Providing Support for Military Spouses with Southwestern Ontario MFRC

Lori Timland, spouse of Sergeant (Retired) Derrick Timland was able to receive critical support thanks to True Patriot Love’s funding of the Awakening the Anchor workshop. Run by the Southwestern Ontario Military Family Resource Centre, this new workshop, which launched in 2019, is offered to spouses and partners of military members and Veterans who have an occupational stress injury or have post-traumatic stress disorder.

lori

Like Lori, many spouses and partners can feel overwhelmed and develop mental health issues as they care for an injured military member or Veteran. With True Patriot Love’s funding, the workshop has been able to provide participants with the necessary tools and skills to manage their stress and take care of themselves.

In 2017, my husband was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. He was also medically released from the Canadian Armed Forces, which greatly impacted the entire family. I was overwhelmed, to say the least.

Thankfully, I learnt about the Awakening the Anchor program. Led by the Southwestern Ontario Military Family Resource Centre (SWOMFRC), the program brought together nine incredible military spouses who were all facing the challenges associated with living alongside a spouse or partner who has an occupational stress injury.  

The guidance and care of the facilitators made for a very healing workshop. They were compassionate and delivered our teaching in a gentle non-judgmental way. This allowed all of us to laugh, cry and simply “just be” in a safe space.

At the end of the workshop, I left with a feeling of calmness. I was taught self-care skills and strategies that I could use outside of the program, which is extremely helpful especially when I’m not feeling my best.

I can honestly say that Awakening the Anchor gave me a chance to renew my strength, my hope and my faith.

I am forever grateful to True Patriot Love for recognizing the benefit of this workshop and for providing the funding. Your generosity has given me healing. 

Help True Patriot Love Foundation continue to fund programs like Awakening the Anchor that provides a healing environment for spouses in military families like Lori.  

Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual in this story.