The Extended Family | Veterans Helping Veterans

Jennifer: We are humans we're meant to be connected and we want to connect with people that's been through the same things. We have to find groups that understand us.

Rick: Being with a lot of veterans and having this group therapy, it helped me a lot. Someone who knows, who walked that walk in other words, that's a big thing is giving back as a veteran. My goal was to always give back to the veterans because you have that experience, so you want to share it and you can overcome it.

Moses: The thing that I really subscribe to the most outside of the counseling was the peer-to-peer counseling. Sitting there with someone who also admits that PTSD is a weird thing. That was a talking point. It was like admitting you had it. I always tell people, don't subscribe to one thing, subscribe to what works for you. You have to find your own meaning again. I was fortunate to find my own meaning in other veterans. I give people hope. I just can't get enough of that. I am so fixed on that. I just love that feeling. But also, I love watching my veterans go be successful.

Gage: There's resources out there. You can go to this one, you can go to that one. Sometimes I'll ask them, I'm like, here's my phone number. Give me a call.

Jennifer: I don't have to even go through the process by myself. I can go through the process in a group, and we can be strong for each other.

Moses: That is something that every single military person knows. It's never, "Hey, call that person." It's like, "Let me hook you up with my boy, they'll take care of you. We have friends everywhere in the VA. Let me get you in contact with one."

Rick: Because you have that experience. If you use that experience to help somebody, you're going to get far, you're going to heal yourself