A Fraser Health psychiatric nurse reflects on the importance of Remembrance Day and how his military past shaped his path to healing and helping others.
Photo: Jeffrey Johnson today (left) and during his 2004 deployment in Kuwait with his brother, Justin Johnson (right).
Remembrance Day is a time to not only honour those who lost their lives but also recognize the ongoing struggles many veterans and their families face, including mental health challenges. Jeffrey Johnson, a registered psychiatric nurse, shares how his military background shaped his path to supporting others.
I come from a family with a tradition of military service dating back to World War II. Military life shaped who I am and continues to influence how I see the world.
Personally, Remembrance Day means honouring Mike, who I met as we were deploying to Iraq. Mike was killed by a roadside bomb one day before his 24th birthday. I’ve carried his memory with me ever since.
Over time, I began to understand that remembrance must also include those who return home and face unseen battles such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress, substance use disorders, depression and housing insecurity that too often end in tragedy. In military culture, seeking help still carries stigma and can hinder the recovery of veterans, even today.
When I left the military in 2009, I was still learning how to face my own experiences. I began to come to terms with my experiences when I decided to become a registered psychiatric nurse and join Fraser Health. Working with clients helped me recognize my own need for mental well-being and as I began to see myself in those I served.
Nursing came naturally to me. I’ve always felt a strong desire to help others, as I have been helped along the way. I still remember being in grade four and another child offering me support during a difficult moment. That memory of feeling cared for has stayed with me, and I hope that those I support today can feel the same sense of compassion and connection.
Since joining Fraser Health in 2014, I’ve worked across several mental health programs and now support the Integrated Health Supports team in Chilliwack, helping people find stability in housing, health and community.
My experience as a veteran helps me understand the struggles of those I serve. My own path through healing allows me to show up with intention and walk beside others as they find theirs. As I grow in my recovery, so do my clients.
The turning point came with the birth of my first son. I realized I didn’t want my children to inherit the same burdens that I carried, and with that awareness, it became my responsibility to break the generational trauma that had preceded me.
It has been a long road that continues today but I walk it so that my sons won’t have to. I walk it with the hope that I am the last of my kind.
If you or someone you know is a veteran in need of mental health support, help is available:
- Veterans Affairs Canada Assistance Service: 1-800-268-7708—Counselling and referral for veterans and their families, available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
- Fraser Health Crisis Line: 604-951-8855 or toll-free 1-877-820-7444—Trained volunteers provide toll-free telephone support and crisis intervention counselling, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. You can also call for information on local services or if you just need someone to talk to.
