Dive deep into the real issues experienced by Veterans, former RCMP members and Families living with mental health injuries. Mind Beyond the Mission is a podcast focused on having authentic conversations that are gritty, honest and informative. Mind Beyond the Mission is hosted by Laryssa Lamrock and Brian McKenna, members of the lived experience team at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families.
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As the exclusive podcast of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, Beyond the Battlefield explores the latest advancements in the health and well-being of military personnel, Veterans, and their families. Each week, join host Dr. Nicholas Held as he meets with leading researchers and people with lived experience to discuss contemporary issues affecting this population. Join us as we unpack the findings, delve into the methodologies, and unravel the implications of g ...
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Continuing the conversation on the impacts of suicide with Dennis Mackenzie
38:00
38:00
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An overwhelming number of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans and their Families are directly and profoundly impacted by suicide loss. Yet, few know where, how or when to talk about it — or if it should even be discussed at all. Canadian Armed Forced (CAF) Veteran Dennis Mackenzie joined Brian and Laryssa o…
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Hypervigilance: The hidden strain on Veteran Families
32:08
32:08
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“When I’m talking about hypervigilance in the Veteran community, I’m actually talking about the perfect amount of vigilance, but for somewhere other than when you walk inside your home or when you go on vacation with your Family.” Hypervigilance — being constantly on high alert and keenly aware of your surroundings — is a critical skill for soldier…
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Parenting with a posttraumatic stress injury with Tabitha Beynen
35:47
35:47
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In this episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, Brian and Laryssa are joined by Tabitha Beynen, a former Air Force medic and single parent navigating the complexities of balancing personal well-being and parenting while living with a posttraumatic stress injury (PTSI). They discuss: Managing personal well-being while caring for a child Finding balance …
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Intentionally inclusive: Seeking diverse perspectives to strengthen military family research
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28:32
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How does the inclusion of underrepresented groups benefit military health research? How has the shift in basing patterns impacted reservist family culture? What ongoing consequences of sanctioned discrimination remain to be researched? In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield, host Dr. Nicholas Held meets with Dr. Dr. Vince Connelly and Ashley Ibb…
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Who am I? The complex identities of military and public safety family members
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38:42
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How do roles within military and public safety personnel families impact a care partner’s self-perception? How are children impacted by the shift away from military base communities? What inspired the creation of PSPNET Families? In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield, host Dr. Nicholas Held meets with Dr. Rachael Gribble and Dr. Nathalie Reid t…
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Constant change: The impact of service life on children and care partners
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40:25
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How do children and care partners fit into the military and Veteran family research landscape? What does a carer or care partner look like in a military family? How are children impacted by a parent’s service? In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield, host Dr. Nicholas Held meets with Dr. Dr. Marg Rogers and Dr. Dannielle Post to discuss how chang…
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Combating the silence around suicide with Dennis Mackenzie
35:04
35:04
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35:04
An overwhelming number of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans and their Families are directly and profoundly impacted by suicide loss. Yet, few know where, how or when to talk about it — or if it should even be discussed at all. How soon is too soon? What happens when it's too late? What should one even say…
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Ask us what we need: Involving service families in the research process
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29:40
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How can we safely involve individuals with lived experience in research? What does ‘the right person’ look like, and when are they ready to get involved? What questions do we need to ask in order to achieve meaningful inclusion? In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield, host Dr. Nicholas Held meets with Dr. Sharon Lawn and Laryssa Lamrock to discu…
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Who’s stoking the home fires? Gendered expectations of military families
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30:41
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How has the sense of community and cohesion within military base environments impacted the children of military members? How has the shift toward dual income and dual-serving family structures affected the families of those who serve? How does gender influence military family dynamics? In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield, host Dr. Nicholas He…
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We serve too: Families beside the uniform
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What does a military family look like? How has this structure changed? What are current gaps in family research? In this episode of Beyond the Battlefield, host Dr. Nicholas Held meets with Dr. Heidi Cramm and Prof. Nicola Fear to discuss the purpose behind Beyond the Battlefield, explain how lifestyle dimensions are being used to better help milit…
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Peer support can be described as having someone meet you where you are and walk alongside you in your journey. It can look different for everyone, but it boils down to a supportive relationship between people who share a common lived and living experience. In this episode, hosts Brian McKenna and Laryssa Lamrock discuss the profound impacts of peer…
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Host Dr. Nicholas Held introduces Beyond the Battlefield, produced by the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research. Each week, we meet with leading researchers and people of lived experience to discuss issues affecting military, Veterans, and families. We are kicking off this podcast with a series dedicated to military family res…
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‘When am I his wife?’ Exploring compassion fatigue with Dr. J Don Richardson
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38:57
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“Am I burnt out or just tired?” “Am I sick or am I just fatigued?” “How can I be someone’s caregiver and their spouse at the same time?” These are questions that are often asked by Veteran Family members supporting a loved one with a health concern. Family members may sometimes find themselves shifting from “spouse mode” to “caregiver mode” and bac…
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Walking on eggshells: When does anger become problematic?
