PsychArmor Institute

10/01/2026

Better care for Veterans and military families takes advances in science, sustainable care delivery, and communities ready to support them.

MCON Health’s six pillars of change connect advances in science and treatment with how care is funded, delivered, and supported in our communities.

On October 23 in Las Vegas, PsychArmor will bring military cultural understanding and clinical expertise to the stage as a summit co-host.

Explore the six pillars in the slides, then join us at MCON Health to see how these priorities come to life through conversations on brain health, responsible AI, and care across the military journey.

Meet some of the people contributing to these conversations:

➡️ Mike Hudson, PsychArmor board member and summit emcee, will also join Care Across the Military Journey, moderated by CEO Tina Atherall, to explore care across life stages and transitions.

➡️ Dr. Umar Latif, PsychArmor Vice Chair and physician and advisor with Tactical Recovery Program at Summit BHC, will join NextGen Brain Health to examine how emerging science and technology can translate into accessible, person-centered care.

➡️ Dr. Carie Rodgers, PsychArmor Executive Advisor, will join AI in Healthcare to discuss practical applications and the ethics, privacy, and trust essential to responsible adoption.

Where does your work connect? Join us to explore approaches you can bring back to your organization and meet others working to improve care for the military community.

View the program and register: https://hubs.la/Q04yMnfv0

09/30/2026

What if we started asking a different question?

“Do you have responsibilities at home because of your spouse’s service?”

This week on Behind the Mission, host Duane France talks with Elizabeth Musselman, a Veteran caregiver, advocate, and speaker at MCON Health, about the hidden responsibilities military families carry—and why identifying caregivers matters.

Elizabeth met her husband after his 12 years of service as a Green Beret medic. Over the years, the effects of his service—including PTSD and chronic pain—changed their family’s life in ways she didn’t initially recognize as caregiving.

She describes it as a “death by a thousand paper cuts.” It took 15 years for Elizabeth to identify herself as a Veteran caregiver.

In this episode, she shares:
➡️ How identifying as a caregiver changed her understanding of her own wellbeing
➡️ Why children of Veterans also need support and access to the right language and resources
➡️ Why the hidden effects of the Global War on Terror may continue to surface in military families
➡️ Her new resource, *Carried Forward: A Caregiver’s Guide to Whole Child Health*

Elizabeth’s message is simple: hidden loads require intentional, proactive support.

She’s speaking at MCON Health with one goal: If even one person hears her story and their life changes because of it, it will be worth it.

🎧 Listen to Elizabeth’s story on this week’s Behind the Mission: https://hubs.ly/Q04yGrJs0

09/25/2026

What does it mean to be ready to support Veterans and their families?

For PsychArmor CEO Dr. Tina Atherall, that question has shaped a lifetime of advocacy. A new George W. Bush Institute article traces the experiences behind her work, from life in a military family to social work and the Veteran Leadership Program.

Tina has long challenged us to think about what happens after someone completes a PsychArmor training. Does a provider know how to build trust with a Veteran patient? Does an employer recognize the strengths a military spouse brings to a team? Does an organization make room for families and caregivers in its approach to care?

These are the kinds of questions behind PsychArmor’s Veteran Ready work. Military cultural understanding matters most when people can use it in everyday decisions and interactions. That’s the work Tina continues to lead, and the work we’re proud to build alongside her.

Thank you to the George W. Bush Institute for sharing Tina’s story and for your continued leadership in supporting the people and organizations dedicated to serving Veterans and their families.

Read the full piece:

Read the article Malign Alignment: How China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (CRINK) threaten the U.S. and our allies .. Resource Jun 9, 2026 Malign Alignment: How China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea (CRINK) threaten the U.S. and our allies

09/25/2026

What if telling your story could help you move from isolation to connection?

This week on Behind the Mission, host Duane France talks with Brandy Dykhuizen and Joe Hudak, founders of Living Proof Stories, about using structured storytelling to help Veterans process their experiences, connect with civilian communities, and make meaning from life after service.

Joe is a retired Green Beret who was medically retired after his own journey with PTSD. For him, storytelling became an entry point into the arts—and a way to make sense of experiences that were difficult to communicate.

Brandy, the child of two Marines, and Joe believe military and Veteran stories deserve to be heard—but to be heard, they must become "hearable."

In this episode, they explore:
➡️ How storytelling can help people process and connect
➡️ Why we need to tell military stories beyond Hollywood’s version of them
➡️ The importance of telling your story from your scars and healing—not your wounds
➡️ How Living Proof Stories and Armed Services Arts Partnership use storytelling workshops to build connection and community

For Veterans, three things remain essential: purpose, service, and community. Storytelling can help create space for all three.

