During the holiday season, we often hear about “joy” and the pursuit of happiness amid the festivities as they offer a time to cherish togetherness, reflect on shared memories and find comfort in the love and support of community.

However, we also know the reality is that this time of year isn’t always joyful for everyone, including Veterans and their Families. By fostering connections with loved ones and engaging in supportive community activities, it is possible to find a sense of calm and peace amidst these challenging feelings.

Exploring what joy means

Try asking yourself these questions:

• What does joy mean to you? What does it feel like for you?
• What is one simple way you can find a piece of joy this holiday season?
• How can a small act of kindness create ripples of joy for those who have served?
• How can you balance feelings of joy and anxiety?

We asked our Cadre members to share how they find joy throughout the holidays — here is what they told us:

Thank you to our Cadre members for contributing their thoughts!

Strategies to manage challenging feelings

We acknowledge that there are many reasons the holidays may be difficult for the Veteran and Family community, including separation from their loved ones, the close proximity to Remembrance Day and anniversaries of painful memories. For some, the sensation of joy may overlap with feelings of anxiety or irritability, leading to physical responses like increased heart rate and rapid breathing. While it can be tough to manage these conflicting emotions, there are strategies to help ease the pain.

While we often talk about our triggers and their impact on our mood, this holiday season we encourage you to learn about the opposite concept of “glimmer moments.” These are joyous memories or cues that help to calm and regulate our nervous system, bringing a sense of peace and happiness throughout the season.

We recognize that it can be challenging to find these glimmer moments¹ then difficult memories heighten your anxiety. Remember that it is important to prioritize your own well-being. This might mean creating some space so you can take a deep breath to help you search for your own glimmer moment — some examples might be:

• The sound of a child laughing
• The smell of your favourite food
• The feeling of quiet you have allowed yourself by stepping away from the busyness of the season

Lean into these moments and honour that glimmer of joy.

It’s important to remember that it’s okay not to feel okay. If you need support during the holiday season, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Family and friends, or explore various peer support options. You are not alone — there is a community that stands with you.

Over the next few weeks, follow us on our social media platforms for additional ideas on how to find joy this holiday season. You can also learn more by browsing the following resources.

Holiday resources for Veterans and Families

• Glimmers for mental health: Learn more about glimmers and how they differ from triggers by encouraging you to find moments of joy in your life.
• Peer support program directory: Access this online directory of peer support programs that are available to Veterans and their Families, searchable by location.
• Managing holiday stress: Ideas for making the holiday season a little happier and less stressful.
• Tips and strategies for supporting our kids during the holidays: Tips and strategies to help you help children affected by posttraumatic stress injury get the most out of the season.
• MyGrief.ca: Grief doesn’t stop for the holiday season. MyGrief.ca is a free e-learning resource to help people better understand and move through grief in different situations, including grief after trauma.

As we approach the holiday season, we want to express our gratitude to members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police who are separated from their Families due to the demands of service. We sincerely appreciate the sacrifices you continue to make.

Canadians have a long and proud history of serving their country with courage and selflessness, often far from home, in various conflict zones and domestic operations. Many of these service members have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Their bravery is a testament to their commitment to protecting our values and freedoms.

This year marked a significant milestone when we returned an unknown soldier to Newfoundland, a reminder of the countless lives lost abroad and the Families changed by their sacrifice. The Veterans’ Week 2024 theme, “Canadian Armed Forces around the world,” reminds us to reflect on those laid to rest across the world, their memories forever intertwined with the history of our country.

As part of Veterans’ Week, we must honour those who serve and have served. We also need to recognize our responsibility as Canadians to remember the sacrifices of those living with invisible wounds because of their service, including from the loss of their comrades. Their Families and friends will carry the memories of those who they have lost with them every day.

We will remember them.

Snapshots of their lives

Watch this year’s Veterans’ Week 2024 video to meet some of the individuals who gave their lives in service to our country.

Accessibility features: Closed captioning is available for this video. To enable this feature, select CC in the bottom-right of the video player. 