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35:03
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Anger is a natural human emotion. Anger can motivate you, give you a sense of strength and help you react quickly to threats. Although many people think that being angry is wrong or inappropriate, anger itself is not a problem. For many Veterans, it was often integral to their missions and survival. However, the behaviours that stem from this emoti…
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Your own brand of courage with Andrew and Elizabeth Gough
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Andrew and Elizabeth Gough join Brian and Laryssa on this episode of Mind Beyond the Mission to speak about the distinctive experiences of Reservist Families, including around community, connection and accessing care. The Reserve Force is an integral component of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), with Reserve Force units existing in hundreds of comm…
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Losing your life's calling with Mark and Donna Campbell
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35:45
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Major (Ret’d) Mark Campbell was wounded in 2008 while serving in Afghanistan with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. He lost both of his legs and his military career came to a sudden halt after 34 years of service. That instant in time marked a massive transformation in Mark’s life and that of his wife Donna, herself a …
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Neurofeedback therapy with Andrew Nicholson, PhD
35:56
35:56
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When people develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), certain parts of their brain can be over- or underactivated, triggering thoughts, emotions, moods and behaviours that can be unhelpful or distressing. These responses can be unconscious and happen very quickly, making them hard to manage. Neurofeedback therapy helps people learn how to self-…
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Sex and posttraumatic stress injury with Dr. Candice Monson
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44:31
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Posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs) can have many impacts on health and well-being. This can create unique challenges when it comes to fostering and maintaining healthy relationships with loved ones. Many Veterans and Family members living with PTSIs face struggles with sex and intimacy, and stigma around the subject can make it uncomfortable to …
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Posttraumatic growth with RCMP Veteran Jason Anderson
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53:48
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Posttraumatic growth can be defined as, “positive personal changes that result from the survival struggle to deal with trauma and its psychological consequences.” The process of traumatic growth can lead to improved relationships with others, more compassion, openness, appreciation for life, spiritual growth, and personal strength. This personal gr…
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Kiev looks like Saravejo with Scott Casey
36:11
36:11
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The ongoing situation in Ukraine has significant potential impact on the mental health and well-being of Canadian Veterans and their Family members. Watching events unfold, including images of conflict, can be not only distressing but also re-traumatizing. Many Veterans have shared that they feel like they are re-living their mission in Sarajevo. F…
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Traumatic brain injury with Veteran & former CFL player Ryan Carey
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40:41
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A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as damage to the brain from applied force. It can come from hitting one’s head, or even from a strike to the body that jolts the head. Symptoms can range from being mild enough that they go unnoticed and untreated, to severe enough that an individual can be in a coma for a prolonged period of time. Military…
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Traumatic brain injury with Dr. Lyn Turkstra
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34:47
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A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is damage to the brain from applied force. It can come from hitting your head, or even from a strike to the body that jolts your head. Symptoms can range from being mild enough that they go unnoticed and untreated, to severe enough that an individual could be in a coma for a prolonged period of time. Military TBI has …
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When imagining the experience of serving in the military, a sense of belonging often comes to mind. We may picture soldiers marching in unison, living in close quarters, watching each other's six. We hear terms like brotherhood and sisterhood, esprit de corps and camaraderie. So why it is that several recent studies show that many Veterans are expe…
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What does it mean to grieve the loss of someone who’s still alive? Can we mourn the life we thought we’d have while still appreciating the one we’ve got? Many Veteran Family members can relate to the experience of feeling grief, even when they haven’t actually lost a loved one. We can deeply grieve the person our loved one used to be, the people we…
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While communication is a critical skill for anyone serving in the military, it can often become a challenge for Veterans living with a traumatic stress injury. Veterans and their Family members can face unexpected barriers that impede the open, safe communication that every relationship thrives on. In this episode, Brian and Laryssa draw from their…
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"It often comes down to a decision that a person has to make in the moment and then they’re second guessing that decision for the rest of their life with the disadvantage of having hindsight." Moral injury is a relatively new term in the mental health research sphere, but one that countless Veterans can relate to from lived experience. Moral injury…
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In this second episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, Brian and Laryssa are joined by Polly Maher, Lived Experience Lead – Families at the Atlas Institute, to discuss how Veteran Family members are impacted by mental health and operational stress injuries. The spouse of a Veteran living with PTSD, Polly shares personal experiences of balancing motherh…
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Meet our hosts, Brian McKenna, retired warrant officer with the Canadian Armed Forces and Laryssa Lamrock, military mother and daughter, and partner of a Veteran. Our first episode introduces Brian and Laryssa, and explores what it’s like to be a Veteran and a Veteran Family member living with PTSD. As experts of their own experiences, they are can…
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