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