Warrior Wellness Monthly

Follow Me 4:19 Ministry: I am a Child of God, A Lesson in Discipleship

April was incredibly powerful! Gabe had the honor of sharing I am a Child of God: A Lesson in Discipleship with the women of Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas during chapel service.

Together, we reflected on meaningful questions:

• What does it truly mean to be a Child of God?
• What does it look like to take this world as Jesus did — not as we would have it?
• And when you are made new… what will you do with your blank canvas?

The room was filled with openness, honesty, grace and hope. We talked about forgiveness, redemption and the kind of love that reminds us no one is too far gone and no story is beyond renewal.

This was the first of three lessons in our Follow Me 4:19 – A Warrior Spirit Ministry series, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve, encourage and support these women in their recovery journey.

God is moving. He is renewing. And He is still writing new stories.

Connection Is Prevention

by Ashley Onofre

May is Mental Health Awareness Month - and for me, it is a reminder of how deeply connection matters, especially for our youth.

So many young people are carrying heavy things quietly. Anxiety. Anger. Loneliness. Family struggles. Trauma. Pressure to keep it all together. Sometimes those struggles show up loudly, and sometimes they are hidden behind silence, withdrawal or behaviors that others misunderstand.

One of the most important things we can offer a young person is not perfection or all the right answers - but safe, consistent connection.

Long before I worked in mental health peer support, I saw this as a teacher and coach. Students would stay after school just to talk and share what they were going through. Sometimes they did not need advice as much as they needed someone to truly listen, sit with them in the hard moment and remind them they were not alone.

I honestly believe educators who connect well with students are often natural mental health peer supporters. They help young people feel seen. They validate feelings. They create safety and trust in moments that can feel overwhelming for a child or teenager.

I used to tell my students, “I know this feels very big right now, but I promise you it won’t always feel that way.” And that was usually followed by a big hug!

That message still stays at the heart of the work I do today.

At Warrior Spirit, our youth peer support is centered on relationship, trust, emotional wellness and creating spaces where young people feel seen, heard, valued and supported. Sometimes healing starts with something as simple as having one person who listens without judgment and continues showing up.

Over the last year, I have had the privilege of working with a teenage girl navigating anxiety, anger and the impact of growing up around addiction. When we first started working together, she told me nothing brought her joy.

Today, that is no longer true.

She recently shared: “When I first started peer support, I felt angry all the time and like nothing really made me happy anymore. Now I have things that bring me peace and joy. Yoga helps me calm down. My dog makes me feel safe and

gives me purpose. Art helps me express things I don’t always know how to say.”

Watching her reconnect with herself over the last year has been incredibly powerful. I have seen her grow in confidence, open up emotionally and begin finding healthy ways to cope and experience joy again. It is deeply rewarding and truly an honor to walk this journey with her.

Mental health support is not only about responding during moments of crisis

It is also about creating connection early.

Connection matters.

Presence matters.

People matter.



And sometimes, connection truly is prevention.

Warrior Spirit Servant Spotlight
Serving with Purpose, Leadership and Heart: Dr. Stacey Krauss

At Warrior Spirit, we love highlighting servant-hearted leaders who are creating meaningful change in the lives of others. This month, we are honored to spotlight Transitions Counseling and Consulting CEO, Dr. Stacey Krauss - a psychologist, Army veteran, educator and leader deeply committed to serving veterans, families, youth and communities through compassionate mental health care.

Dr. Krauss’s journey into psychology began during an Army Career Day in 2004 when she met a military psychologist for the very first time - a moment she describes as life-changing.

“The realization struck me like a bolt of lightning! It immediately felt like the perfect intersection of service, leadership and caring for people.”

She later served 10 years on active duty in the U.S. Army as a psychologist, including a deployment to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). Today, she leads Transitions Counseling and Consulting, an organization serving children, teens, adults, veterans and families across Arizona and Texas.

Dr. Krauss shared that one of the reasons she continues leading the organization with such passion is because of the people she serves alongside every day.

“I continue to choose this team every day because of the incredible sense of responsibility, respect and genuine care our clinicians and staff bring to the children, teens and adults we have the privilege of serving across Arizona and Texas. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of a community of professionals who care so deeply about being of service to others during some of the most important moments of their lives.”

What stands out most in speaking with Dr. Krauss is her belief that healing happens through both quality mental health care and authentic human connection. She shared how important community partnerships are in helping people access the right support at the right time.

“Healing and resilience are built through connection and community, not just traditional clinical services alone.”

She continued,

“The social activities and peer support programs Warrior Spirit provides are a powerful, evidence-based complement to the counseling and mental health services offered at Transitions Counseling. In many cases, people heal faster and more fully when they have access to both meaningful community connection and quality mental health care.”

