170.Open Arms-All you need to know about the NEW Model of Care & accessing Mental Health support
Release Date: 06/13/2024
182.An Assistance Dog saved my Veteran
Military Life
RE-RELEASED EPISODE This week on the Military Life Podcast, I speak with Army spouse Mel about a service dog called Maxx and how he saved her husband Damien. Mel and I also speak about; -What it’s like when your Husband deploys every two years -Her Husband’s decision to be proactive in seeking mental health support -Why a service dog was the right fit for her Husband and their family -Defence Community Dog program and the support the Defence Bank Foundation give the program -The impact Maxx has had on her Husband’s everyday life and their family life -The type of support Maxx provides...
info_outline
181.A Focus on the Wellbeing of Army Families
Military Life
This week on the Military Life Podcast, I had the privilege of having an authentic, informative, and real defence family-focused conversation with the Chief of Army Australia, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart. I have now met and spoken with Lieutenant General Stuart several times, in various settings, focused on discussing a range of defence family topics. There have been ten-minute conversations at defence events and hour-long conversations in Lieutenant General Stuart's pretty impressive office in Canberra for this podcast episode (even though the recording was supposed to be a 30-minute...
info_outline
180.PART TWO-Helping Spouses take their Careers to the Next Level!
Military Life
This week on the Military Life podcast, Veteran Spouse Jo returns for PART TWO of her episode. In episode 179/PART ONE, Jo detailed her 15-year Defence Partner journey over 9 postings across New Zealand and Australia, her husband’s transition, and her decision to take her career in a new direction. In PART TWO, Jo and I speak about; -Why she decided to pursue Career Coaching and focus on helping Defence Partners -What a Career Coach does and why it is so much more than helping people with their resumes -The joy and satisfaction Jo gets from helping Defence Partners take their careers...
info_outline
179.PART ONE-15 year Defence Partner journey over 9 postings
Military Life
On this week’s Military Life podcast episode, Veteran Spouse Jo details her 15 year Defence Partner journey over 9 postings across New Zealand and Australia. In PART ONE, Jo and I speak about; -Embracing support, finding community, and making lifelong friends -Discussing her spouse experience vs that of the 2024 Defence Partner -How she ensured her relationship with her Defence Member stayed strong -Communication, understanding & the mental load a Defence Partner carries -Resilience vs Limits and the point of impact on the Spouse and Defence Kids -Choosing transition, figuring out...
info_outline
178.Let's CELEBRATE 175 Episodes with Words of Wisdom & Real Talk from Defence Partners PART 2
Military Life
This week on the Military Life Podcast, I have put together a compilation episode with real talk and words of wisdom offered by some of the Defence Partners who have been gracious enough to tell their story on the podcast over the last 5 years! FIVE YEARS…. Can you even believe it? What a huge milestone for all of us to celebrate. Five years of the podcast, 175 episodes and 100,000 downloads. I want to say thank you to all of you for sharing your stories, listening, supporting, connecting, building this community with me, empowering yourselves and each other by accessing and sharing...
info_outline
177.Let's CELEBRATE 175 Episodes with Words of Wisdom & Real Talk from Defence Partners PART 1
Military Life
This week on the Military Life Podcast, I have put together a compilation episode with real talk and words of wisdom offered by some of the Defence Partners who have been gracious enough to tell their story on the podcast over the last 5 years! FIVE YEARS…. Can you even believe it? What a huge milestone for all of us to celebrate. Five years of the podcast, 175 episodes and 100,000 downloads. I want to say thank you to all of you for sharing your stories, listening, supporting, connecting, building this community with me, empowering yourselves and each other by accessing and sharing...
info_outline
176.A Focus on the Wellbeing of Navy Families
Military Life
This week on the Military Life Podcast, I had the privilege of having a genuine, insightful and defence family-focused conversation with Chief of Navy Australia Vice Admiral Mark Hammond. Throughout my time as not only a Defence Partner but also now through my work in the defence family space, I have interacted with people from all services, various ranks, departments, and positions, and you get a feel when someone is genuine. You get a feel when someone wants to listen, wants to understand, wants to acknowledge, and values the defence family perspective. Vice Admiral Hammond is one of those...
info_outline
175.Buying & Selling-Making your Money and Defence Allowances work for YOU!
