The Vantage Point

Dr. Eric Abbott is an Air Force Veteran and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. He is currently working as a board-certified family medicine physician with Optum Medical. Mental health is a common subject these days, but a less common topic of discussion are the detrimental effects that not taking care of your mental health can have on your overall well-being. We are all busy, we are all stressed out, and things don’t seem to be getting easier. So, let’s learn about how we can lower our stress levels while maintaining our busy schedule and, understand the dangers if we don’t.

Sam Westfall is an Army Veteran and passionate bow hunter. After being medically retired from the military following a debilitating injury as a tank mechanic, Sam struggled to find his place. It wasn’t until a friend put a bow in his hand for the first time that Sam started to feel the vivaciousness of life again. Sam tells us about one of his bear hunts, as well as why he made the morally driven decision to switch from rifle to bow hunting.

Nicole Weis is a licensed professional counselor and licensed addiction counselor. She manages the Milestones mental health clinic, a resource center located within the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Nicole is also the founder of the Greater Resilience Toolkit, or GRIT program, an online course that she describes as basic first aid for social support.

Equine therapy, also known as equine-assisted therapy, utilizes the unique relationship between humans and horses to promote healing and self-discovery. It encompasses various activities with horses, such as grooming, feeding, and riding, all while under the guidance of a mental health or physical therapy professional. The goal is to leverage the horse's natural qualities and behavior to help individuals develop emotional regulation, confidence, and social skills. In this episode Alexander Varn, a troop psychologist with the German Armed Forces, dives deep into the science, biology, and theories as to why this breakthrough healing modality is so effective, while also sharing inspirational stories of real-life case studies along the way. Types of equine therapy mentioned in the episode: 1) Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Focuses on mental health issues, with individuals working with a licensed therapist and a horse specialist. 2) Hippotherapy: Utilizes the horse's movement to improve physical, occupational, and speech therapy goals. 3) Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL): Helps individuals develop life skills through interactions with horses. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:23 Meet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Varn 7:39 The Origins of Equine Therapy 25:37 The Science and Biology, Theory 1 39:54 Horse Live in the Present, Humans Do Not 41:58 Overcoming Obstacles, Theory 2 1:04:18 Horses Are Naturally Calm. Theory 3 1:14:50 Healing for Couples 1:17:08 A Success Story 1:24:23 The Future of Equine Therapy 1:36:32 An Autism Case Study 1:44:51 First Experience with a Horse 1:53:17 Words of Encouragement Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/g_ylJ5iTsn0 Resources: https://www.veteranscenter.org/ https://remountfoundation.org/ You’re not alone. #MilitaryCommunity #VeteranSupport #PatriotTalk #VeteranMentalHealth #LifeAfterService #MilitaryTransition #ptsd #ptsdawareness #VetLife #USArmy #USMC #USNavy #USAF #CoastGuard #MilitaryLife #Veterans #MilitaryPodcast #VetTalk #VeteranVoices #HonoringHeroes #PodcastLife #VeteranStories #RealTalk #MilitaryMinds #vetpodcast #podcast #motivation #supportourtroops

Jonny is the Executive Director of Wild Warrior Adventure, a non-profit organization dedicated to healing our nation’s warriors through fly fishing. After partaking in some of the most violent 15 months ever documented during the war on terror in Afghanistan, Jonny struggled to stay grounded while transitioning back into civilian life. ”The Valley of Death”, formally known as the Korangal Valley, is located in Dara-I-Pech District of Kunar Province, eastern Afghanistan. Jonny Benton, a former Army Airborne Infantryman, shares his intimate story with this valley and paints a picture of how this place earned its nickname.

Kirsten Belaire is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Approved Clinical Supervisor. Her role is the Director of Behavioral Health at Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center where she provides therapy to Active Duty, Guard, Reserves, Veterans, and their families. In this episode, we try to answer the question ”how do we understand PTSD?” It starts with understanding your emotions.

Dave Profit is the Founder of mission of American Heroes In Action, a therapeutic adventures program that provides outdoor experiences to American heroes including combat wounded veterans, injured firefighters and injured members of law enforcement. Dave was inspired to create this organization after observing soldiers mailing home their Purple Heart medals while he was working in Iraq. Today, American Heroes In Action has enabled 431 participants across 125 adventures to experience the healing power of nature.