Veterans Mental Health Council

Home
United States
Columbia, MO
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 [email protected], 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 [email protected].

06/12/2026

Boundaries aren’t rude. They’re mental health protection.

For veterans, spouses, and families, it’s common to default to “yes” because of duty, loyalty, or not wanting to let people down. But healthy boundaries are how you protect your peace, your time, and your relationships.

Here are a few boundary-setting sentences you can borrow:

“I can’t do that, but I can help you find someone who can.”
“I can’t take on additional responsibilities right now.”
“I’m not comfortable discussing this.”
“I don’t feel safe, so I’m going to leave.”
“I won’t be spoken to in that manner.”
“I’m allowed to change my mind.”
“Thanks, but I’m not interested.”
“No, thank you.”
“No.”
If you’ve never practiced boundaries, start small: pick one sentence, say it once, and hold the line.

➡️ For veteran-focused support, tools, and community: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa

06/11/2026

“People don’t fake depression. They fake being okay.”

In the veteran community, that hits hard—because many of us were trained to push through, stay mission-ready, and keep it moving no matter what’s happening inside.

So here’s a reminder for veterans, spouses, families, and friends:

✅ Be kind. You never know what someone is carrying.
✅ Check in—especially on the ones who always say “I’m fine.”
✅ Offer presence over pressure: “Do you want to talk, or just not be alone?”
✅ Keep showing up. Consistency saves lives.

And if you’re the one faking “okay” right now—your pain is real, and support is available. You don’t have to carry it alone.

➡️ Get connected with veteran-focused support and community: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa
If you’re in crisis or thinking about self-harm, call/text 988 (press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line).

06/10/2026

Sometimes we need a reset.

CTRL + ALT + DEL can be a reminder to pause and regroup:
Control yourself. Take a breath. Ground your body. Slow the moment down.
Alter your thinking. Challenge the thoughts telling you you’re trapped, failing, or alone.
Delete negativity. Not by ignoring hard things—but by making room for truth, support, and healthier next steps.

For veterans, spouses, and families, stress can build fast. A reset doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means choosing one small action that helps you move forward with clarity and care.

What’s one way you reset when the pressure is high?

➡️ For more veteran-focused mental health support, tools, and community, visit: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.

06/09/2026

June is PTSD Awareness Month—and we’re holding space for the experiences that often go unseen.

PTSD can show up in different ways, including:

PTSD
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
Dissociative PTSD
Delayed-onset PTSD
No matter how it shows up, the goal is the same: more understanding, less stigma, and real support for veterans and the families who walk beside them.

If you’re struggling, you’re not “broken.” Your mind and body learned how to survive. Healing is possible—and you don’t have to do it alone.

➡️ Connect with veteran-focused support and community: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa
If you’re in crisis, call/text 988 (press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line).

06/08/2026

PTSD is not “living in the past.”
It’s a nervous system that learned to stay on guard long after the danger ended.

For many veterans, service members, and families, that can look like hypervigilance, shutdown, irritability, sleep struggles, panic, or feeling unsafe even when everything around you says you’re okay. That doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means your mind and body have been working overtime to protect you.

Healing is not about “just getting over it.” It’s about learning safety again, building support, and finding tools that help your nervous system come back down.

If this is your story—or someone you love is carrying this—please know this: they matter. You matter. And healing is possible.

If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.

➡️ Get connected for veteran-focused support, resources, and community:
https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa

06/07/2026

Quick “feel-better” resets — veteran edition. 👇

When your nervous system is running hot, don’t overthink it. Match the feeling with a simple action:

😡 Angry → Sing (yes, really—it shifts your breathing + breaks the loop)
🔥 Burned out → Walk (10 minutes counts)
🧠 Overthinking → Write (brain dump 1 page or 10 bullets)
😰 Anxious → Breathe (inhale 4, exhale 6 x 5 rounds)
⚡ Stressed → Exercise (push-ups, stairs, fast walk—move the energy)
😔 Sad → Gratitude (3 small things—keep it real, not forced)
😴 Feeling “lazy” → Cold water reset (splash face or a quick cool rinse)
⏳ Impatient → Reflect on progress (what’s one thing you’ve improved this month?)

Pick one and do it for 2–10 minutes. Small actions can change the whole trajectory.

➡️ More tools, support, and community for veterans and families: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa

06/06/2026

Council Member Spotlight: WHY I SERVE
by: Tom Shalberg, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Vietnam War

I joined the Veterans Mental Health Council more than 15 years ago because I understood, personally, that service does not end when the uniform comes off. I was drafted three years after college and served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Like many veterans I carried memories I wanted to forget. But it was not only the war itself that stayed with me. It was the people.

I think about the POW whose funeral I attended after helping wheel him around for two years before he passed away. I think about a friend that died by su***de. I think about the veterans who came home carrying pain they did not always know how to name, explain, or survive.

Those experiences are a big part of why I continue to serve through the Veterans Mental Health Council. The council helps veterans and their families find support, connection, education, and clear pathways to help. Mental health matters. Veteran su***de matters. And too many veterans still suffer in silence because they think they are supposed to handle everything alone. They are not.

I joined because I believe veterans deserve more than thanks. They deserve action. They deserve people who will listen, show up, and help connect them to the support they need. That is why this work matters to me. And that is why I am still here.

To learn more about the Veterans Mental Health Council and how we support veterans and their families, visit our website and check us out.

06/05/2026

When emotions feel heavy, let it R.A.I.N. 🌧️

Strong feelings aren’t a problem to “fix.” They’re something to move through—and veterans know what it’s like to carry a lot.

Try this quick reset the next time you feel flooded:

R — Recognize it
Name it: “I feel angry / anxious / overwhelmed.” (Naming it reduces its grip.)

A — Allow it
You don’t have to like it. Just let it exist for a moment without fighting it.

I — Investigate with curiosity
What set this off? Is it about right now… or something older? What do I need in this moment?

N — Nurture yourself
Talk to yourself like you would a battle buddy. Then take one small action: step outside, text someone safe, put music on, move your body, or just breathe.

💬 Comment: Which letter do you need most today—R, A, I, or N?

➡️ More tools, support, and community: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa
If you’re in crisis, call/text 988 (press 1 for Veterans).

06/04/2026

Bad mental health days happen — and they don’t mean you’re failing. They mean you’re human.

Here are a few field-tested ways to get through the next hour when your brain is heavy:

✅ Do less on purpose. Survival mode is still progress.
✅ Text or call one solid person. “Can you sit with me for 10 minutes?” counts.
✅ Feed the body. Water + something simple to eat can change the whole trajectory.
✅ Curate your inputs. If socials are making it worse, step away without guilt.
✅ Choose one comfort anchor. A playlist, a funny podcast, a shower, a walk—anything that brings you back to the present.
✅ Protect your peace. Don’t engage with unsafe people or trigger-heavy conversations when you’re already raw.
✅ Get it out. Journal, color, pray, voice-note—don’t keep it trapped inside.

If today is a “just make it” day, we’re proud of you for staying in the fight.

Need support or community that gets it? Visit: https://bit.ly/4uKsDDa
If you’re in immediate danger or thinking about self-harm, call/text 988 (Press 1 for Veterans).

Address

Columbia, MO
65201

Telephone

+15734186658

Website

http://www.veteransmentalhealthcouncil.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Veterans Mental Health Council posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Veterans Mental Health Council:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Columbia?