Veterans Mental Health Council

Veterans Mental Health Council Veterans and families empowering each other through advocacy, education, and support. We're here to advocate and improve services for all.

Meetings are held virtually via Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm. To participate, contact us at info@veteransmentalheathcouncil.org, and we will send you the link. We welcome Veterans and family members utilizing VA behavioral health services to join our council. For inquiries or to share your concerns, please email us at info@veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org.

Veterans—right now, it may feel like the weight is endless. Like the climb is steeper than you expected. PTSD, anxiety, ...
01/03/2026

Veterans—right now, it may feel like the weight is endless. Like the climb is steeper than you expected. PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief—these things can make each day feel like a battle you didn’t ask for.

But this season is not the end of the story. One day, this chapter will be something you remember, not something you’re trapped inside. You’ll look back and realize how strong you were—especially on the days you didn’t feel strong at all.

💡 Hold onto this:
• Hard seasons don’t last forever
• Surviving is still progress
• You’re allowed to take it one day, one step at a time

Keep going. Keep breathing. Keep choosing to show up—even when it’s messy.

👉 And remember, you don’t have to make it through alone. Support, understanding, and community are available through the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

Veterans—when life feels overwhelming, it’s often because we’re trying to see everything at once. The entire staircase. ...
01/02/2026

Veterans—when life feels overwhelming, it’s often because we’re trying to see everything at once. The entire staircase. The whole journey. The full weight of what’s ahead.

But you don’t have to climb it all today.
You only need to take the next step.

Healing, growth, and rebuilding after PTSD, anxiety, depression, or grief doesn’t happen in one leap. It happens one small, intentional move at a time. One decision. One breath. One act of courage.

💡 Remember:
• Progress doesn’t require perfection
• Small steps still move you forward
• You are capable of doing hard things—one step at a time

Pause. Ground yourself. Look at what’s directly in front of you. That’s where your focus belongs.

👉 If you need support as you take those next steps, community and understanding are available through the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

Remember: You Can Do Hard ThingsSome days the challenge is obvious. Other days it’s invisible—just getting out of bed, a...
01/01/2026

Remember: You Can Do Hard Things

Some days the challenge is obvious. Other days it’s invisible—just getting out of bed, answering a message, walking into a crowded room, or sitting quietly with a racing mind.

But if you’re reading this, it means you’ve already survived moments you didn’t think you could. You’ve carried weights most people will never see. And you’re still here. That matters. You matter.

For veterans living with PTSD, anxiety, depression, or grief:
Doing hard things doesn’t always look heroic.
Sometimes it looks like:
• Taking one next step
• Asking for help
• Resting without guilt
• Choosing not to give up today

Strength isn’t the absence of struggle—it’s the decision to continue through it.

👉 Breathe. You’re stronger than you feel. You can do hard things. And you don’t have to do them alone.

For support, understanding, and community, visit the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

This year was hard for many of us.But we made it through. And that is a victory.Not because everything went right.Not be...
12/30/2025

This year was hard for many of us.
But we made it through. And that is a victory.

Not because everything went right.
Not because we stayed strong every day.
Not because we hit every goal.

But because we kept going.

Because we showed up on mornings that felt too heavy.
Because we faced days our nervous system told us to hide.
Because we adapted, even when progress felt invisible.

If you are a veteran living with PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, or the weight of memories you didn’t ask for—you are not “behind.”
You survived a year that tried to break you.
That is not failure.
That is strength.

💙 A victory is not always loud.
Sometimes a victory is breathing.
Sometimes it’s resting.
Sometimes it’s trying again tomorrow.
Sometimes it’s simply being here.

As we step forward, do not forget:
• You showed grit this year
• You learned hard lessons
• You grew in ways you might not see yet
• You made it to this moment

And that counts.

👉 You do not have to walk into the next year alone.
Support, understanding, and community are here through the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

When the excitement fades and reality settles back in, it’s normal to feel a little low. Post-celebration blues don’t me...
12/29/2025

When the excitement fades and reality settles back in, it’s normal to feel a little low. Post-celebration blues don’t mean you’re ungrateful — they mean you’re human. Here are gentle ways to ease back into yourself:

🧠 Slow down and notice the present
Feel your feet on the ground. Breathe. Name what’s around you.

🚶‍♂️ Move your body
A short walk, stretching, or light exercise can reset your nervous system.

📚 Let your mind escape
Pick up a good book. Let a story carry you for a while.

🫶 Practice extra acts of self-care
Comfort food, warm blankets, longer showers — tenderness counts.

😴 Let yourself do nothing
Rest isn’t laziness. It’s repair.

🎧 Listen to music that softens the edges
Your playlist can be a lifeline.

🎨 Start a small project just for fun
Creativity helps your nervous system regulate.

🌟 Do something you loved as a kid
Nostalgia is medicine.