Ways to observe Veterans’ Week

• Attend a Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11: Wear a poppy, attend a ceremony and learn about the stories of Veterans who sacrificed for our freedoms.
• Watch last year’s Veterans’ Week video: Listen to the stories of Veterans and their Families, learn from their experiences and reflect on what each Veteran and their Family have given to us, as individuals and as a country.
• Remembrance Day video: Hear what Remembrance Day means to a Canadian Veteran.
• Ways to remember: Explore various ways to remember and pay tribute to those who serve and have served, beyond participating in Remembrance Day ceremonies.
• Canadian military history: Learn about our role in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions throughout history. Browse educational resources, view online exhibits or visit one of Canada’s military museums.
• Indigenous Veterans Day: On November 8, join in honouring and giving thanks for the service and legacy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Veterans by participating in a local ceremony.

Helpful information for Veterans and Veteran Families

Veterans’ Week is the start of a season that can be challenging for some Veterans and Veteran Family members. Here are some resources that are available for Veterans and Families:

• Directory of services: List of resources and supports for military members, Veterans, and their Families, including links to crisis services, counselling and therapy, educational tools and peer support.
• Managing holiday stress: This downloadable PDF shares some tips to help Veterans and Veteran Family members manage the stress of the holiday season.

Every year on September 30, we honour, learn and reflect on the experiences of the survivors of the residential school system as well as the missing and murdered children associated with these schools. On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we commit our support to the healing journeys of those impacted and their Families and communities, and actively engage in the process of reconciliation.

Today and every day, we want to commemorate and learn from the of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Veterans who stepped forward to defend rights and freedoms that they did not experience equally upon their return to civilian life — many of whom were residential school children.

We encourage you to join us in learning more about the legacies of colonialism and residential schooling, and how these shaped the experiences of Indigenous Veterans during and after their service in the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and other conflicts.

Learn more:

• Remembering Indigenous soldiers: Learn about the Indigenous children who found respite from the residential school system through the Cadets program.
• Indigenous Peoples and Canada’s military: Learn about the impacts of war and service for Indigenous communities, particularly for those in residential schools.
• Indigenous Veterans: Learn about the histories of Indigenous service.
• First Nations, Inuit and Métis Veterans and their Families: Learn more about the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Veterans and Veteran Families.
• Aboriginal Peoples and the Canadian military: Historical perspectives (chapter 6): Learn about the experiences of Indigenous women in the military and how residential schools affected their service.

Each year, on the last Sunday in September, we honour the fallen on Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day. This day offers the opportunity to show our gratitude to those who lost their lives to keep our communities safe. We recognize their courage, integrity and service to the lives of Canadians.

We express our deepest gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We recognize the profound impact their service has made on so many Canadians. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

As we reflect on these sacrifices, our thoughts are with the Families, friends and colleagues of these fallen members.

As part of our commitment to Royal Canadian Mounted Police Veterans and their Families, we want to ensure that you are supported, especially on this difficult day. We invite you to browse the following resources:

• Peer support: Learn how shared experiences can create a sense of understanding and connection between people and browse our peer support program directory.
• MyGrief.ca: A website designed by Canadian Virtual Hospice featuring various modules to help you to understand and move through your grief, at your own pace.
• KidsGrief.ca: A free online resource to help parents talk to their kids about death.

Each year, on the third Friday in September, Military Family Appreciation Day provides Canadians the opportunity to recognize the special role of military and Veteran Families and their unique sacrifices in supporting their loved ones’ commitment to this country.

Acknowledging that military and Veteran Families have unique needs and experiences, it is important that they also receive support. Learn more:

• MindKit: Created for and by young Family members of Canadian Veterans living with a posttraumatic stress injury (PTSI). Learn about mental health and create a unique toolkit to help you navigate tough times.
• Veteran Family Summit: Free virtual event seeking to foster meaningful conversations and empower Veteran Families through knowledge, community building and hope. Register today!
• Month of the Military Child: Discover books for military children along with different categories of resources for children, parents and service providers.

The month of June provides the opportunity to raise awareness about brain injuries and their impact on both Veterans and their Families. Brain injuries can be caused by various impacts to the brain, which can result in mild to lifelong damage. In the military and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veteran community, brain injuries are often missed, as symptoms can be mistaken as signs of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is possible to have a brain injury without event realizing it.

