About Today’s Guest: Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia is the former Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and was the senior non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Armed Forces. In this role, he served as the principal military advisor to the Chairman and the Secretary of Defense on allRead more about STMSS36 – Sgt Maj Bryan Battaglia – Suicide Prevention at the Senior Enlisted Leader Level[…]
Read more STMSS36 – Sgt Maj Bryan Battaglia – Suicide Prevention at the Senior Enlisted Leader LevelAre You A Veteran, Care For One, or Work With One in Any Way?
If you served in the military, regardless of when, where, how long, or how you left, you’re a member of a unique group of individuals who hold a common set of values, like Honor. Integrity. Loyalty. Service. If you’re a family member of a service member…spouse, parent, sibling, significant other…then you served in a different way, but served all the same. Head Space and Timing is focused on providing veterans, their family members, and interested members of the veteran’s community with the awareness around all aspects of veteran mental health. Our intent is not only to have real and meaningful discussions about mental health and wellness, but to support and inspire veterans to be able to use the strengths they gained while they were in the military to make a positive impact on their community, in whatever way they want.
Mental Health from a Combat Veteran Perspective
The unique combination of 22 years of military experience and training as a clinical mental health counselor combine to provide a unique perspective on veteran mental health
Duane France (Now)
Licensed Professional Counselor
Duane France (Then)
Retired Army Noncommissioned Officer
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Check out what people are saying about Head Space and Timing content
Jane S.
This Book is Incredibly Useful
Duane's understanding of the combat veteran experience is unparalleled. He does not however, assume that all vets or their experiences are the same, which is what makes this book so helpful to me as a provider who sees combat veterans in my work with horses. As a civilian, I am always hungry for resources that help me understand what's behind and beneath what we hear from veterans we meet, as well as resources to offer vets who see themselves as 'crazy'. This book is incredibly useful on both accounts. The distinctions Duane makes for vets to help them understand the dilemmas they may face coming home, as well as the distinctions he makes among the various 'categories' that define their inner landscapes are bound to help almost any veteran at any stage of readjustment to civilian life. The book is both a map and a compass (i.e. it's impossible to know how to get where one wants to go unless one knows where he or she is at any point in time). Another aspect of the book that is really important to us in our work, is that it de-stigmatizes the need for veterans to attend to their mental health. Going from the notion of mental illness to mental well-being is one of the biggest challenges both veterans and civilians need to do if veterans are going to become assets to their communities...and if we are going to fulfill our responsibility to truly serve those who have served us.
Joe M.
An Outstanding Read
Duane France is authentic. A combat veteran and clinical mental health counselor with a striking ability to articulate the thoughts of veterans. Several passages in this book are simply outstanding including Meaning, Purpose, and Veteran Mental Health; Moral Injury; The Doomsday Clock; Compliment or Criticism to name a few. Duane keeps things interesting throughout the book - some passages are contemplative, some have a twist of humor, and some contain good rules to live by as one transitions from the military. Duane’s authenticity is on display throughout the book, and it’s unmistakable to veterans in the following lines: 1. The problem is, a lot of the veterans I meet are carrying a load of personal accountability that is greater than they should. 2. As boring as this is, at least it’s not the sheer utter boredom of being stuck on an outpost with nothing but a pack of cards. 3. We keep thinking that someone is going to walk into their office and say, “Ha! Caught you! I know you’re just a grunt at heart! What are you doing here?” For mental health professionals who work with veterans the passage Eight Things a Mental Health Professional Wants a Veteran to Know is an insightful read and should be thoughtfully considered.
Daniele L.
A Veteran's Capacity for Stress
Fantastic explanation of how stress is affecting us without our awareness. I am a crisis counselor, working in the community with a multitude of different people, and I have found that my "emotional bucket" analogy to explain how stress/emotions can get backed up is effective across the age group. I have wrapped myself in circles trying to explain emotions to a rational person and all it does is agitate them further. What I have learned though is that awareness of our level of stress is paramount, because regardless of what we choose to believe we can handle our bodies cannot, leading individuals to be more susceptible to experiencing trauma, developing PTSD, increased risk from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, addiction... the list goes on and on. So while many people, especially Veterans, are able to push through and move on, in the long run, without the awareness of our emotional buckets, this can be damaging physically, mentally, and emotionally. Great article.