⸻

If you’re a veteran navigating PTSD, anxiety, or depression — these feelings don’t mean you’re going backwards. They mean your nervous system needs support, not shame.

👉 You don’t have to figure this out alone. The Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC) is here when you need connection, clarity, and community:
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

Breathe.You are doing your best, and that’s enough.I know some days feel heavier than others.Some moments feel like your...
12/29/2025

Breathe.
You are doing your best, and that’s enough.

I know some days feel heavier than others.
Some moments feel like your chest is tight, your mind is racing,
and the world expects more than you feel capable of giving.

But just for a moment—pause.
unclench your jaw
relax your shoulders
inhale like you deserve oxygen
exhale like you deserve peace

You don’t have to earn rest.
You don’t have to prove your worth.
Your existence is enough reason to take a breath.

If you are a veteran living with PTSD, anxiety, or depression, please hear this:
There is nothing weak about needing space, support, or stillness.
Your nervous system is not broken—it’s adapting.

💙 You are allowed to slow down.
💙 You are allowed to take up space.
💙 You are allowed to be human.

👉 If today feels heavy, you don’t have to carry it alone.
Support, community, and understanding are available through the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

A little reminder for today 👇Your anxious thoughts aren’t facts.They’re echoes of fear, not predictions of your future.Y...
12/28/2025

A little reminder for today 👇

Your anxious thoughts aren’t facts.
They’re echoes of fear, not predictions of your future.

You are safe.
You are allowed to feel at ease, even if your mind tells you otherwise.
It’s okay to unclench your jaw, loosen your shoulders, and take a deeper breath than you think you deserve.

Anxiety lies.
But you don’t have to believe every thought that shows up.

Repeat after me:
✨ I am safe.
✨ I am capable.
✨ I can handle what comes next.
✨ It’s all going to work out—one step at a time.

If you’re a veteran living with PTSD, anxiety, or depression, please hear this clearly: you’re not failing. You’re adapting. You’re surviving. And that is strength.

You don’t have to fight alone.

👉 Support, understanding, and community are available through the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

Make sure to include yourself in the list of things you need to take care of this week.It’s easy to get caught up in res...
12/27/2025

Make sure to include yourself in the list of things you need to take care of this week.

It’s easy to get caught up in responsibilities, appointments, work, family, and everyone else’s needs. But you are not an afterthought. You are not the last thing on your own list. You are a priority, too.

This week, remember to:
• Drink water before the headache comes
• Rest before the exhaustion hits
• Say “no” before resentment shows up
• Ask for help before you reach your breaking point
• Check in with yourself like someone you love

Especially for veterans living with PTSD, anxiety, depression, or chronic stress, self-maintenance isn’t selfish—it’s survival. Your wellness matters. Your peace matters. You matter.

💙 Take care of others, yes—but take care of you, too.

If you need support or community, you don’t have to search alone. The Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC) is here to walk with you:
👉 https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

Honor Your Progress. Celebrate Where You Are. 🌱You don’t have to wait until everything is perfect to be proud of yoursel...
12/27/2025

Honor Your Progress. Celebrate Where You Are. 🌱

You don’t have to wait until everything is perfect to be proud of yourself.
Where you are right now—even if it’s messy, slow, or still in progress—is worth honoring.

Progress isn’t only measured in milestones or achievements.
It’s measured in moments:
• When you chose healing over hiding
• When you rested instead of quitting
• When you asked for help instead of breaking alone
• When you stayed, even on the days you wanted to disappear

For veterans navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, or transition—your growth may not look like anyone else’s. That’s okay. Healing isn’t a race. It’s a direction. And you’re moving.

💡 Today’s invitation:
Honor how far you’ve come.
Celebrate that you’re still here.
Let this moment count.

👉 You don’t have to walk this alone. Support and community are available through the Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC):
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

🎄 Whatever You Do This Christmas… It’s Enough. 🎄Not everyone is celebrating the same way.Not everyone feels joyful.Not e...
12/25/2025

🎄 Whatever You Do This Christmas… It’s Enough. 🎄

Not everyone is celebrating the same way.
Not everyone feels joyful.
Not everyone has the energy to “be festive.”

And that’s okay.

🌟 If all you did was get out of bed—it’s enough.
🌟 If you’re choosing quiet over crowds—it’s enough.
🌟 If you’re grieving, healing, or just surviving—it’s enough.
🌟 If the holidays look different this year—it’s still enough.

You are not falling short.
You are not behind.
You are not failing.

You are human, doing your best with what you have—and that is more than enough.

If you’re a veteran navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, or grief this season, remember:
You don’t have to carry this alone.

👉 For community, support, and resources visit:
Veterans Mental Health Council (VMHC)
https://veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

12/25/2025

The holidays aren’t easy for everyone — and that’s okay. 💙We’re sending extra love and light to those who are grieving, feeling alone, overwhelmed, or uncertain this season. You are seen. You are not alone.

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Columbia, MO
65201

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+15734186658

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