Since the launch of Atlas Navigator, we’ve been listening to the Veteran and Family community about what would be most valuable in a newsletter. We’ve heard that you’re looking for information you can put into action.

So, we’d like to welcome you to the updated Atlas Navigator — a quarterly newsletter where you can expect to read updates about topics that matter, including where we’ve been and what we’re hearing from the community, upcoming training and events, and new resources that may be helpful to you. Each edition will include quick links so you can jump right to the articles you’re interested in — or, if you prefer, you can read the full newsletter from start to finish on our website.

Thank you for being here!

Atlas in the community

Cold Lake listening tour

Throughout the year, the Atlas Institute’s Lived Expertise team travels across the country to listen to Veteran and Family community members and the organizations that support them. These conversations help us to better understand what matters to the community and where support is needed.

This summer, the team visited Edmonton and Cold Lake, AB. With incredible support from the local Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs), we connected with community members and organizations for open, honest conversations about homelessness, substance use and some of the barriers Veterans and Families face when accessing care and services.

The team also had the chance to connect with the community in a different setting at the Cold Lake Air Show! Beyond the incredible displays, it was another opportunity to listen, share and build relationships.

Every conversation offers an opportunity to learn. By listening to the experiences of Veterans and Families, we can better understand what’s working, where gaps exist and where change is needed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to connect with us and share their experiences. We’re grateful for the openness, insight and trust that make these conversations possible.

Giving a voice to the Veteran and Family community, one story at a time

Check out the latest batch of digital stories — told by Veterans and Veteran Family members themselves.

These six new stories share the realities of life after service, the lasting effects of invisible wounds, the strength found in connection and the many forms healing can take. Among these stories are two couples who offer a rare and intimate perspective on how service, trauma and recovery can be experienced differently within the same Family.

Say hi to Team Atlas this fall!

Atlas will have booths at several events and conferences this fall. Watch for more details on our social media, let us know which events you’ll be attending and don’t forget to come chat with our team members and pick up resources for you and your loved ones.

Now available: Summary report on suicide prevention in defence and public safety Families

In May 2026, Garnet Families and the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families hosted a roundtable event, Suicide prevention among defence and public safety Families: A deliberate dialogue on Families, commemoration and care. We have summarized what we heard during that event into a report, which is now available on the Atlas website.

Understanding the challenges and lived experiences of Veteran, military and first responder Families in seeking and receiving mental health support for suicide prevention is an important step in improving prevention efforts, and in informing future supports, policies and research. Our hope for hosting these discussions is that the conversation will continue, which may help lessen stigma, make people feel less alone and ignite meaningful change.

Register for our fifth annual Veteran Family Summit!

What started in 2023 as a space for Veteran Families to find support, connection and learn together has grown into a community of over 2,500 people who have registered and more than 70 speakers and panellists helping to bring important conversations to life.

Now, we’re inviting the community to come together again on January 28 – 29, 2027, for two days of validation, learning and conversations shaped by Veteran Families themselves. During the Summit, we’ll explore some of the evolving realities Veteran Families can face — including navigating overwhelming moments as a couple, compassion fatigue and moral injury — all while creating a space for hope and healing.

And at the heart of it all is something that can be hard to find: a community that truly gets it. A place where you can feel seen, heard and understood by people who have lived it too.

Come be part of this growing community, join us for the fifth annual Veteran Family Summit!

RCMP Veteran and Family resources

Veterans of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and their Families have unique experiences shaped by a career in policing. These can include operational stress injuries (OSIs) and challenges related to the transition to post-service life. These experiences often leave lasting impacts, not only on the RCMP member but also on their Family, sometimes long after leaving the Force.

Explore a new suite of resources focused on the experiences of RCMP Veterans and Families. Co-created with former RCMP members and RCMP Veteran Family members, it includes:

• Practical guides on OSI for RCMP Veterans and Families: Information about what an OSI is, how it can impact daily life and well-being, how to access supports, and practical strategies for recovery
• Summary report on a RCMP mental health dialogue series: Needs and challenges identified by RCMP Veteran and Family community members in a series of dialogue sessions on mental health, transition from service, access to care, identity, Family well-being and community connection

These resources aim to deepen understanding of the mental health needs and experiences of both RCMP Veterans and Family members, share what the community has said about how to strengthen well-being after service, and offer hope for recovery and renewed purpose.

New training opportunities

Free research training program: Now accepting applications from Veterans and Veteran Family members

Applications are open for our Veteran and Family research training program, which is being offered again for a third year. This free training is designed to equip Veterans and their Families with the research knowledge and skills they need to collaborate and advise on studies, from study development to sharing findings.

This year, Atlas is offering two different ways of participating in the training:

• Workshop series: Five online workshops being held between October 2026 and March 2027. These introductory sessions will familiarize Veterans and Family members with current research and key findings in Veteran and Family well-being, build awareness of how research is conducted, increase understanding of the importance of integrating lived experience into research and encourage conversation about research between people with lived experience.
• Online course: Ten-week training made up of self-directed coursework and live online classes, taking place between January and March 2027. This course will equip participants with a strong understanding of key research concepts, build capacity for engaging with academic or peer-reviewed literature, empower participants to formulate meaningful research questions, explore effective strategies for knowledge sharing and increase confidence to navigate roles within peer and community research contexts.

Spaces are limited! We are inviting Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their Family members to participate.

Training opportunities for organizations who provide care to Veterans and Families: Written exposure therapy, neurofeedback therapy

Stay tuned! Next month the Atlas Institute will be seeking applications from mental health clinics interested in receiving training in the delivery of evidence-based therapies. Join our Q&A sessions on November 19 and December 15 to learn about new training offerings to support clinics in expanding capacity to deliver evidence-based therapies to Veterans and their Families.

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