Iraq War veteran to speak at annual Methodist Mental Health Breakfast
Held at the Hilton Memphis at 939 Ridge Lake Blvd., the Methodist Mental Health Breakfast focuses on the importance of mental health care. (The Daily Memphian file)
Army veteran Tom Voss will discuss his struggles with PTSD and his advocacy work for veterans Tuesday, April 8, at the 11th annual Methodist Mental Health Breakfast.
Held at the Hilton Memphis at 939 Ridge Lake Blvd., the event focuses on the importance of mental health care.
The breakfast benefits the Dennis H. Jones Living Well Network, a free behavioral-health resource offered through Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.
Previous keynote speakers include “Lord of the Rings” star Sean Astin, “Sopranos” actor Joe Pantoliano, Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin and missing-persons advocate Elizabeth Smart.
Voss served in the army from 2003 to 2006, including a combat deployment to Mosul, Iraq, during which he conducted multiple security patrols. He also coordinated humanitarian efforts and served as security during the first democratic elections in Iraq.
Following an honorable discharge in 2006, Voss was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
He was the subject of “Almost Sunrise,” a documentary film by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Collins that aired on PBS. It captured Voss’ 2,700-miles trek on foot across the U.S. along with fellow combat veteran Anthony Anderson as a means to heal from their combat experiences.
Voss is now an advocate for veterans, veteran mental health services and mindfulness. He teaches meditation, breath work and yoga nidra to other veterans.
“Our goal is to help connect our large veteran population with vital behavioral-health services in the Mid-South,” said Zach Pretzer, Methodist Healthcare Foundation president. “Tom Voss’s message of resilience and hope will be meaningful not just to veterans but to anyone who loves and supports a veteran or faces the behavioral-health challenges that we all share.”
Following the breakfast, Dr. M. David Rudd, former University of Memphis president and current psychology professor and a researcher on suicide prevention among military veterans, will lead a breakout session focused on veteran mental health and PTSD treatment options.
Continuing-education unit hours will be offered for both the keynote presentation and the breakout session.
The breakfast will begin at 8 am. More information is available here.
Topics
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Mental health Tom Voss Veterans Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
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Aisling Mäki
Aisling Mäki covers health care, banking and finance, technology and professions. After launching her career in news two decades ago, she worked in public relations for almost a decade before returning to journalism in 2022.
As a health care reporter, she’s collaborated with The Carter Center, earned awards from the Associated Press and Society of Professional Journalists and won a 2024 Tennessee Press Association first-place prize for her series on discrepancies in Shelby County life expectancy by ZIP code.
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