“Even with a TBI, people can still live a good quality of life, just in a different way.”

— Veteran and Family member

Throughout Brain Injury Awareness Month, the Atlas Institute will spotlight different resources and initiatives focused on building understanding about traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

New TBI resources for Veterans, Veteran Families and those who work with them

Veterans and Veteran Families should have the information they need to feel empowered to confidently advocate for themselves. These resources were created as tools to use throughout all stages of traumatic brain injury and even to help identify TBI in yourself or someone you love. These resources can also be used by those who work closely with Veterans, enabling them to offer more effective support. Learn more.

Learn more about TBIs in the military and RCMP Veteran community. Listen to one of our Mind Beyond the Mission podcast episodes featuring both the lived experience of a person with TBI and the clinician perspective:

• Traumatic brain injury — with Dr. Lyn Turkstra: With more than 30 years of experience, Lyn lends her expertise and talks about the symptoms to look for, how these symptoms can overlap with those of PTSD, how TBIs can impact women differently and the gaps in what we know about TBIs.
• Traumatic brain injury — with Veteran and former CFL player Ryan Carey: Listen to Ryan’s unique experience of living with a TBI, how his symptoms were mistaken for PTSD, and practical advice for Veterans living with a TBI.

June is also designated as PTSD Awareness Month, offering a unique opportunity to develop a deeper understanding about PTSD and its potential overlaps with symptoms of brain injuries. Learn more

Additional resources

 Here are some other resources and support for individuals at all phases of TBI recovery and for for their Families and caregivers.

• Brain Injury Canada: Explore a resource hub for those with brain injuries, Family members and health care professionals.
• Concussion Legacy Foundation: Resources for Veterans and Families affected by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and concussions.
• Operation Brain Health: The Concussion Legacy Foundation’s library of brain health resources for members of the military community and others affected by brain trauma and their caregivers and loved ones.
• Project Enlist Canada: Learn about how you can help support military Veterans with TBIs by participating in research to better understand the impacts of brain trauma and provide insights on prevention and treatment.

Each person’s experience of a traumatic event can look different — and this can include how and whether they are impacted by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veteran community, PTSD can be diagnosed after being exposed to death or potential death, acts of violence during service or vulnerability to any incident causing distress. PTSD can also affect Family life, with Veteran Families often experiencing vicarious (indirect) trauma, feelings of rejection and compassion fatigue as they support their impacted loved one.

It is crucial to remember that there is no shame in living with PTSD and that support is available. Learning more about PTSD and its symptoms can be an important tool to help navigate its impacts on your life. Here are a number of resources to help you better understand and manage PTSD:

• PTSD and some treatment options: Overview of PTSD, including causes, symptoms, how it’s diagnosed and information on therapies and treatments.
• Public safety personnel and posttraumatic stress injuries: Educational resources and videos providing coping tips and strategies for people living with PTSI, including peer support and the impacts on Families.
• MindKit: A mental health education hub for young Family members of Canadian Veterans living with a posttraumatic stress injury, including hands-on tools, comics, videos and more.
• Resources for Families and friends: Overview of the effects of PTSD on the Family, including coping strategies and resources.
• Resources for children and youth: Information and resources for children with a Family member experiencing PTSD and coping tips for children dealing with secondary trauma stress.

Related information

• Neurofeedback: A promising new treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: A fact sheet about how neurofeedback words to heal parts of the brain impacted by trauma
• Mind Beyond the Mission: Episode 10 – Posttraumatic growth — with RCMP Veteran Jason Anderson: Listen to our conversation about how traumatic experiences can sometimes spark posttraumatic growth that can foster openness, strength and compassion.
• A guide to moral injury for Veterans and Families: Understand what moral injury is, how it is different from PTSD, and next steps
• National Collaborative on PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions: Convened by Atlas and the Canadian Institute on Public Safety Research and Treatment, the National Collaborative on PTSD aims to facilitate the sharing of knowledge about PTSD between organizations that serve the military, Veteran and PSP communities and their Families.

This year, Mental Health Week takes place from May 6 to 12, 2024 in Canada. This year’s theme is “A Call to be Kind” and is centred on the healing powers of compassion, which has an important role in how we connect to others and support each other through difficult times. Veterans and Veteran Family members are the perfect example of how compassion brings a community together as they support each other through the thick and thin of a life of service.