Dr. Krauss also spoke openly about the growing mental health challenges many people are facing today, including increasing depression, anxiety and loneliness across nearly every age group. Yet even in the middle of those realities, she remains deeply hopeful.

“Every day, we meet people who are willing to have difficult conversations and take meaningful steps toward healing and growth.”

She shared that one of the greatest gifts of her work is witnessing people recover from depression, anxiety, PTSD and painful life experiences - moments that continue to inspire her after two decades in the field.

As an Army veteran, Dr. Krauss says her military service continues to shape how she leads and serves others today. One of the most powerful lessons she learned was the strength that comes from people working together toward a shared purpose.

“I witnessed ordinary people achieve incredible things together, often in circumstances that initially seemed impossible.”

That perspective fuels her continued commitment to collaboration between organizations, professionals and communities to expand access to meaningful mental health care.

“We can continue building a future where mental health care is both more accessible and more acceptable. We need everyone to help.”

In addition to counseling services, Transitions Counseling and Consulting provides trainings, webinars and speaking opportunities on topics ranging from trauma and resilience to practical mental wellness tools for professionals, parents, leaders and communities. Dr. Krauss especially enjoys teaching others how to effectively care for military and veteran populations with compassion, cultural understanding and practical support.

Transitions Counseling and Consulting serves individuals and families throughout the Houston area as well as across Arizona through both in-person and telehealth services. Learn more at https://transitionscounselingandconsult.com/

About Stacey Krauss, Psy.D., ABPP

Stacey Krauss is a licensed psychologist and is double board certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology in both Clinical Psychology and Organizational & Business Consulting Psychology. She also holds an MBA and has served in multiple senior healthcare leadership roles throughout her career. Since 2021, she has had the privilege of serving as the CEO of Transitions Counseling and Consulting. Dr. Krauss is also a U.S. Army veteran who served 10 years on active duty as a military psychologist, including a deployment to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division.

May is Military Appreciation Month:

Healing Beyond the Four Walls

For many active duty military members and veterans, healing does not always happen sitting in an office. Sometimes it happens on the water, on a trail, around a campfire or in the middle of movement, challenge, connection and shared purpose.

Adventure therapy is an experiential, nature-based approach that uses outdoor activities - such as hiking, kayaking, sailing, off-roading, cycling, triathlons, endurance events and rock climbing - to support mental wellness and help address challenges like PTSD, depression, anxiety, stress and isolation. By combining physical activity with peer connection and therapeutic support, these experiences can help veterans build resilience, strengthen relationships, foster camaraderie and improve overall well-being during and after the transition to civilian life.

These experiences offer far more than exercise. They create opportunities for trust, emotional regulation, teamwork, mindfulness, confidence-building and meaningful connection. Whether navigating a sailboat as a team, training for a triathlon, cycling mile after mile, tackling a difficult trail or simply spending time outdoors with others who understand military culture, veterans are reminded they are capable, resilient and not alone.

At Warrior Spirit, we love connecting veterans and active duty military members with organizations creating these opportunities for healing, growth and connection - while also providing peer support along the way.

One of those incredible partners is Skeleton Crew Adventures, which offers therapeutic sailing experiences that build teamwork, resilience, confidence and community among veterans, first responders and individuals navigating mental health challenges. There is something powerful about being out on the water - away from the noise of everyday life - while learning to trust yourself and those around you.

We are also grateful for our partnership with Powerhouse Patriots, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans through fitness, endurance events, cycling, triathlons, training and purpose-driven community. Physical challenges and endurance events can become powerful tools for rebuilding confidence, reducing stress, improving mental wellness and restoring a sense of mission and belonging.

Another valued Warrior Spirit partner is Operation Relentless, which provides off-roading experiences and outdoor connection opportunities for veterans. These adventures create space for camaraderie, stress relief, teamwork and moments of freedom that can be deeply therapeutic for those navigating the challenges of military service, transition or mental health struggles.

Experiences like these also help reduce isolation - something many veterans quietly carry. Some of the most meaningful peer support moments happen naturally during a hike, while rigging a sailboat, crossing a finish line together, riding alongside one another for miles or sitting outdoors sharing stories.

At Warrior Spirit, we believe healing can happen in community, in motion and in the outdoors. Through peer support, mental wellness education and adventure-based partnerships, our goal is to help veterans rediscover connection, purpose, strength and hope.

Sometimes healing begins with simply getting outside, moving your body and remembering:

You are still strong.

You are still needed.

And you do not have to do life alone.

Warrior Spirit Partners in Service