🎧 Listen in and hear why the arts are more than entertainment—they’re a way humans connect, process, and understand one another. https://hubs.la/Q04ylQGj0

09/24/2026

Our team returned from the NAVFRW San Diego Wellness Summit with ideas we’re ready to put to work.

PsychArmor CEO Tina Atherall joined leaders from across sectors for conversations about strengthening wellness for Veterans, first responders, and their families. At the PsychArmor table, we had the chance to hear from people doing that work in their own communities.

For our Operations Advisor, Leah Christensen, the practical focus stood out:

“One of the best parts of the NAVFRW Summit was the actionable takeaways. Every speaker and every panel offered something concrete we could implement right away to strengthen wellness and improve support for our Veterans, first responders and their families. It was so inspiring to be around by people who are committed to making a difference for this community.”

Thank you to NAVFRW for making space for these conversations in San Diego .

09/23/2026

A Veteran’s care needs can change, and families deserve support through every stage of the journey.

Join CareLinx by Sharecare and PsychArmor on October 6 for a virtual conversation about caregiver resources, education, planning for changes in care, and pathways toward economic mobility.

Hear from Jamie Veskerna of CareLinx by Sharecare and Leah Christensen of PsychArmor, and leave with ideas and resources to support the caregivers and families in your life.

Register: https://hubs.la/Q04yb4qx0

09/22/2026

We are proud to welcome Aetna, a CVS Health Company, as a sponsor of PsychArmor and recognize a meaningful first in our Veteran Ready community.

Aetna is dedicated to connecting Veterans, military families, and caregivers with accessible health coverage and Medicare options designed to complement VA benefits.

That commitment is also reflected in how Aetna prepares its people. Aetna’s national Medicare sales team became the first to complete PsychArmor’s Veteran Ready training together. Through a live, facilitated virtual experience, colleagues strengthened their understanding of military culture, built greater confidence communicating with Veterans, and gained knowledge they can apply in support of the broader military-connected community.

This is Veteran readiness in action: organizations equipping their people to show up with greater awareness, understanding, and confidence.

🔗 Learn more at https://hubs.la/Q04xJfxC0 (https://hubs.la/Q04xJfFh0).



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We are honored to have Aetna as part of our grateful nation and proud to stand alongside them in service to those who served. Thank you to Aetna for joining our mission to provide free education and resources nationwide. Learn more at http://aetna.com.

09/18/2026

Caregiving can mean planning for the unexpected, navigating changing relationships, and supporting a Veteran while protecting your own well-being.

Our free caregiver program offers 33 courses, with several learning pathways and badges to earn along the way. Featured courses include:

➡️ Am I a Caregiver?
➡️ Creating an Emergency Response Plan for Caregivers
➡️ Connecting with the Veteran in Your Life
➡️ Respite for Military and Veteran Caregivers
➡️ Caregiving in an Intimate Relationship

Explore the courses: https://hubs.ly/Q04xJdLn0

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Thank you to CareLinx by Sharecare for joining our mission to provide free education and resources to Veterans, service members, caregivers, and military families nationwide. We are honored to have them as part of our grateful nation and proud to stand alongside them in service to those who served. Learn more at https://hubs.ly/Q04xJdNY0.

09/17/2026

What does it take to help Veterans feel understood enough to ask for help—and supported enough to do the work?

This week on Behind the Mission, host Duane France talks with Bill Reynolds, retired Navy Lieutenant Commander, Physician Assistant-Certified, and Clinical Director of the Unbroken program at The Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, about military culture, mental health, and the importance of meeting Veterans where they are.

Bill started his military career as a corpsman serving with Marines and retired as a Navy officer. His own experience with alcohol use and recovery shaped the path that led him to his current work.

In this conversation, Bill shares:
➡️ Why military trauma requires a culturally informed approach
➡️ Why clinicians need to learn the language and culture of the military
➡️ How Unbroken adds specialized support for military and first responder communities, including moral injury and betrayal trauma

🎧 Listen in as Bill shares his perspective on military culture and recovery. https://hubs.la/Q04xJjGS0

09/17/2026

What does it take to build a campus where Veterans can find informed support through any door?

Michigan State University pursued PsychArmor’s Veteran Ready training so support would not depend on finding one particular office. Patrick Forystek, Director of MSU’s Center for Veterans and Military-Affiliated Students, calls it a “no-wrong-door” approach.

Patrick will join PsychArmor at MCON Health in Las Vegas. Come connect with people turning military cultural understanding into meaningful change and consider what Veteran readiness could look like in your organization.

🎟️ Join us at MCON Health: https://hubs.la/Q04xJf4F0