Searching for the meaning of life is only natural. A meaningful life leads to a sense of purpose, self-esteem and psychological well-being. How do life experiences that are unique to Veterans alter these feelings? In this episode, Dr. Edgar Villarreal speaks with VA researcher Dr. Adam Kinney and Army Veteran, Jeff Moe to find out. They discuss how…

It is well known that exercise can improve both physical and mental health. But what about preventing and treating PTSD in Veterans? In this episode, Dr. Edgar Villarreal speaks with researcher Dr. Daniel Reis and Army Veteran Adam Holt. Through the lens of both research and lived experience they explore exercise as an alternative treatment option …

Veterans experiencing homelessness face unique challenges that increase their risk for suicide. In this episode, Dr. Edgar Villarreal talks to our guest Dr. Ryan Holliday about the need for research focused on this population. They discuss an article that explores research priorities identified by experts and Veterans with lived experience in suici…

Acquired neurologic conditions can lead to functional challenges and changes that might increase risk for suicide. In this episode, Dr. Jordan Wyrwa and Dr. Lisa Brenner discuss three recent research papers on suicide rates among Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Stroke. They talk about the similari…

Several states in the US have legalized medical cannabis as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition that many Veterans experience. While many people with PTSD use cannabis products, questions remain about the effectiveness. In today’s conversation, forensic neuropsychiatrist Dr. Hal Wortzel talks with our guest host, Dr. …

Short Takes Episode 130 Transcript The VA is known as a leader in suicide prevention, offering innovative approaches to preventing Veteran suicide. And yet, many Veterans are not enrolled in VA care. It is therefore imperative that community organizations that serve Veterans have the resources and knowledge to help with veteran suicide prevention. …

Suicide prevention is a worthy goal itself, but it’s about more than stopping just one suicidal event – it’s also important to address the emotional pain underlying suicide and build a meaningful life that’s truly worth living. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, known as ACT, is a therapy approach that helps people experience their emotions in a ne…

The transition from military to civilian life can be an important time for service members. For many, it is an exciting life transition. For some, however, it can be a time of high stress, and even crisis. Whether it’s changes in social support, financial stress, a change in identity, or a cultural adjustment, some service members struggle during t…

The relationship between PTSD and suicide is important to understand if we want to prevent suicide among veterans and military service members. So what is the relationship between PTSD and suicide? Well, according to suicide and PTSD researcher Dr. Ryan Holliday…. It’s complicated! In this conversation, Dr. Holliday talks to fellow MIRECC Psycholog…

Social connection is a key aspect of suicide prevention in older adulthood. Dr. Kimberly Van Orden, who researches isolation and connection in older adulthood, talks to Dr. Lisa Brenner about her background in suicide prevention and older adulthood, benefits and vulnerabilities associated with aging, and why social connectedness is especially impor…

In our last show for season 4 we close with a look at post-traumatic growth and suicide with Dr. Daniel DeBrule. Daniel was mentored by Drs. Lawrence G. Calhoun and Richard G. Tedeschi and brings that wisdom and ideas to this podcast.Por Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention

We recorded this podcast in early April just as we were still trying to understand what life would mean during the pandemic. I didn't start working on the podcast until the end of July and was worried if it would still hold up. I think it does for the most part though we are all a little wiser. One part that I really like was when Ted talks about h…

I read a column in the gardening section of the Denver Post in spring of 2019 and stumbled on the writer Chryss Cada. In the last two paragraphs she announced that this was her last column that she'd be dedicating the next portion of her journey on telling the story of losing her brother, Mark, to suicide when he was 15 and she was 12. We touched b…

Some time ago Adam attended an immersive theater presentation at Rose Medical Center across the street from our old VA medical center. The performances, First Do No Harm and The Clinic, were performed in the hospital and bring the audience into the experience in a wholly different way. Tara recently recorded COVID Stories. With Adam she discusses a…

This week we talk with gero-psychologist Evan Plys, PhD about suicide prevention in long-term care settings; from independent-living to assisted-living to nursing home. Evan has volunteered and worked in long-term care since he was young and has a special affinity for our elders. He offers advice on how to discuss suicide within these settings and …

For this episode we turn the mic over to Ryan Holliday a clinical and research psychologist at RMIRECC. Ryan asked for the mic so he could interview two Sean's. The first is Shawn Liu with the VA Programs for the Homeless and the second Sean Clark, VA Veterans Justice Outreach. The three team up to get in depth on the intersection Homelessness, Jus…

Adam Hoffberg got a chance to talk with Dr. Pearl McGee-Vincent, of the National Center for PTSD Dissemination and Training Division about the updated release of the app PTSD Coach. The wildly respected and used app now includes a digital safety plan for suicide prevention. Pearl takes us on a guided tour of the app and how it can make a difference…

