WHAT’S NEW

June is PTSD & Brain Injury Awareness Month

This month is an opportunity to learn more about how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) show up — especially for the Veteran and Family community — how they overlap and how they affect daily life. Recognizing the signs is a key step toward getting the right care and advocating for your well-being.

When Veterans and Families share their experiences, it helps others see themselves in those stories — and reminds them they’re not alone in what they’re going through. These shared voices can build understanding, reduce stigma and create space for connection.

Explore resources, stories and practical tools for Veterans, Family members and the health care providers who support them.

Visit our campaign pages:

Fostering Remembrance through the powerful stories resting at Canada’s National Military Cemetery with Nick McCarthy

In a new episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, hosts Brian McKenna and Laryssa Lamrock are joined by guest Nick McCarthy, historian and Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Outreach at Beechwood Cemetery, the national cemetery of Canada located in Ottawa, ON. They explore the significance of remembrance, military history and the importance of military cemeteries. Nick shares moving stories of connection and healing, reflecting on events held at Beechwood and the meaningful practices around remembrance.

Learning to name what we lived: The stories we rarely tell

“Understanding what it has meant to grow up as the daughter of a Veteran with a service-related injury — and what it continues to mean — has become a quiet unfolding journey in my life.”

In a new Perspectives blog post, Jana Rockwell looks back at the quiet unfolding of her identity as the daughter of a Veteran. From childhood memories of her father’s Navy deployments to her work in peer research, Jana shares how adult children of Veterans can use their lived experience to support other Veterans and Families and their own well-being.

Mental Health Week 2026

May 5 – 11 is recognized as Mental Health Week across Canada. This year’s theme was #ComeTogetherCanada, reminding us that we are stronger as a community than we are in isolation.

Many Veterans and Families face invisible challenges that are often misunderstood. These experiences — including brain injuries, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury — can lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. As this year’s theme reminds us, healing doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens through connection. We’ve heard a clear need for connection, support and validation through platforms including our digital stories and the Veteran Family Summit. When individuals realize they are not alone in their experiences, they can begin to heal.

We invite you to explore our campaign page highlighting how Veterans and Families have shared their stories, ways you can contribute and our top mental health resources designed to support the community.

National Police Week 2026

In May we recognized National Police Week,  a time to honour the dedication of police officers across Canada — including the Families who support them every step of the way.

This year’s theme was “Committed to serve together,” reflecting the shared commitment of first responders working side-by-side to keep our communities safe. We shared real stories from former Royal Canadian Mounted Police members, offering a glimpse into their lived experiences and the realities of a career in policing. We also highlighted resources designed to support police Veterans and their Families.

COMMUNITY CORNER

Conversations with the community in Kingston, Ottawa and Calgary

Leading up to and during Mental Health Week, the team had the privilege of learning from Veterans and their Families as they shared their experiences in a number of events dedicated to listening, learning and helping ensure Veterans and Families remain included in mental health discussions and support initiatives. Their voices continue to shape important conversations about the lasting impacts of service on mental health and well-being.

Veteran Support Fair (Kingston, ON, April 28): Atlas joined more than two dozen Veteran-serving organizations for the first-ever Veteran Support Fair organized by Legion 560 in Kingston, ON. Thank you to the Legion for organizing this opportunity to share supportive resources and connect with this community.

13^th annual Sam Sharpe Breakfast (Ottawa, ON, May 5): Atlas joined Veterans, parliamentarians and mental health advocates at this annual Wounded Warriors event recognizing the service and sacrifice of those who serve our communities and country. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Sergeant (Ret’d) Laurie White shared her powerful story of recovery, resilience and posttraumatic growth following a life-changing injury on-duty, highlighting the importance of mental health supports for Veterans and first responders.

CIPSRT Conference 2026 (Calgary, AB, May 5 – 6): In line with the theme, “Thriving in Public Safety: Research to Action,” we shared a first sneak peek of what we learned from former RCMP members and their Families through the RCMP dialogue series we led over the past year, including discussions around topics such as mental health services and supports, life after service, moral injury, suicide awareness and prevention and RCMP culture and community. We will be releasing a report on these discussions and what we learned later this year.