Military Life
Posting to a new location is a huge life event. Whether you do it every few years or, like me, have long stretches between moves because you choose to URF (unaccompanied Resident Family), it can be a lot. Throw in selling a property, and the TO DO list can seem overwhelming. It’s understandable that maybe you just want to take a minute between selling in one location and buying in the next so that you can catch your breath, unpack, and explore your new location. Soooo, in the meantime, what do you do with the funds from the sale of your property, and which defence allowances can you access?...
info_outline
174.PART 2-Posting Overseas-Spouse Nicole's Experience
Military Life
On this week’s Military Life podcast episode, I ask Defence Partner Nicole, who is currently posted in the USA with her ADF member and two children, ALLLL the overseas posting questions you didn’t even know you needed answered! In PART TWO, Nicole and I talk about; - The regret Nicole and her Husband felt about moving overseas once the dust had settled - The impact on her mental health when the reality of being so far from home set in - Feeling like everything is hard and different and figuring out their new normal - Finally settling into living overseas and finding the positives - Being...
info_outline
173.PART 1-Posting Overseas-Spouse Nicole's Experience
Military Life
On this week’s Military Life podcast episode, I ask Defence Partner Nicole, who is currently posted in the USA with her ADF member and two children, ALLLL the overseas posting questions you didn’t even know you needed answered! In PART ONE, Nicole and I talk about; -Why the timing was right for their family to apply for an overseas posting -What happens once you get the official word your family will be posted overseas -Differences between the overseas posting Nicole and her Husband did 10 years ago and now -The practical stuff like paperwork and appointments that need to get done and STAT...
info_outlineThis week's Military Life podcast episode is about the FREE mental Health service available to Defence Partners, current ADF Members, Veterans, and their immediate Families—OPEN ARMS and the recently introduced Model of Care.
This week I caught up with Leonie Nowland, First Assistant Secretary of Open Arms, and Dr Jon Lane, Senior Psychiatrist Advisor with Open Arms and member of the Open Arms National Advisory Committee.
In this episode, we speak about;
-Who can access support and services through Open Arms, and when
-What they know about current serving families and their mental health support needs.
-Understanding the Open Arms services the 43,000 clients access with 38% being current serving members and families.
-The introduction of the first Open Arms Model of Care. Why now, how it was developed, and what does it mean for Open Arms clients?
-The importance of setting the record straight when it comes to misinformation surrounding the new Model of Care.
-The confusion around whether Open Arms clients will or won’t have a 3-6 month/10 session limit of support and…. is there a 3 month waiting period before accessing further services?
-The Open Arms National Advisory Committee's purpose and representation of current serving families.
-We discuss whether the experiences of Veterans vs Family Members are different and should be acknowledged.
-Why Open Arms clinicians, peer support workers, and contractors are military-aware and what that means when it comes to partners and families.
-Do you have to start fresh with a new Open Arms clinician when you post to a new location, or can you continue with your previous provider?
-Current wait times defence partners, members, veterans, and immediate family are experiencing when it comes to accessing services.
-The trauma defence partners and families experience living defence life and why it is important to acknowledge the various stressors encountered on a daily basis.
-Understanding how and when Defence Kids and Teens can access mental health support via Open Arms and the current limitations.
-Why Open Arms can’t provide services for Australian Defence Partners and Families who post to an overseas location.
-Where to access and read the Model of Care https://www.openarms.gov.au/about/our-model-care
Open Arms is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week FREE service. For further information or to access mental health support, you can call 1800 011 046 or visit the website www.openarms.gov.au
Please note: Anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, their partner, and immediate family members can access support via Open Arms. Even if you are new to military life and haven't completed your paperwork (to be recognised as a couple), you can still reach out for support, and Open Arms will talk you through whatever you are struggling with and also, if needed, refer you to other services.
Ready to join the ML community? Click through the link below to get connected xx