Hope for Heroes

Military service provides unique experiences and can impact anyone who serves – or loves someone who serves – in different ways. Hope for Heroes supports healing and restores hope for veterans and military individuals, and their spouses and children. Hope for Heroes now includes help for first responders too.

We believe no matter what you’ve experienced, or where you come from, or where you are at in life – you are always more resilient than you think, and your best days can still be ahead of you.

You made the choice to serve, and we choose to serve and support you.

We focus on the whole person and support mental, physical, spiritual, and social wellbeing.

How We Help

We take a fully integrative approach to supporting the individual and the entire family – mind, body, spirit, AND community.

Free and affordable mental health services include:

• Individual counseling
• Family counseling
• Couples counseling
• Play therapy
• Support groups
• Parenting classes and support
• Peer support – talk with a veteran
• Integrative medicine – acupuncture, biofeedback, East Asian medicine, nutrition coaching
• Wellness classes
• Care management – connecting veterans to community resources

Meet Our Team

The Hope for Heroes team is here to serve the veteran transitioning to civilian life, the service member between deployments, the first responder dealing with trauma, and the spouse or child navigating the unique opportunities and challenges that come with living with a veteran or first responder. Staff are selected for their extensive military experience, expertise with trauma and other mental health challenges, and competency with the military culture.

Our licensed therapists and licensed acupuncturists are almost all veterans, veteran spouses, or children of veterans. They provide a range of treatments for PTSD, TBI, anxiety, depression, insomnia, chronic pain, and a host of other issues that commonly arise as a result of military service.

Our team’s veteran mental health peer specialists have been where you are. They are trained to connect you with resources and other forms of support in your community.

Our care manager is a veteran who provides coordination and linkage to community resources and assistance programs.

Who Is Eligible

Veterans, Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserves from all military branches can receive services regardless of discharge status. We also serve spouses, surviving spouses, and dependent children. Proof of your veteran, service member, or military/veteran dependent status is required. First responders are also eligible.

Free Community Workshops

We offer a variety of free workshops to community organizations, churches, and businesses about military culture and mental health. Topics can be customized to your group. You never know when this might help you or someone you know.

Topics may include:

• Understanding and working with the military community
• Mental Health First Aid
• ASK: Suicide awareness and prevention
• CALM: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means

To schedule a training or to learn more, email james@samaritan-center.org or rob@samaritan-center.org.

Texas Veterans Commission

This program is supported by a grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. The Fund for Veterans’ Assistance provides grants to organizations serving veterans and their families. For more information, visit www.TVC.Texas.gov.

Military Veteran Peer Network

The Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN) is a group of veterans and veteran family members committed to supporting active and former service members by offering mentorship and guidance, as well as help accessing the services and resources available to veterans.

Justice-Involved Veterans

Hope for Heroes staff provide programming at the Veterans Dorm at the Travis State Jail. This state-legislated veterans re-entry program for incarcerated veterans is the only one in Texas. The justice involved program provides educational classes on PTSD, substance abuse, communication, leadership, and coping mechanisms over a 90-day period. Veterans are linked with jobs and a place to live after completing the program.