EVENTS AND TRAINING

June 25, 2026 — Digital stories screening: Giving a voice to the Veteran and Family community, one story at a time

This special event will showcase a series of powerful stories created with and told by Veterans and Veteran Family members. In six short videos, storytellers will share their journey of reclaiming identity, transforming pain into purpose and finding strength through community.

You will also have the opportunity to join a live Q&A with each of the featured storytellers and reflect on what resonates with your own experiences.

Training on mastering CPT for PTSD

Atlas is offering an advanced training on mastering cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to licensed/registered service providers working in mental health who care for Veterans and Veteran Families in Canada. The cost for this training, offered in English, is covered by the Atlas Institute for eligible service providers who register and are approved.

Mark your calendar! Registration for this training opens at 12 p.m., Eastern time, on June 16, 2026. Visit the webpage on the mastering CPT for PTSD training to learn more.

SELF-PACED TRAINING

FEATURED RESOURCE

Practical guides and videos on posttraumatic stress injury

Many Veterans take on public safety personnel (PSP) roles after transitioning out of service, and both Veterans and PSP may have been exposed to traumatic events due to the nature of their work. This can increase their risk of developing posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs). And often, Family members of those impacted can have their own unique needs and struggles related to their loved ones’ PTSI.

Explore a series of educational videos and downloadable resources for PSP, Veterans, and their Families to learn more about PTSI, find coping strategies and information on peer support for PTSI, as well as tips on how Family members can support themselves when a loved one is living with a PTSI. The resource series also includes testimonial videos highlighting experiences of PTSIs among PSP and their Families.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Virtual research consultation opportunity: Physical disability and mental health among Veterans and Families

Are you a Veteran with an acquired physical disability, or their Family member? We invite you to express interest in taking part in a virtual research consultation on disability and mental health. The purpose of this consultation is to learn from people with lived experience of disability to better understand their well-being needs, identify what may be missing from current research, and determine what topics could be explored in future research at Atlas. Support research by getting involved! Expressions of interest will close on June 15, 2026.

Space is limited and applicants will be chosen to include as many experiences as possible.

If you know someone who may be interested and eligible, please share this information with them!

Announcing the 2026-27 Atlas Institute collaborative research funding recipients!

Atlas received a wealth of compelling and high-calibre submissions for the 2026-27 research request for proposal cycle. This year’s proposals showcased a deep commitment to advancing knowledge in key areas critical to the well-being of Veterans and their Families. The submissions focused on three topics: caregiving, intimacy and relational health in Veteran Families, Veteran resilience after service and rebuilding identity, and occupational moral injury implications post-service for Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members. This year, we collaborated with Mental Health Research Canada on the Veteran resilience after service and rebuilding identity project.

We are pleased to announce the three recipients of the 2026-27 Atlas Institute collaborative research funding opportunities. Congratulations to all! Keep reading to learn more about the funding recipients and their research projects.

Investigating remission and maintenance in patients with mental health disorders post ketamine-assisted therapy: A qualitative study

Dr. Vivian WL Tsang is a physician specializing in the field of psychiatry and addiction medicine at the University of British Columbia with advanced training from Harvard and Oxford, and leadership experience in psychedelic-assisted therapy and community-based mental health initiatives. She brings expertise in qualitative research, clinical care and knowledge mobilization. This qualitative study examines how Veterans sustain remission and maintain mental health improvements after completing ketamine-assisted therapy. It explores current post-treatment practices, differences between short- and long-term outcomes, and how patients integrate therapeutic gains into daily life. Through interviews with participants, the study aims to identify effective, practical strategies to support long-term recovery and inform clinical care and policy.

An exploration of intimacy and relational well-being in spousal caregivers of CAF and RCMP Veterans

Dr. Heidi Cramm is a Professor at Queen’s University and a leading researcher on military and Veteran Family well-being, with extensive work on caregiving, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Family resilience. She brings deep expertise in Family-focused, community-engaged research and knowledge mobilization. This qualitative study explores how spousal caregiving for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and RCMP Veterans shapes intimacy and relational well-being. Through in-depth interviews, it examines emotional, relational and physical intimacy, how caregiving roles influence identity and relationships, and how these dynamics change over time. The findings aim to inform more effective couple- and Family-centred supports to strengthen relationships and caregiving sustainability in Veteran Families.

