Mental health isn’t black and white

Trevor is ambitious and extremely focused. His investment in the military, and more specifically working with those suffering from PTSD, has led him to a position as co-founder and Vice President of Trauma Healing Centers Inc. Trauma Healing Centers is a multi-location cannabis clinic which assists veterans and first responders dealing with PTSD and chronic pain. Trev’s role within THC catered directly to his passion for helping those suffering from PTSD.

Over the last 2 years Trevor has devoted himself to researching psychedelics. He continuously investigates drugs safely with the help of medical professionals and natural healers. Trevor’s goal is to continue his fight against mental health and helping those who continue to struggle tread these new treatments safely.

Later that year, he completed a challenging expedition in the North Pole with the True Patriot Love Foundation. The expedition (captured in the 2015 documentary, March To The Pole) was transformational, spawning Bruno’s personal quest to advance mental health awareness. Through his personal exploration of mental health, Bruno has found benefits from cannabis medicine and psychedelic therapy and continues his journey with Vanguard Wellness as both a patient and Veteran Vanguard on our team of mentors.

In February 2018, he was medically released from the military leading him to feel lonely, lost and confused, but not hopeless. By this point he was already immersing himself in the world of medical cannabis which was helping him treat his symptoms and connecting him with a community of like-minded military men and women doing the same.

Scott’s journey with cannabis has been extremely therapeutic and essential in managing his symptoms, but he remained curious about what could be done to get to the root of his emotional injuries. This is when he started exploring psychedelic treatments and the power, they hold in truly tackling the cause of persistent issues. Scott is a psychedelic advocate and has successfully undergone numerous psychedelic treatments. His journey is not over but it has already been a powerful one.

Justin was awarded the Bravery Medal by the Governor General for his actions during an international operation. He was also awarded a Commanders and two Task Force Commanders Citations for his teamwork and leadership during his operations. Most recently, Justin was recognized by MacEwan University as a Distinguished Alumni. Since retiring from the military in 2018, Justin has explored cannabis use for medical purposes, and more recently Ketamine therapy. Justin feels that psychedelic therapies, particularly Ketamine, serve as a unique and powerful tool to re-examine past events and behaviours and to help understand them from a different perspective. With the Special Forces being a high performing organization, this therapy allowed Justin to remain high functioning, yet reduced the pressure and stressors that come with transitioning from military to civilian life.

Along with his professional staff he is able to make an impact in ways he never thought possible. Chris is the Director of Military Programming at Greenestone Centre for Recovery and works closely with veterans and military personnel in their recovery. Chris always has his eye on what is helping his community. From Cannabis, talk therapy, equine therapy, recovery and treatment, and now psychedelics. He is a keen believer in recovery and that it comes in many different shapes and forms. What works for one may not work for another. His goal is to at least present the options and reassure everyone that they are not alone and that it can indeed get better.

Dennis was medically released from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2015 due to mental health issues (PTSD) and various chronic physical injuries. After being released Dennis had a loss of identity and struggled to find purpose for himself. As a father of four children, Dennis wanted to be there for his family, but was struggling with being present. In 2016 Dennis was prescribed medical cannabis. After a two-year process, he successfully came off pharmaceuticals and found CBD to be the balance he needed. During this time Dennis had found his passion for aiding other Veterans. In 2016 Dennis was appointed to the Minister of Veterans Affairs Advisory Group for Service Excellence. That same year he was voted in as co-chair and continues his work in that role.

Since 2016, Dennis has dedicated himself to the betterment of Veterans and their families, as well as the pursuit of his own wellness journey. After taking part in the Ketamine treatment with Field Trip Health, he was immediately convinced of its profound benefits. “My focus and clarity is amazing, I can relax and actually listen to what is happening around me. I can finally live in the present” – Dennis Leblanc

Robert joined the military in 1988 and served for 28.5 years with the Royal Canadian Dragoons as well as the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit. He completed 5 tours, Cyprus, Somalia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan twice. Like so many others, Rob struggled with PTSD during his service and especially once retiring. Throughout his own treatment journey, Rob has been very active in the Veteran community by facilitating access to cannabis therapy and wide-spread advocacy for his peers.

Since meeting in Petawawa, Rob and Sean have been long-time friends with a shared desire to help other Veterans. Most recently, both Rob and Sean have undergone Ketamine therapy at Field Trip Health and believe the experience has been transformational. They are looking forward to helping prospective clients navigate this ground-breaking treatment!

During his 22-year career, Byron experienced the highs and lows of the job. In many ways, he didn’t know he was suffering and often drowned himself in work and chaos of the community. In 2014, he finally sought out help and was diagnosed with PTSD. He got back to work soon after his diagnoses as he wanted to avoid appearing “weak”. He was successful in his career, but his mental health took a back seat. In 2021, Byron hit his breaking point and decided he needed to make the choice between his mental health and police work. Ultimately, he made the difficult decision to retire so that he could focus on working on himself.
Desperate for relief but wary of going the conventional route that so often offers only a “Band-Aid” fix, Byron was intrigued by the research he found showing the positive effects ketamine has as a treatment for PTSD, specifically for military and First Responders. Byron decided to take the fate of his mental health into his own hands and begin psychedelic treatment. Tackling the root of his emotional injuries allowed Byron to begin picking up the pieces of himself that he thought he had lost.