BRAVE Program

04/20/2026

If you’re running peer support and you’re at FDIC International 👉👉COME FIND US!

📍 Lucas Oil Stadium – Health & Wellness
Kiosk #6. Right by the stage.

You’re the ones taking the late-night calls.
You’re the ones hearing “I’m fine” when you know they’re not.😶‍🌫️

If you’re seeing:
• Irritability
• Sleep issues
• Focus problems
• “Bell rung” history

Let’s talk.

We’ll show you what to look for, what to ask, and when to refer.

Peer support deserves backup.🚒🚒🚒

Come say hello.👋

04/17/2026

🚨 Fast Facts Fri-YAY 🚨

Meditation isn’t what most people think it is.
You don’t have to sit cross-legged for an hour or “clear your mind.”
If you’ve ever said:

“I can’t meditate. My mind won’t stop.”

That’s actually the point.

Meditation isn’t about shutting your thoughts off.

It’s about noticing when your mind drifts...and bringing it back.

Every time you do that, you’re training your brain.
And it works.
Even 2–5 minutes can make a difference.
There are Guided Meditations available online and in Apps.

At BRAVE, we focus on tools that help you reset - not escape.

04/16/2026

Indianapolis… we’re coming for you.💪🧠💪🧠

BRAVE is headed to FDIC International for the first time and we couldn’t be more excited!

You’ll find us inside Lucas Oil Stadium in the Health & Wellness area:
📍 Kiosk #6 — right by the stage.

We’ve got:
✔️ Cool giveaways
✔️ Big conversations
✔️ Real talk about brain health
✔️ And a team ready to connect

If you’re a firefighter, veteran, or first responder or if you support them 👉 STOP BY!

Let’s talk mTBI.
Let’s talk PTSD.
Let’s talk about what happens after the call.

We’re looking forward to making new connections and spreading the word about BRAVE.

See you in Indy.👩🏼‍🚒👨🏾‍🚒👨🏽‍🚒👩‍🚒👩🏾‍🚒👨‍🚒

04/15/2026

Some things you can’t plan.

Like an entire group of Speech-Language Pathologists and Physical Therapists showing up in matching BRAVE shirts on the same day.👀

No preplanning- no fashion memo- just the kind of alignment that comes from people who truly believe in the work. We’re choosing to believe it’s not a coincidence.

This team helps our patients rebuild communication, movement, confidence, and trust in their own bodies.

Today they just happened to match while doing it. 😄

Grateful for this crew at the BRAVE Program.

04/13/2026

👀Behind the scenes at BRAVE 👀

Last week took us:
🐴 To an Equine Therapy Farm (where we learned a TON and met some incredible horses… and Bella the cow 🐄)
🛒 On a supply run to keep our participants fed, hydrated and supported
🎮 Back to the clinic where the Peer Support Gaming Team from Veterans Path to Hope stopped by-and yes, our Program Director even jumped in to test it out!

This is the kind of work that doesn’t always get seen.

Finding new ways to support healing.
Building connections.
Creating community.

We’re excited for what’s coming next:
👉 Potential Equine Therapy
👉 Alumni Gaming Night this Fall

BRAVE is doing big things-on and off the clinic floor.

04/12/2026

Before the sirens…🚨
before the lights…🚑
before anyone arrives on scene…🚓

There’s a voice.

A 911 dispatcher answering the call.🤳

Talking someone through CPR.
Keeping a caller calm.
Managing chaos -without ever leaving their chair.

This week, we recognize National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 12–18).

Dispatchers carry a different kind of weight...the calls they hear, the moments they sit in, the outcomes they may never know.

At BRAVE, we want you to know:

You are part of the first responder community.
And your health: mental, emotional, and neurological ➡matters too.

Thank you for what you do, every single shift.

04/10/2026

👩‍⚕️We had the privilege of hosting an incredible medical student during her rotation with BRAVE and now she’s onto her next chapter.👩‍⚕️

Kamila, thank you for the professionalism, curiosity, compassion, and steady presence you brought to our team. You showed up ready to learn, asked thoughtful questions, and most importantly, treated every Veteran and First Responder with respect and dignity.💪

Clinical skill matters. But so does heart. And you brought both.🧠🫀

We’re excited to share that Kamila is headed into Internal Medicine! A field that will benefit greatly from her work ethic, insight, and commitment to patient care.

The future of medicine is bright with physicians like her stepping forward.😎

Congratulations, Kamila. We’re proud to have been part of your journey and we can’t wait to see all you accomplish.🙌👏👏👏👏

04/10/2026

🚨 Fast Facts Fri-YAY: 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding 🚨

When your mind is racing…
when you feel overwhelmed…
when your system is stuck in “go mode”…

Try this:

The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method.
It helps bring you back to the present moment.

👀5 -things you can see
✋4 -things you can touch
👂🏾3 things you can hear
👃2 things you can smell
👄1 thing you can taste

Simple. Practical. Effective.

This isn’t about shutting things off. ....t’s about helping your nervous system reset and reengage.

You can do this:
✔ on shift
✔ in your car
✔ at home
✔ anywhere

At BRAVE, we focus on tools like this because small resets can make a big difference over time.

If something feels off, pause. Breathe. Ground yourself.

You don’t have to stay stuck there.

04/09/2026

Guess where BRAVE is going next week?
That's right! On Monday, April 12th -We will be in attendance for one of Illinois biggest Veteran's Benefits & Resource Fairs! 🤩

Come say Hi!- Learn about how BRAVE is helping Veterans and First Responders!

We are Booth

Join us for the Illinois Veterans Benefits and Resource Fair at the University of Chicago's David Rubenstein Forum. This event connects Veterans, service members, and their families with valuable info on: VA benefits and services, health care resources, employment and education opportunities, and Local community support. This event is open to Veterans, caregivers, and families. We look forward to seeing you there. April 13, 2026, from 8:20 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST at the University of Chicago David Rubenstein Forum 1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

*No DOD ID required* *FREE Parking*

For more information and to register for this event, visit https://discover.va.gov/transition-events/event/fy26_chicago/

04/08/2026

Happy Wednesday!
Speech therapy isn’t just about speech.🧠

It’s about:
🧠memory
🧠focus
🧠processing
🧠communication

At BRAVE, our Speech-Language Pathologists help rebuild how the brain works... not just how we talk.
It’s not just speech.

It’s how your brain works day-to-day.

And when those skills improve, confidence comes back too.💪💪

04/07/2026

🎣 BRAVE Alumni Event Recap 🎣

This weekend we hosted a fly tying event with Joe Harper and his Crew. 🐟🐟
Our alumni learned a new skill, shared a meal, and spent time connecting.

Moments like these remind us that healing happens in community.

Huge thank you to Joe and his Crew for making it happen.

Thank you to everyone who joined us!