Post-service life: Impacts of moral injury and institutional betrayal on the mental health and well-being of Royal Canadian Mounted Police Veterans

Dr. R. Nicholas Carleton is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Regina and a leading researcher in public safety personnel mental health, with extensive work on trauma, PTSD and resilience in RCMP and other populations. He brings large-scale survey expertise and a strong track record in translating evidence into policy and practice. This study examines the mental health and well-being of former and retired RCMP members, with a focus on moral injury and institutional betrayal. Using a large national survey, it analyzes how traumatic exposures, organizational factors and access to care shape mental health outcomes and post-service experiences. The findings aim to identify gaps in supports and inform targeted interventions, policy responses and improved transition supports for RCMP Veterans.

Study participation opportunity for RCMP Veterans: Thriving after service

As Atlas wraps up the Thriving after service study, we are looking for additional Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) participants. This study seeks to understand what makes people feel happy, connected and fulfilled in all aspects of life, and how it compares to the Veteran experience. Our aim is to identify the factors associated with flourishing and positive mental health, with the goal of providing important insights on how best to promote Veteran mental health and well-being. The results will inform the development of resources and help improve programs and services to foster flourishing and thriving among Veterans in all aspects of their lives.

Participants don’t need to feel like they are thriving to participate.

If you are an RCMP Veteran, we invite you to participate! The survey takes about 60 minutes to complete. It can either be completed in one or multiple sittings, as your browser will remember your spot and allow you to come back.

If you are not an RCMP Veteran, but know someone who is, please consider sharing this survey with them. Your help in sharing this survey with your friends and Family can increase the reach and impact of the study.

PARTNERSHIP AND STAKEHOLDER SPOTLIGHT

Continuing engagement with the Francophone Veteran and Family community: Veterans’ Fair, launch of Francophone roundtable report

Francophone Veterans represent about one-quarter of the Canadian Veteran population, yet gaps often exist in the French-language services and other resources available to meet their needs. Understanding the experiences of and strengthening relationships with the Francophone Veteran and Family community are an important step toward the building of a better, more equitable care system for all Veterans and their Family members. As part of this work, Atlas had several recent engagements with the Francophone Veteran and Family community.

Sixth Veterans’ Fair (Salon des vétérans) in Québec

The Atlas team returned to the Veterans’ Fair, held this year on April 25, 2026 in Québec City, following a first participation in the Spring 2025 edition. The fair aims to facilitate access to resources available to Veterans and their Families while fostering connections among organizations serving this community.

Conversations at the Atlas booth highlighted a marked interest in mental health information that helps people put words to complex experiences and share them with Family members and care providers, particularly resources adapted to the lived experiences of Francophone Veterans and their Families. Atlas was pleased to contribute to this conversation by sharing evidence-informed resources co-developed with Veterans and Family members at our table, joining a diverse group of exhibitors that included peer support programs, research projects, psychological support and rehabilitation services and regional community organizations.

A heartfelt thank you to the organizers — the Veterans Transition Network, Veterans UN-NATO Canada, The Royal Canadian Legion, Military Family Resource Centre Montreal Region, Helmets to Hardhats Canada and the Quebec Veterans Foundation — for providing this crucial opportunity to connect the community with resources and to work together to serve their needs.

Now available: Summary report for roundtable on the health and well-being of Francophone Veterans and their Families

A new report, presenting insights and potential avenues for action shared by Francophone Veterans, Family members, researchers, clinicians and intermediary organizations, is now available. The report summarizes perspectives shared by the participants of a December 2025 roundtable discussion hosted by Atlas. The event, which was held in Montréal, brought together representatives from 11 organizations to explore the specific mental health and well-being issues facing Francophone Veterans and their Families.

Topics covered in the report include:

• Lived experiences of Francophone Veterans and their Families
• Language-related challenges in accessing health care and support resources
• Current tools and approaches and whether they meet the needs of the Francophone Veteran and Family community
• Potential next steps and actions

COMMEMORATIONS CALENDAR

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