08/18/2025
“You don’t have to go through it alone.”
Joshua Bonner, one of our recent participants, felt led to share how living with PTSD and TBI had taken a heavy toll—until he decided to put his physical and mental health first. He started out by attending our three-day comprehensive head-to-toe evaluation. Then, through our three-week Intensive Outpatient Program, which provides equine therapy and individualized care, Joshua found new tools to manage his symptoms and a renewed sense of purpose.
His message to fellow Veterans and First Responders is simple but powerful: “Make your mental health a priority. Don’t wait to reach out for help.”
At UNC THRIVE, we are honored to stand beside those ready to take that step. thriveprogram.unc.edu
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Posted by Joshua Bonner
PTSD coupled with TBI sucks, plain and simple. But there is help, so stick with me here!
What’s worse is how the VA handles veterans who struggle with it. From outright dismissal or minimizing symptoms to being completely unresponsive, veterans like myself have consistently fallen through the cracks of a compromised healthcare system. Too often, the response is simply to toss medication at the veteran, because it’s quicker to patch the problem than to address the underlying condition. But this post isn’t about the VA and its obvious issues.
Generally speaking, there’s a strong sentiment in the veteran community, especially among those from combat roles, that speaking up about symptoms signals to the command that you’re unfit for the line. That often results in being removed, which can be career su***de, or at the very least, a major roadblock to growth. So, you can see why many are reluctant to say anything. I fell into this category.
After a series of significant life events over the past year, I decided to take my mental health seriously and pursue every opportunity (outside of the VA healthcare system) to get better, not just for me, but for my family and loved ones. That decision led me to the UNC THRIVE Program. I can say without hesitation that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The benefits will last a lifetime.
During the three week Intensive Outpatient Program, I was given the time, space, and support to truly address my combat experiences and the negative effects they had on my mental health. Through equine assisted therapy and world class holistic care (brain and body), I was able to establish a new pattern of life, one that gave me a renewed sense of self and helped me shed the PTSD afflicted version of who I was.
Don’t get me wrong, the symptoms are still there. But now I have the tools to accurately and decisively manage them in the moment. Even more importantly, my family and loved ones now understand the depth of the struggles I was facing, and they’re more aware of how certain environments affect me.
If you’re a struggling veteran, regardless of how or where you served, please take it from me: DO NOT DISREGARD YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. Make it a priority. Don’t make the mistake I did by relying on the VA to help you. Take advantage of the programs available to you, especially the UNC THRIVE Program.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to DM me. If you know a family member who’s struggling, send them my way. I’ll help however I can.
And one last thing: communicate. Don’t sit on it and let it fester. It will come back in an ugly way.