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Sep, 15
STMSS35 – Mike Richardson and Dr Roger Brooks – Wounded Warrior Project
About Today’s Guests: Michael Richardson: As the independence services and mental health vice president for the Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), Michael Richardson is responsible for the Independence Program (IP) and Long-Term Support Trust (LTST), as well as the Combat Stress Recovery Program (CSRP). Michael began his military service in 1981 as a 17-year-old private andRead more about STMSS35 – Mike Richardson and Dr Roger Brooks – Wounded Warrior Project[…]
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Sep, 8
STMSS34 – Joe Bartozzi – National Shooting Sports Foundation
About Today’s Guest: Joseph Bartozzi is the President and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearm and ammunition industry, as well as the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, the standard setting organization for the firearm and ammunition industry. Joe is an attorney licensed to practice in Connecticut andRead more about STMSS34 – Joe Bartozzi – National Shooting Sports Foundation[…]
Read more STMSS34 – Joe Bartozzi – National Shooting Sports FoundationSep, 1
STMSS33 – Dr. Matt Mishkind – Reducing Barriers to Care through Telehealth
About Today’s Guest: Matt Mishkind, PhD, has focused his career on two focal points: military health care and organizational development. He began his military health career with the Deployment Health Clinical Center (DHCC) at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. He also served as one of the original staff members tasked with developingRead more about STMSS33 – Dr. Matt Mishkind – Reducing Barriers to Care through Telehealth[…]
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Aug, 25
STMSS32 – Michelle Zook – Suicide in Military and Veteran Spouses
About Today’s Guest: Michelle Villarreal Zook is currently an economics impact researcher evaluating programs within the federal government. She previously served as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force, flying as an air battle manager with the 960th Air Command and Control Squadron out of Tinker Air Force Base, OK. As squadron executive officerRead more about STMSS32 – Michelle Zook – Suicide in Military and Veteran Spouses[…]
Read more STMSS32 – Michelle Zook – Suicide in Military and Veteran SpousesAug, 21
HS&T Extra: G.I. Joe #7 Announcement
On August 19th, an issue of IDW Publishing’s GI Joe comic was released. This issue is an real and honest look at the psychological impact of combat, the story of battle buddies helping each other out, and the successes and setbacks that are experienced on a veteran’s journey to wellness. Pick up a copy forRead more about HS&T Extra: G.I. Joe #7 Announcement[…]
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Aug, 18
STMSS31 – Akshay Nanavati – Fearvana
About Today’s Guest: Akshay Nanavati is a Marine veteran, speaker, adventurer and entrepreneur. His new book “Fearvana” is an actionable guide on how to leverage fear to accomplish anything. The Dalai Lama said “Fearvana inspires us to look beyond our own agonizing experiences and find the positive side of our lives.”Links Mentioned in this Episode:Read more about STMSS31 – Akshay Nanavati – Fearvana[…]
Read more STMSS31 – Akshay Nanavati – FearvanaAug, 11
STMSS30 – Rick Trimp – Gatekeeper Suicide Intervention Training
About Today’s Guest: Rick Trimp, MBA, is an experienced health and education executive. He leads LivingWorks with a vision of community-based health impact made possible through layered, integrated training programs combined with transformative technology. Prior to joining LivingWorks, Rick led the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)’s School of Health and Life Sciences as Dean.Read more about STMSS30 – Rick Trimp – Gatekeeper Suicide Intervention Training[…]
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Aug, 4
STMSS29 – Rear Adm(R) Tony Kurta – Policy Approach to Suicide Prevention
About Today’s Guest: Mr. Tony Kurta performed the duties of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Mr. Tony Kurta assumed the duties of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy on September 8, 2014. A member of the Senior Executive Service, he was responsible for recruiting, retention, compensation, travel, and theRead more about STMSS29 – Rear Adm(R) Tony Kurta – Policy Approach to Suicide Prevention[…]
Read more STMSS29 – Rear Adm(R) Tony Kurta – Policy Approach to Suicide PreventionJul, 28
STMSS28 – Tom Cruz – Suicide Attempt Survivor and Prevention Advocate
About Today’s Guest: Tom Cruz is an Active Duty Master Sergeant in the United States Army with over 25 years of service. He has deployed in support of Operation Joint Guardian, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Jordan. He has lived experience with suicide prevention and awareness resulting from an attempt in 2010 to take hisRead more about STMSS28 – Tom Cruz – Suicide Attempt Survivor and Prevention Advocate[…]
Read more STMSS28 – Tom Cruz – Suicide Attempt Survivor and Prevention Advocate