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In honor of Veterans Day, co-hosts Jeremy Fallis and Will Heininger discuss the mental health of veterans and how Americans can better support them. They also welcome an expert from the Depression Center’s M-SPAN program.

A lack of awareness and accessibility to mental health resources as well as an abundance of shame and stigma attached to them present barriers for veterans to reach for help in times of need. In the latest episode of The Mental Minute podcast released Tuesday, Nov. 10, Fallis and Heininger encourage keeping an open mind when understanding our veterans and their needs.

This episode’s “mental minutes” include prospects for life after COVID as well as plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving break. One special minute is also dedicated to talk sports.

For the second half of the podcast, guest Jennifer Lamb, LMSW, discusses her experiences as a member of the Military Support Programs and Networks (M-SPAN). Both a social worker and veteran, Lamb is dedicated to destigmatizing the importance of mental health among veterans and promoting portable and affordable practices to do so. Not all approaches require a clinic or a therapist and can easily be assimilated into a normal day.

“The start for positive mental health is a start,” she says.

Lamb encourages veterans to find ways to connect with others who share the same background and experiences, such as through initiatives like “After Her Service” and “HomeFront Strong”.

The Mental Minute with Michigan Medicine is a podcast dedicated to mental health produced by the U-M Depression Center’s Education and Outreach team in partnership with Michigan Medicine’s Department of Communication. The podcast, launched in May 2020, is released monthly.

More information about the podcast as well as the full episodes can be found through the main Mental Minute page.