Veteran Spouse Network

The Self Love Mini Bracelet made with Charliemadison Originals is reminder that your well-being matters CharlieMadison is a military-spouse-owned company, and every purchase benefits the Veteran Spouse Network.

Care for yourself and your community by shopping!
https://na2.hubs.ly/H05YTNV0

We're proud to spotlight STRONG STAR PTSD Consortium 🌟 Led by UT Health San Antonio, STRONG STAR unites military, civilian, and VA researchers to develop the most effective interventions for psychological health conditions in service members, veterans, and first responders.

A big part of that work focuses on military and veteran couples and families. STRONG STAR offers no-cost weekend retreats in San Antonio for military and veteran couples navigating PTSD, with new dates added throughout the year—with upcoming dates on June 27–28 and August 1–2.

Organizations like STRONG STAR are why military families don't have to navigate this alone.

🔗 https://na2.hubs.ly/H05TJss0

June is PTSD Awareness Month, a time to bring vital conversations to the forefront, but also a reminder that you do not have to carry the weight of post-traumatic stress in your household alone.

Discovering a community of peers transforms this journey into one of shared strength and connection. When you connect with individuals who truly understand your daily life, the heavy sense of isolation fades away and is replaced by mutual understanding and hope.

If you are ready to experience the uplifting power of a peer community, we invite you to join our next free virtual session, Real Talk: Life & Love with PTSD, happening on June 11th, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm CDT. This is a space designed for honest conversation and deep connection. Whether you want to share your own perspective or simply sit back and absorb the comfort of hearing from others who walk a similar path, you belong here.

Reserve your spot today: https://na2.hubs.ly/H05XYll0

This June, we have programs covering everything from stress management and mental health support to nutrition and relationship wellness. Check the full calendar to find an event that fits your needs. Here are three highlights we want to share:

Healing PTSD Through Nutrition (June 3, 12 - 1 PM CT) - Learn how nutrition can support trauma recovery and mental wellness with Dr. Leslie Korn. You will explore practical dietary and herbal strategies to improve sleep, mood, digestion, and chronic pain management.

From Knowledge to Action: Responding to Su***de Risk (June 26, 1 - 3 PM CT) - Practice evidence-based tools to assess su***de risk, create safety plans, and respond confidently. This training helps you navigate real-world crisis situations to support those in need.

Real Talk: Life & Love with PTSD (June 11 & 30, 7 - 8 PM CT) - Connect with fellow spouses for mutual support in managing daily life. This session offers a welcoming space to share experiences and tools while partnering with someone facing PTSD and traumatic brain injury.

Explore our full calendar: https://na2.hubs.ly/H05NJ2P0

If you are supporting a spouse through PTSD, you are likely on the lookout for ways to lift up your family and support your partner's wellness journey. But did you know that one of the most powerful tools for trauma recovery might actually be found in the kitchen?

What we eat plays a massive role in how our brain and body heal. That is exactly why we here at the Veteran Spouse Network are hosting a free virtual event called Healing PTSD Through Nutrition: The Missing Link in Mental Health Care.

We are bringing in Dr. Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH, LMHC, ACS NTP to share how simple, nourishing changes to food, nutrition, and herbal strategies can become a major source of healing for your household.

You will discover practical, everyday tools to help your spouse naturally improve their sleep, digestion, mood, and chronic pain management. Plus, everyone who attends will get a free recipe booklet packed with ideas to make these positive changes easy to start at home.

When: June 3 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm CDT
Where: Online

This event is open to our entire military and veteran-connected community. We are all about finding empowering tools that work for your family.

Grab your spot today:https://na2.hubs.ly/H05LczV0

The Veteran Spouse Resiliency Group is a curriculum-based program developed with research from the The University of Texas at Austin. You'll learn practical ways to handle transition stress, set goals for yourself, and figure out your identity beyond military life.

The group is led by someone who's been where you are. They've navigated the same transition and know what it's like to rebuild on the other side. Together, you'll work on building skills you can use long after the program ends.

Our next 6-week group starts June 10th. It's free, virtual, and available to veteran spouses, partners, and military spouses within one year of transition.

Want tools, not just talk? Apply today: https://na2.hubs.ly/H05KdYS0

The weight of Memorial Day can feel heavy, and finding the right words or the right place to begin isn't always easy. For veteran spouses, holds a unique space, one where we balance deep respect for the fallen with the lived reality of supporting those who serve and have served.

If you are looking for a way to observe the day with quiet intention, you don’t need a grand gesture. Meaningful remembrance can start with just a few focused thoughts or a simple, dedicated activity.

We have provided options for both quiet reflection and meaningful action, knowing that everyone honors this day in their own way. Here is how to use these suggestions:

To engage in reflection:
- Find 5 quiet minutes. Pick one or multiple questions from the ones provided.
- Allow yourself to think about that prompt. There are no right or wrong answers.
- Bring these prompts to the dinner table or share them with a friend who might also be looking for a meaningful starting point.

As an alternative or addition:
- Choose an activity from the provided list that resonates with you. You might choose to cook their favorite meal, create a special playlist, or support a cause they loved.

The National Moment of Remembrance happens at 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day. However you choose to remember today, we invite you to join us in pausing for sixty seconds of silence to align our thoughts with communities across the country.

Looking through the new Military & Veteran Spouse Wellness Survey data feels a lot like holding up a mirror to the daily lives of our VSN community.

We want to share this data because putting actual numbers to our experiences helps take away the stigma around things like long job hunts or heavy caregiving loads. It reminds us that these are community-wide challenges, not personal failures.

According to the data, more than 75% of our community lives off-base, and most actually own their homes. We are deeply rooted in our local neighborhoods.

Two-thirds of spouses have higher ed degrees (and 1 in 3 have a Master's). We are highly educated, yet 1 in 8 are stuck job hunting. A gap that so many in our network live through every day.

On top of that, a quarter of the community is handling heavy caregiving duties during post-service transitions.

If any of this hits home, we're hosting loads of virtual VSN events for you, the veteran spouse community. Pull up a chair, and sign up through our events page if you're free: https://na2.hubs.ly/H05H27w0

Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who understands your daily reality, but a group setting does not feel like the right fit. That is why we created Peer 2 Peer Connect. It is our exclusive program where you can receive virtual, one-on-one support from a trained VSN Peer Leader.

Our Peer Leaders are fellow military and veteran spouses, partners, and family members who have been there and done that. They are not counselors, but they are here to offer a listening ear and a judgment-free space to talk through whatever you are experiencing.

This program is open to military or veteran spouses, partners, and adult family members ages 18 and up who live in the United States, including those who are divorced from a service member or veteran.

Getting matched is simple. When you fill out the sign-up form, you will let us know your availability, what you would like to discuss, and any preferences you have for a leader. Our staff will use that information to find the best match for you. These sessions are great for a one-time check-in and to get resource referrals.

Ready to get started? Sign up for a one-on-one session today: https://na2.hubs.ly/H05CXlw0