This week, we will be highlighting different mental health initiatives from our teams at the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families and our work to provide access to safe, meaningful resources and supports that protect dignity and identity, create foundations for hope, connection and community, and improve mental health and well-being.

Check out some of the mental health resources and projects the various portfolios at Atlas have been involved in.

Implementation

To help mental health care and peer support providers and organizations better serve Veterans and their Families, Atlas offers evidence-based implementation resources and training opportunities.

• Introduction to trauma-exposed professionals: An online course developed to increase health care providers’ understanding of the unique cultural differences experienced by trauma-exposed professionals such as Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and public safety personnel (PSP).
• What is implementation?: Learn more about implementation and how it integrates research and practice with the goal of improving outcomes for Canadian Veterans and their Families.

Knowledge Mobilization

Making knowledge more accessible, available and usable is a key part of building awareness and understanding of issues relating to the mental health and well-being of Veterans and their Families. The Atlas Knowledge Mobilization portfolio works with members of the community to create tools and resources for Veterans and their Families to support their own mental health, as well as information to help service providers better care for the Veteran community.

• Suicide prevention resources: Research suggests that Veterans are disproportionately affected by suicide. This suite of suicide prevention resources, created for and by Veterans and their Families, includes two practical toolkits, a conversation guide with an accompanying wallet card, and quick facts, statistics and additional resources related to suicide prevention.
• MindKit: A mental health resource for young Family members of Veterans impacted by a posttraumatic stress injury (PTSI). Featuring youth-friendly tools, strategies and downloadable resources to cope with PTSI and other mental health challenges in the Family.
• Military sexual trauma resources: Military sexual trauma (MST) describes the psychological, physical and social “wounds” that people may feel after experiencing or witnessing sexual and gender-based discrimination, harassment and violence. These resources include tips and strategies to support people impacted by MST and introductory information for health care providers on the unique military and Veteran-specific factors that can affect care for those who have experienced MST. More resources focusing on supporting Family members of impacted Veterans will be added soon.

Lived Experience

Everything at Atlas is shaped by lived experience in one way or another. Our Lived Experience portfolio, which is made up of Veterans and Veteran Family members, helps guide each project to ensure that our work is accurate and culturally relevant to the community. The team also works to amplify the voices and experiences of Veterans and Family members from across the country.

• Veteran Family Virtual Summit 2025: Save the date! The third annual Veteran Family Virtual Summit will take place January 23 – 24, 2025. Join us for a meaningful conversation dedicated to sharing information, resources and inspiration about Veteran Family mental health and well-being.
• Digital stories: Join us on June 26, 2024 for a screening of our newest digital stories. Created by CAF and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veterans and Family members from across Canada, they share a thread of recovery and resilience.
• Mind Beyond the Mission podcast: Join Brian McKenna and Laryssa Lamrock as they have authentic conversations about the real issues experienced by Veterans and Veteran Family members living with mental health injuries.
• Perspectives blog: Hear from people with lived experience on a variety of topics related to Veteran and Veteran Family mental health.
  Are you a Veteran or Family member with a story to tell? Get in touch with us and you may be featured!

Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement

Atlas is just one part of a wide-ranging, extended network of organizations collaborating to serve a common purpose of improving mental health services for Veterans and their Families. Together, we seek to increase knowledge creation, sharing and collaboration.

• Engaging with Veterans and Families: Creating a new approach to collaboration: This engagement framework aims to improve our shared understanding of how Veterans and Veteran Families prefer to be engaged in research and participate in knowledge development projects and initiatives.
• Public policy engagement process report: Discover the highlights from the Atlas Institute’s engagement with organizations in the health, mental health, and Veteran and Family public policy space, including insights on practices that make for effective public policy work and priority areas identified for public policy related to Veterans and their Families.
• National Collaborative on PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions: The Collaborative serves to facilitate knowledge sharing about and enhance our collective understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related mental health conditions, making use of the extensive expertise available across Canada.