My partner came across an article from The Colorado Trust on Trauma Informed Design. The article was titled, "Using Trauma-Informed Design, Buildings Become Tools for Recovery". The article lead me to Jennifer Wilson, a social worker and research associate with the Center for Housing and Homelessness Research at the University of Denver. Jennifer a…

This week Adam is in conversation with Shane Kraus to talk about addiction and suicide prevention. Dr. Kraus discusses the behavioral addictions: gambling and sex. The great thing to hear is that both are responsive to treatment and there are many treatment resources within the VA. It starts by talking and by listening.…

As the producer for the Short Takes podcast I usually just sit back while Adam interviews our guest. This week both Adam and I sat out while we turned the mic over to Tara Galovski, the co-director WoVeN - the Women Veterans Network. Tara interviewed 3 WoVeN leaders and they had such a great time telling their story. You just know this group works …

This week Adam talks with Katie Juhasz from the National Center for PTSD. They talk about a new product called Card for Connection. Cards for Connection is a free resource that puts simple coping skills and VA phone numbers directly into Veterans’ hands. Originally created for Veterans who had experienced homelessness, the card deck has now been up…

This is such a great podcast to drop right now with all the uncertainty of COVID-19. This podcast with John Ferguson and Adam Hoffberg contains two meditations from John using his Tibetan Singing Bowls. Listen to the meditations and I think you'll get an idea why the program John describes, yoga and Tibetan singing bowls, just might work. Take care…

Adam saw Dennis' Ted Talk and knew he had to reach out and learn more and see if there was a fit for a podcast. Did Dennis have more to say beyond what he told us in the Ted Talk. It turns out he did. Much more.Por Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention

The VA's public-private partnership gets another turn of the mic with Adam Hoffberg interviewing Justin Miller and Chis Mercado from Objective Zero. Justin and Chris are the heart of the Objective Zero origin story and the power of listening. Listen to their story and how it has inspired many, many others to reach out and help. Visit their website:…

This is the last in our series from the VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference. Adam wanted to get together with groups that are part of the public-private partnership that the VA has formed to promote Veteran well-being. CaringBridge is a nonprofit social network that rallies community around people on health journeys. Their platform gives patients …

To start a new year we are going to shamelessly play the dog card because dogs are just great! (Cats are great too but this episode features Jimmy Tatum and Remi. Adam is also on this episode too but it really is Remi and Jimmy and the great work that K9 Partners for Patriots does. The mission of this group is, "To give veterans and active military…

We participated in this Short Take as a follow-up to our panel at the 2019 VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference titled, "Bouts with Burnout: Managing Work-related Stress Across the Suicide Prevention Field." We were honored to have so many engaged attendees and wanted to offer an opportunity for folks who could not attend to learn more about our pa…

This episode bring Matt Miller back in the studio with Adam. Last time we spoke with Matt he was the director of the Veterans Crisis Line. This time he joins as the National Director for Suicide Prevention at the Veterans Administration. They discuss the VA's public health approach and the National Strategy to Prevent Veteran Suicide and the latest…

For part 4 of our Moral Injury series Georgia Gerard interviews Chaplain Steve Sullivan about how he helped create the VA/Clergy Partnership for Rural Veterans. This partnership brings together community clergy, mental health providers, and others to help veterans gain access to both VA and community care and support. Steve worked to establish six …

This week's episode was recorded at the VA/DoD Suicide Prevention in Nashville, TN, August 2019. Adam was at the conference and had put out the word that he was available to record podcasts. And so he met George Stoudemire. George is a Violence Prevention instructor for US Air Force. He got involved in the program after a 2nd suicide attempt. He he…

We first met Duane at a VA Mental Health Summit in Colorado Springs in 2018. We had heard of him through his Twitter presence @ThCounselingVet, knew he did his own podcast titled Head Space and Timing, was a combat Veteran, a licensed therapist and an author of Combat vet don't mean crazy: veteran mental health in post-military life and found out h…

Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Health Administration, scientific study of Modeling to Learn is underway to determine its effectiveness increasing delivery of evidence-based addiction and mental health care (NIDA R01DA046651 and R21DA042198; HSRD I01HX002521; PI: Zimmerman). The Modeling to Learn program supports multid…

This episode we dedicate to Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a co…

On this week’s episode of the Rocky Mountain Short Takes on Suicide Prevention we dialed up Dr. Nathan Ainspan a research psychologist from the DoD Transition to Veteran Program Office. If you have ever been unemployed you know what it can do to your emotional well-being. Top that off with the financial effect and you can understand how this can in…

