Last weekend I, Josh, had the chance to participate in a program through the generosity of an amazing Flathead organization called Valor Equine Therapy (if you don’t know them, be sure to check them out here).

As part of the 3-day-intensive, I joined with seven other people who were veterans of either law enforcement, fire service, or one of our armed services. Being a veteran myself (Semper Fi) thanks to substituting my early college career for a Marine Corps enlistment, I was invited to join the group. I could spend the rest of my time here giving you a detailed account of the group time talking about shared experiences, or the insight I gained into why I’ve frequently had a frustrating time trying to convince my own horses to listen to me. Instead, I would like to focus on three main takeaways I had as both a veteran and a counselor, that I will be sharing over my next few blog posts. 

The greatest gift of my weekend with Valor was remembering how much I love being with fellow veterans.

There is a way of communication when you get first responders or veterans together that most people might liken to a roast, but which any veteran will tell you is a connecting and bonding experience. It reminded me how important it is to have community; people who can relate to our experiences and with whom we can spend time that’s real and unfiltered. Veterans have consistently experienced the pain of being in a world in which they can feel like complete outsiders. Yet, sitting surrounded by my fellow participants and the volunteers who make Valor possible, I was able to talk about my service and the transition home without having to explain every nuance of what I was sharing. It reminded me that as veterans of any service if we want to thrive, we must find ways to connect with each other.

None of us need to be reminded that keeping our connections can be a life-or-death situation, whether for you or the person across the table. We need each other. Has a friend been on your mind to call lately and you keep giving yourself reasons not to? Today is the day, give them a call, and you’ll both benefit for it. 

More about my weekend with Valor to come.

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-Josh Healy, PCLC

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