Garret Biss

12/23/2025

The pain we go through does not have to define us. Every challenge, every struggle, and every moment of hardship shapes who we are and how we see the world. Our experiences, even the most difficult ones, prepare us in ways we may not realize at the time.

When we recognize that our struggles have given us strength, insight, and resilience, we can lean forward in service to others. Pain becomes more than something to endure; it becomes a source of purpose and connection.

By using what we have learned to support, guide, and lift others, we transform personal hardship into impact. Serving others allows us to rewrite the story of our pain and turn it into a force for growth, empathy, and change.

12/19/2025

At Oklahoma State University I shared a core truth about healing, connection, and human resilience.

We often carry heavy burdens because we assume that if someone knew our truth, they would reject us. That assumption quietly shapes how we show up, how we relate, and how deeply we allow ourselves to be seen.

But testing that assumption can be profoundly healing.
When we share our story in a safe and supportive space, we discover acceptance where we expected judgment. Shame loses its grip. Authenticity strengthens connection. And the narrative we carry about ourselves begins to shift in powerful ways.

Healing starts when we stop hiding and start connecting.

12/15/2025

I recently spoke at Oklahoma State University about a perspective that often gets overlooked. Trauma does not only create negative outcomes. For many people, the hardest moments in life become the spark for resilience, a deeper sense of meaning, and a renewed commitment to grow.

When we learn to sit with our pain rather than hide from it, we begin to understand its lessons. We discover strengths we did not know we had. We reconnect with purpose. And the very experiences that once felt overwhelming can become the foundation for wisdom, compassion, and positive change.

This is the heart of my work. Helping people see what is possible on the other side of struggle. Honored to share this message with the students and community at Oklahoma State University, and grateful for every opportunity to empower veterans beyond trauma and addiction.

12/08/2025

Life is never made unbearable by circumstance but only by a lack of meaning and purpose.

I’m excited to bring this message to Bridging the Gap: Overcoming Transition Trauma to Thrive in Higher Education at Oklahoma State University.

I’ll be sharing the CAM model of Connection, Authenticity, and Meaning, a strengths-based approach that helps veterans and student service members navigate transition, reconnect with their identity, and thrive in academic life.

Finding purpose is not a luxury. It is the path forward.

12/05/2025

Sometimes major transitions or traumatic experiences can disconnect us from who we truly are. In my latest conversation with 𝗨𝗦𝗔 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗩® & 𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗢, I share how veterans and individuals alike can reconnect with their strengths, uncover the value they already carry within, and rebuild a sense of self-worth.

By reflecting on past wins, embracing support from mentors or coaches, and learning tools to manage stress and trauma, we can rediscover our purpose and move forward with confidence. Healing is not always about following a traditional path. It is about reconnecting with yourself and your inherent strengths.

12/01/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲.

I had a powerful conversation on 𝗨𝗦𝗔 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗩® & 𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗢 about how veterans can rebuild their identity by reconnecting with their inherent value. When we tap back into our strengths, we begin to navigate life with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

This work is about reminding veterans of who they are beyond trauma and tough experiences. It starts with coming back to ourselves and reclaiming the strengths that were always there.

11/28/2025

When we face adversity, our first thought should not be “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺?” but “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆?”

This mindset shift transforms challenges into opportunities for growth. Instead of shrinking from discomfort, we engage it with curiosity and purpose. Every obstacle becomes a chance to strengthen our character and refine our resilience.

Growth doesn’t come from avoiding pain, but from learning how to move through it with intention.

11/25/2025

𝗔 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲.

When we experience trauma, stress, or loss, we often lose touch with our sense of self. Healing begins when we pause long enough to remember who we are beneath the pain, the labels, and the survival mode.

Through practices of awareness, self-compassion, and stillness, we can rediscover that inner self that’s always been there, waiting to be seen and honored again.

11/22/2025

When we go through trauma or major life transitions, we often lose touch with who we truly are. The chaos, the pain, and the uncertainty can pull us away from our inner compass.

Healing begins when we reconnect with that sense of self, the part of us that existed before the pain, and the part that still knows our worth, our strength, and our purpose.

The journey back to yourself is the foundation of true recovery.

11/18/2025

11/18/2025

I'm honored to have spent last week with the student veterans, faculty, and staff at Oklahoma State University as part of their Veterans Week programming.

We explored one of the most overlooked challenges facing veterans today: the identity shift that happens when transitioning from military life into higher education.

Together, we dug into how disconnection, internal expectations, and hidden pressures can shape a veteran’s academic experience — and how simple shifts in Connection, Authenticity, and Meaning (the CAM Framework™) can completely transform a student’s path forward.

Student Veterans aren’t broken — they’re disconnected.

When we help them rebuild identity, purpose, and belonging, their innate resilience, wellness, and leadership resurface.

Grateful for the meaningful conversations, the OSU Office of Military-Affiliated Student Support, and the students who showed up ready to grow.

👉 Full press release here: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/868074147/garret-biss-leads-veteran-wellness-programming-at-oklahoma-state-university

If your university, organization, or conference is exploring ways to better support veterans and military-connected students, I’d love to talk.

11/17/2025

I believe that everything that happens to us happens for us. Every struggle and every challenge carries something valuable if we’re willing to look deeper.

When we take time to connect the dots between what we’ve been through and where we are now, we begin to see how each experience has shaped us. Even the painful moments can serve as powerful teachers, guiding us toward growth, purpose, and service to others.