Research

Atlas undertakes and supports research that seeks to improve the well-being of Veterans and their Families. Research projects are designed to answer the questions that matter to Veterans and their Families. Participation in research projects from Veterans and Veteran Family members is important to inform the culturally sensitive delivery of treatments, programs and services.

• Research Compass: Research Compass showcases the latest information about our Veteran and Family well-being and mental health research. Each issue includes updates on recruiting studies, recent research, how to get involved and our latest publications.
• Recruiting studies:
  • Examining the association between unmet health and well-being needs and mental health for women Veterans of the CAF and RCMP: Created by women Veterans and for women Veterans, the objective of this study is to understand the experiences that women Veterans have with their health and well-being and their access to care during and after service in the CAF or RCMP.
  • Feasibility and effectiveness of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for Veterans with mTBI: This four-week, virtual study aims to compare methods for helping people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) deal with daily cognitive challenges, such as difficulties with learning new work tasks or changing a routine, or having trouble remembering appointments, among others.
  • Brain measures linked to hyperarousal in PTSD using MRI imaging: The purpose of this magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study is to examine a particular type of brain image (neuromelanin-sensitive MRI) that has been shown to be related to a brain chemical called noradrenaline and see if it is related to PTSD symptoms.

Every April, we celebrate the Month of the Military Child and highlight the strength, perseverance and resilience of military children. The Atlas Institute is proud to shine a spotlight on the stories and experiences of the children of serving and Veteran members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) through the ups and downs of military Family life. We hope their voices and words inspire and provide hope to all children of those who serve and show them that they are not alone.

Military “children” come in all ages, whether they are 3, 30, or 90 years old. No matter how old they are, the “military brat” identity never truly goes away. They often experience life differently than the average Canadian, coping with their parents’ deployments, trainings, postings, transitions, life after service — and sometimes, the long-term mental health outcomes of their work. Through it all, they display adaptability, flexibility and strength. Like the dandelions that thrive wherever they are carried by the wind, military children often journey in various directions and flourish where they land.

Join us in commemorating this special month by honouring their spirit and contributions,  acknowledging their qualities and offering support. Check out the following links to discover stories from military children and various resources.

Hear from military children

The following videos feature military and Veteran children talking about what it’s like to live with someone with a posttraumatic stress injury (PTSI) in the Family and how they take care of their own mental health.

On March 8, people around the world mark International Women’s Day in celebration of the achievements of women. The Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families is taking the opportunity to salute all women, but especially the women of our Veteran and Veteran Family community. As part of their military and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) service, they have experienced unique challenges and barriers. We also recognize the equally important contributions of women in Veteran Families, as they support their currently serving or Veteran member. Today, we salute them and renew our pledge to advance research with the goal of better understanding their experiences and improving the services available to women Veterans and Family members.

#InspireInclusion

The International Women’s Day 2024 campaign theme is #InspireInclusion, which aims to create a more inclusive world for women where there is a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. The battle for inclusion felt by active and Veteran women from the military and RCMP has created challenging careers for some and has often impacted their life after service.  Yet, women members have also shown incredible strength and resilience in the face of these challenges. These efforts have helped to blaze a trail and create a better, more inclusive future for other women following them.

We asked women Veterans to share their experiences of serving in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) or Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and how inclusion played a role in their careers. Read the new Perspectives blog post to discover what they had to say.

Learn about other initiatives focused on women Veterans at Atlas:

The Athena Project: We are proud to have gathered a group of women Veterans of the CAF and RCMP under the umbrella of the Athena Project, an initiative dedicated to research and building connections in support of women Veterans’ well-being. We consult and collaborate with women Veterans to shape the initiative and all projects that will come out of it.

Veteran women: Consider participating in a new Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families study: The first project to come out of the Athena Project is a study examining the association between unmet health and well-being needs and the mental health of women Veterans of the CAF and RCMP. We know that women Veterans of the CAF and RCMP experience mental and physical health conditions differently than men Veterans and women in the general population, including having higher rates of chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders.

To begin to understand the unique health experiences and needs of women Veterans, we want to know how women accessed care during service and how they are accessing care now.  We are also interested in how women Veterans have supported their own well-being and their current mental and physical health. Finally, we want to know if any experiences from service relate to health and well-being as a Veteran.