SARASOTA, Fla. — A Sarasota veteran has made it her mission to help others get mental health services.
Kendra Simpkins is the founder of Operation Warrior Resolution, a nonprofit that allows veterans and their families to get help at no cost.
Simpkins served overseas in South Korea mainly, working as an intelligence analyst. While serving, Simpkins developed trauma and realized she had a service-connected injury and needed help.
"I’m a U.S. Army veteran. I was honorably discharged in 2010," Simpkins said.
Simpkins tried getting services through the V.A. but found it a challenge. She eventually had a problem with alcohol and knew she needed immediate help. She found that help through outside services.
Inspired by her own experience, Simpkins wanted to make mental health services more readily available for veterans. So, she decided to become a clinical social worker.
Now, she is 12 years sober and the founder and CEO of Operation Warrior Resolution, which offers mental health services to veterans. Treatments offered use holistic healing at no cost to veterans and their families.
"I want to make sure that we’re reaching as many as possible with these advanced mental health treatments," Simpkins explained.
Veterans get treatment without having to relive their trauma.
"It was life-changing. It’s more of a trauma resolution rather than talk about it, talk about it," an Airforce veteran, Scott Schwalm, said.
Schwalm said after service, he had panic attacks. Now, after receiving treatment like brain-based healing, he feels like a different person.
"I felt like wow, this is the first time I’m sleeping at night. I feel really relaxed, I didn’t realize how tense I was all the time," Schwalm explained.
Simpkins said the success is what drives her to keep going.
"To see them walk out and say, 'That stuff I came in with, wow, I can talk about it without crying, now I feel free,'" she said.
Any veteran or family member can connect with Operation Warrior Resolution online. The nonprofit is always looking for volunteers, and that information is also available online.