellness Champions, a cohort of 15 high school juniors and seniors from across the state selected through a competitive application process. These champions will participate in a nine-month program from September through May, learning about mental health and well-being while providing feedback to OCMH. The program will culminate in an event at the State Capitol on May 13, 2027, where each champion will present a poster on a mental health topic important to them. Additionally, OCMH is hosting a virtual event on December 11, 2026, titled 'Let's Break it Down – Eating Disorders,' which will examine facts about eating disorders, their impact on Wisconsin children, and effective interventions. OCMH also highlighted its November 2026 'Showcasing Solutions' featuring 'Root 2 Rise Tutor Mentors,' a program where mentors gain real-world skills by working with elementary school children.

Mental Fitness: Recognizing Burnout Risk and the Importance of External Observation

Mental Fitness: Recognizing Burnout Risk and the Importance of External Observation

Mental Fitness: Recognizing Burnout Risk and the Importance of External Observation

Houston VA Hosts 'Spraypaintguy' to Promote Veteran Recovery and Mental Health Awareness

Houston VA Hosts 'Spraypaintguy' to Promote Veteran Recovery and Mental Health Awareness

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston recently hosted content creator Liam Weis, known as 'Spraypaintguy' to his over 450,000 followers. Weis, who gained popularity by transforming T-shirts and hoodies into canvases, visited the VA to spread messages of recovery, mental health awareness, and hope for Veterans through his art and social media platform. During his visit, Weis used the white lab coat of Dr. Deleene Menefee, program director of Houston VA’s PTSD Clinical Team, as an unconventional canvas. Weis's personal journey with substance abuse and recovery has shaped his advocacy for mental health, and he expressed a deep respect for Veterans, citing his grandparents and uncle's military service. Dr. Menefee supported the initiative, emphasizing that recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process and that Houston VA is committed to supporting Veterans.

American Legion Expands Presence at Military Academy Games to Promote Veteran Support and Suicide Prevention

American Legion Expands Presence at Military Academy Games to Promote Veteran Support and Suicide Prevention

The American Legion is significantly expanding its presence at military academy sporting events, including the Army-Air Force game at the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) in West Point, N.Y. This initiative aims to promote the organization's programs, particularly its 'Be the One' veteran suicide prevention mission, to a wider audience of students, alumni, and other veterans. The Legion's activation display at West Point saw constant foot traffic, allowing staff and volunteers to interact with attendees and distribute branded items. This expansion follows the Legion's associate sponsorship of the Army-Navy Game, which began two years ago, and its subsequent presence at Navy's homecoming games. Department of New York Adjutant Gary Schacher and Statewide Service Officer Eilene Fisher emphasized the importance of reaching out to younger veterans and addressing the critical issue of veteran suicide.

Cigna Healthcare Hong Kong Expands Mental Wellbeing Support for Members with Headspace Partnership

Cigna Healthcare Hong Kong Expands Mental Wellbeing Support for Members with Headspace Partnership

Cigna Healthcare Hong Kong Expands Mental Wellbeing Support for Members with Headspace Partnership

Therapy Apps Lasting, Paired, and ReGain Clarify Role as Supplements, Not Replacements, for Face-to-Face Therapy

Therapy Apps Lasting, Paired, and ReGain Clarify Role as Supplements, Not Replacements, for Face-to-Face Therapy

Therapy Apps Lasting, Paired, and ReGain Clarify Role as Supplements, Not Replacements, for Face-to-Face Therapy

Epic Vets Challenges Community to Ruck 17.7 Miles for Veteran Suicide Prevention

Epic Vets Challenges Community to Ruck 17.7 Miles for Veteran Suicide Prevention

Epic Vets, a local nonprofit organization, is challenging the community to walk, run, or ruck 17.7 miles throughout November to raise awareness for veteran suicide prevention. Rucking, a military training exercise, involves walking with a weighted backpack. The 17.7 miles symbolize the average number of veterans who die by suicide daily in 2024, according to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data. Epic Vets founder Ronnie Ordaz and Dane Hollis, both veterans, highlight the difficulties veterans face transitioning out of military service, including the loss of close unit camaraderie. The organization aims to foster communities where veterans feel included and can openly discuss mental health, moving beyond just crisis intervention. They encourage everyone, not just veterans, to participate in the challenge to broaden the conversation about veteran mental health within communities. Beyond this November initiative, Epic Vets organizes shared experiences and adventures for veterans, such as a Muay Thai train...

Stephanie Romero Advocates for Preventive Mental Health Care as Public Safety Imperative

Stephanie Romero Advocates for Preventive Mental Health Care as Public Safety Imperative

Stephanie Romero, an educator, researcher, and executive director of Awaken Pittsburgh, is advocating for a fundamental shift towards preventive mental health care, framing it as a public safety imperative. Romero emphasizes that severe psychological breakdowns are preventable and that the current healthcare infrastructure is overwhelmingly reactive, intervening only during crises. She argues that reframing mental health as a collective public health priority is crucial. This involves changing cultural attitudes from judgment to understanding and backing this understanding with public funding for community-wide mental health programs. Romero highlights that without proactive mental fitness, regulation tools, and community support, any human brain can reach a breaking point, leading to severe decompensation where logic and threat perception are hijacked. She calls for funding somatic and evidence-based trauma interventions, such as the Trauma Resilience Protocol, to help individuals process deep-seated trau...

Relationship OCD: Understanding and Treatment of a Specific OCD Manifestation

Relationship OCD: Understanding and Treatment of a Specific OCD Manifestation

Relationship OCD (ROCD) is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder where obsessions center on romantic relationships. It is not a separate diagnosis in the DSM-5 but is recognized by clinicians and researchers as OCD with a specific theme. ROCD involves intrusive, unwanted doubts, thoughts, or images about one's relationship or partner, leading to anxiety and distress. Individuals with ROCD engage in compulsions, such as checking feelings, seeking reassurance, or comparing their relationship to others, to alleviate these doubts. Approximately 1.2% of U.S. adults experience OCD annually. Israeli researchers Guy Doron and colleagues extensively studied relationship-focused symptoms in the early 2010s, linking ROCD to lower relationship satisfaction and increased distress. ROCD typically manifests in two overlapping patterns: relationship-centered ROCD, focusing on the relationship's validity, and partner-focused ROCD, scrutinizing perceived flaws in the partner. These obsessions often intensify during signif...