To bring effective, innovative treatment to the up to 50% of Veterans entering VA health care who have Insomnia Disorder, VA has developed an online training course called “Path to Better Sleep.” In this podcast, Dr. Sarra Nazem, from Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Veteran Suicide Prevention, interviews clinical psychologists Dr. Carolyn Greene and Dr. …

For episode 100 we are going back to our guest from episode one, Dr. Peter Gutierrez. That first episode was Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Drivers of Suicide and is a great introduction for someone coming into the clinical field of suicide prevention. In it Pete says, “Think of warning signs and risk factors as a map; drivers are the specific ro…

This week we hand the mic to 2 researchers/clinicians, Sean Barnes and Lauren Borges, who explain how to use chain analysis in a treatment setting. Chain analysis is a truly collaborative approach that enlist the client to take a deep dive into the chain of events that lead up to the target behavior they want to change. It is a way to focus on "the…

In this podcast, Judge Shakes describes how the Veterans Trauma Court is modeled after problem-solving drug courts. The court is for Veterans ready to take responsibility for themselves and their actions. The Veterans are connected to services that might range from the Veterans Administration, Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists, the Vet Center, …

“Speak the name of the beast and it will retreat;” When it comes to suicide postvention in school settings, “…it’s not whether or not we talk about it, it’s how we talk about it.” Join our host, Dr. Sarra Nazem as she welcomes Stan Collins, an expert with 20 years of postvention experience within school settings. Together they discuss consideration…

Suicide postvention is “not something we should wait to talk about,” especially within crisis centers. Proactive training and planning are extremely beneficial to suicide postvention for crisis lines or call centers like the Veteran Crisis Line (VCL). Learn more about what crisis centers do & how crisis centers support their callers, their employee…

Remember “Compassion over Caution” when considering legal and ethical challenges that may arise when working with patients who are experiencing suicidal thoughts. Tune into this episode with our host Dr. Sarra Nazem, as Dr. Vanessa McGann and Skip Simpson, JD discuss suicide postvention ethical and legal considerations. They provide recommendations…

“We grieve because we love;” join Kim Ruocco, Vice President of T.A.P.S., and Dr. Maggie Guglielmi of the Stratton VAMC who are leaders in providing suicide postvention for those who are military connected or a part of the Veteran community (including supervisors, providers or professional caregivers who work with military personnel and veterans). …

Balancing administrative needs and clinical support are essential to postvention in medical settings. Listen to this episode to learn from the breadth of experience that Drs. Sung and Myers have carrying out suicide postvention processes and providing suicide postvention training and support for employees, supervisors and patients within medical se…

This week, Adam interviews Dr. Diana Brostow, a Research Nutritionist at the Rocky Mountain MIRECC, about her work in food insecurity. She shares how our understanding of food insecurity is changing: It cannot be seen as strictly a poverty issue, i.e. “no money = no food = hunger”, but instead is a complex problem, shaped by social, psychological, …

: Join our host, Dr. Sarra Nazem, and Dr. Larry Berkowitz and Eliza Jordan Dolan, LISCW of the Riverside Trauma Center as they share their experiences and expertise consulting for, participating in, and implementing suicide postvention in a variety of mental health settings. In this episode, they provide recommendations and resources for developing…

Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) are an alternative to community corrections and the Department of Corrections. It’s an opportunity for our former service members that may find themselves in the justice system to identify and treat mental health and substance use issues that they wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity to address. Treatment courts ha…

Postvention plans are necessary for every workplace; Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas is a psychologist and suicide loss survivor with expertise on how to provide support for those affected by suicide loss. Tune into this episode with our host Dr. Sarra Nazem as she and Dr. Spencer Thomas discuss the role of suicide postvention in the workplace, recommenda…

Postvention is for providers too; Professional caregivers, such as mental health providers, medical providers, social workers, trainees, case managers, psychiatrists or supervisors are likely to be exposed to a suicide loss at some point in their career. Join Dr. Nazem as she and the co-chairs of the American Association of Suicidology Clinician Su…

The time after losing a loved one to suicide is like being on a roller-coaster blindfolded; tune in as our host Dr. Sarra Nazem and Dr. Nina Gutin guide us through the lived experiences of family members and friends after a suicide loss. Together they establish what this experience is like for both individuals impacted by the loss and for those aro…

Postvention is Prevention; join our host Dr. Sarra Nazem as she and Dr. Jack Jordan lay a foundation for understanding what suicide postvention is, what it entails, who it is for, and why it is essential to a comprehensive suicide prevention plan. Jack Jordan, PhD is a clinical psychologist, grief therapist and published researcher in the field.…