Honouring Their Service, Safeguarding Their Minds: An ANZAC Day Reflection
Today, in the half‑light of dawn, Australia and New Zealand pause as the Last Post drifts over memorial lawns. ANZAC Day is a sacred moment of national pride and solemn respect—yet for many current and former service‑members it also stirs a storm of memories, grief, and invisible wounds.
1 in 2 veterans meet the criteria for a mental‑health disorder within the first year of discharge.
1 in 3 will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime.
Beyond combat, many have also stood on the front line as first‑responders—fighting fires, rescuing flood victims, keeping peace in Somalia, Rwanda, Bougainville, the Solomon Islands and countless other hotspots.
These numbers remind us that the battlefield often follows our veterans home. They now march beside earlier generations—Vietnam veterans, 80s and 90s peacekeepers—each carrying stories the rest of us may never fully understand.
Proven Pathways to Healing
The good news? Recovery is possible. Talk therapy, peer support, Mental Health First Aid, resilience‑building courses—they work. I have seen lives shift from daily flashbacks to hard‑won calm when the right blend of support is in place. No one has to walk this road alone.
Gentle Ways to Care for Your Heart on ANZAC Day
🌸 Name what you’re feeling
Pride, sorrow, anger, gratitude—let every feeling have its say. Naming emotion takes away its power to ambush you later.
🌸 Stand with community
Attend a dawn service, share a cuppa at the RSL, or stream the march online. Being shoulder‑to‑shoulder (even virtually) reminds us we’re part of a larger story.
🌸 Move your body
A slow walk after the bugle call, a stretch beside the barbecue—movement releases endorphins and steadies racing thoughts.
🌸 Balance reflection with grounding
Light a candle, journal a memory, then re‑enter the present. Touch grass, notice birdsong, anchor yourself in “here and now.”
🌸 Reach for help early
If memories hit hard, phone a mate, or book in with a counsellor. Courage isn’t staying silent—courage is speaking up before the spiral deepens.
How I Can Walk Beside You
I’m Suzi Evans—mental‑health first‑aid facilitator, resilience coach, and creator of Workbench for the Mind. My programs are designed specifically for veterans, first‑responders, and the families who shoulder PTSD, anxiety, depression, or addiction.
Here’s how I can help you reclaim calm and rebuild strength:
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training — FREE 2‑Day Course
Learn to recognise & respond to mental‑health crises in mates, colleagues or yourself.
This May 13-14, 2025 at 9AM-4PM, we are conducting a FREE 2-Day Course of Mental Health First Aid Training.
This event is proudly sponsored by Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation.
You’ll gain:
🌸 Confidence to help during mental‑health situations
🌸 Tools to support friends, family, or colleagues
🌸 A deeper understanding of mental‑health issues
🌸 Nationally recognised certification
🌸 A renewed sense of purpose in your community
🔗 Reserve your seat in the FREE 2‑Day MHFA course (13‑14 May) by sending me an email at suzi@suzievans.com
This is your chance to learn practical skills that can truly make a difference in someone’s life.
Workbench for the Mind
This is my self‑paced online toolkit program packed with science‑backed strategies to manage triggers, quiet intrusive thoughts, and cultivate daily resilience.
This month, I am offering a FREE 30‑Minute Masterclass – 30 April
🌸 Get an exclusive inside look at the full Workbench for the Mind program
🌸 Explore Module 1: Wellbeing (available now for just $47). Special introductory offer link:
🌸 Discover powerful tools to shift your mindset & boost your mental fitness
How this masterclass helps:
✔ Gain clarity on what’s holding you back
✔ Learn to build resilience & create lasting change
✔ Decide if WBFTM is the right fit—no pressure, just insight
🌸No cost, no commitment—just value!
🔗REGISTER NOW: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0hhD5q5fRQiqkz-6FOsrGA#/registration
One‑to‑one coaching & tailored workshops for units, RSLs and community groups.
This is for personalised guidance for units, RSLs, community groups, schools or families ready to heal together.
“Grief” Book
This is my book for anyone navigating loss, offering gentle exercises and real‑life stories to light the way forward..
Whether you’re looking for peer‑to‑peer tools, a structured online course, or a confidential space to talk things through, remember: you don’t have to do this alone.
To every veteran polishing medals tonight, to every partner lighting a candle for someone who didn’t come home, to every soldier quietly fighting an inner battle: we see you, we honour you, and help is here.
Lest we forget—and lest we fail to care for the living as fiercely as we honour the fallen. 💜
