WHAT’S NEW

Military Family Appreciation Day

On September 20, Canadians acknowledged Military Family Appreciation Day, recognizing the special role of military and Veteran Families and their unique sacrifices in supporting their loved ones’ commitment to this country. Canadian military and Veteran Families exemplify resilience, adaptability and pride in serving alongside their loved ones every single day.

Read about what constitutes a military and Veteran Family and why their distinct experiences require unique supports.

Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day

Each year on the last Sunday in September, we honour the fallen on Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day.

Taking place on September 29 this year, it marked an opportunity for Canadians to show our gratitude for the police and peace officers who lost their lives to keep our communities safe. We honour their courage, integrity and service to the lives of Canadians. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Our thoughts are with the Families, friends and colleagues of these fallen members. Read more about the importance of this day and available resources.

A father’s journey from heartache to helping others heal with Jim Davis

Jim’s world forever changed when he learned his son Paul, a Canadian Armed Forces soldier, had died in the line of duty.

Jim joined Mind Beyond the Mission to share about his son’s life and legacy and to talk about how he has coped with the loss of his son over the last several years.

They explored:

• The unique challenges faced by bereaved military Families
• The HOPE (Helping Others by Providing Empathy) program’s support for grieving Family members
• The healing power of empathy and shared stories
• How honouring and cherishing a loved one’s memory can look different for everyone

and so much more.

Why Veteran and Family needs transcend elections and politics

In a new Perspectives blog post, Fardous Hosseiny writes that we as Canadians owe it to Veterans and their Families who have selflessly sacrificed and served to ensure that their needs are met — and that this is a shared responsibility that transcends politics. He urges us to show our strength and unity as a nation, even as we look ahead to the possibility of an election this fall, by reaffirming our commitment to service members, highlighting the risks that they agree to face to protect our country.

EVENTS AND TRAINING

January 23 – 24, 2025 — Veteran Family Summit

We are excited to announce that registration has officially opened for next year’s Veteran Family Summit! Join us for this free, virtual event created in collaboration with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veteran Families and the service providers that support them. The summit aims to provide Families with access to knowledge, resources and supports — all from the comfort of their own homes.

TRAINING FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS

Registration opens October 31, 2024 — Cognitive processing therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder

Save the date! We are offering another training on cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for mental health service providers who work with Veterans. CPT for PTSD is recommended in current treatment guidelines worldwide as a first-line therapy. The cost of this training is covered for eligible service providers.

Registration will open at 12 p.m., Eastern time on October 31, 2024.

A practice-based approach to self-care: TExP2

A new training, offered in collaboration with Wounded Warriors Canada, is open for registration! Learn how to structure clinical practice around self-care principles and better understand the unique challenges faced by clinicians who work with trauma-exposed professionals in this new self-paced virtual training.

SELF-PACED TRAINING

FEATURED RESOURCE

Intimate partner violence: Educational videos

Intimate partner violence (IPV) — also known as spousal abuse or domestic violence — is physical, psychological or sexual harm done to a person by their spouse or partner. IPV is a serious public health issue globally and research suggests that it may be a particularly common issue in military and Veteran Families.

Atlas has developed educational videos to talk about what IPV is, the different forms it can take and some of the considerations that can affect experiences of IPV in the military and Veteran community. These videos were co-designed with an advisory committee that included Veterans and Veteran Family members, as well as service providers working with Veteran Families.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Examining women Veterans’ health and well-being needs

Atlas is seeking to better understand if women Veterans have experienced unmet health needs during their service, what role unmet health needs play in overall mental health and well-being, how women Veterans manage their health needs, and what role organizational, behavioural and social factors play in health outcomes for women Veterans.

Study recruitment is ongoing. Help us get the word out about this opportunity by sharing the survey with your network!

Participants will share their experience by responding to a questionnaire. Participation is voluntary and will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

In case you missed it: Research Compass highlights ongoing Atlas research

The third issue of Research Compass is out now, showcasing the latest information about our Veteran and Family well-being and mental health research.

Each issue features current updates on studies in which you can participate, recent research we have presented, how to get involved in our research, and our latest publications. Issue 3 includes highlights on:

• A new research training course for Veterans and Families
• Research on lived experiences related to minority stress exposure
• What Atlas will be presenting at CIMVHR Forum 2024
• A new publication on experiences of Afghan-Canadian language and cultural advisors

and more.

PARTNERSHIP AND STAKEHOLDER SPOTLIGHT

Glossary of Terms 3.0 now available on Atlas Institute website

Atlas recently added the Glossary of Terms 3.0 to our website. The development of this tool was led by a team of senior authors, assisted by a pan-Canadian team of contributors including academics, clinicians, community stakeholders and people with lived experience of psychological trauma. The glossary is designed to promote a shared understanding of the common terms used to describe mental health challenges after exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events. It is intended to represent the next vital step towards the development of a universally shared understanding of several common terms, because how we use language matters.

COMMEMORATIONS CALENDAR

View more commemorative dates

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