Jason Palamara, Sean Kilbreth, Sheena Bice at the Forge VFR booth

Jason Palamara, William Mazur of Acadia Health, Sheena Bice, and Joe Collins of Acadia Health

Help Us Honor You As We Honor Others

Forge Health was a proud sponsor of the annual training conference for the Mid-Atlantic Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAAWLE) in Wildwood, NJ. 

MAAWLE is made up of female law enforcment professionals from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey Pennsylvania, and Virginia. This annual conference provides important training sessions on leadership, professional development, and mindfulness, as well as multiple self-defense and tactical training opportunities.

Forge Health New Jersey Director of Business Development Megan McDermott and Engagement and Experience Coordinator David Oppmann sat down with closing keynote speaker Barbara Rubel, who addressed the topic of compassion fatigue. Ms. Ruel provided insights into a number of issues affecting veterans and first responders that will be valuable in helping Forge continue improving its services for those communities.



By Jason Palamara, Director of Veteran and First Responder Engagement (U.S. Navy veteran and retired New York Police Department detective)

My friend, Robert, shared a story with me about a stressful time in his life: the day a hummingbird flew in through the front door of his home.

This beautiful creature flew to an upper window and began to bang against it in a futile attempt to escape. No matter how many times it hit the window, it kept trying, stacking up failed attempt after failed attempt. Robert tried his best to catch the hummingbird and release it back to safety, but his efforts weren't successful.

Yet.

After a tiring half hour, the hummingbird fluttered down to the ledge of the window, enabling a helping hand to reach its fatigued body. The bird's exhaustion made it helpless, allowing a human to hold it in a gentle embrace so it could be brought back outside.

The hummingbird eventually gathered enough energy to fly once again. In doing so, the bird fluttered its wings, hovering in place, as if to extend a “thank you” to its savior before disappearing behind the trees in the distance.

Sometimes human beings can be just like this hummingbird. Are you relentlessly trying to move the immovable in your life? Do you have to work yourself to the point of exhaustion before you're willing to accept help? Are you looking in the same places, talking to the same people, and expecting a new and different result?

Perhaps, instead, you're like my friend. Could you benefit from a hummingbird in your home, showing you that when you allow others to help, you can find your way back outside?

The important thing for Robert is that his mind was open to seeing the lesson. The hummingbird was not frustrating for him. It didn’t happen to him, rather it happened for him, and he was aware of this critical difference. He remained present in the moment, preventing the experience from passing by.

We can be angry and wish things were different. We can batter ourselves as we try overcoming obstacles and barrier. But these options don’t feel great and they aren't healthy. 

The best thing we can do for ourselves is to embrace what life offers us and view each offer as a gift. These gifts allow us to become change agents for both ourselves and for others. So, stop flapping your wings so hard, settle down, allow yourself to turn your trial into a triumph, and transform your pain into progress!

Begin new traditions with friends by hosting a cookie exchange. Share your baked creations with others while collecting an assortment for yourself.

There are no rules. Bake (about 2-3 dozen should do, depending on how many participants you expect) your favorite cookie recipe to share with others, and don’t forget your container to gather your own collection. Whether you wish to share your assortment of cookies with others or keep them for yourself, that choice is yours. If the cookie is that good, why not keep it to yourself?

If you try this recipe for Chocolate Chip M&M Bars, you may not want to share!  

Chocolate Chip M&M Bars

From Samantha Santo, LCSW - Program Director, Paramus

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-ounce package) Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
• 2 cups of M&Ms

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. 
2. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
4. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
7. Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms.
8. Spread into prepared pan.
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
11. Enjoy!



Get cozy and relax by indulging in a new book this season. Here are some recommendations from the Forge Health Paramus and West Orange teams:

Way of the Peaceful Warrior – Dan Millman

Quiet Hero – Rita Cosby

Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – David Goggins

Objective Secure: The Battle-Tested Guide to Goal Achievement – Nick Lavery

The Warrior Ethos – Steven Pressfield

Stoic Warriors: The Ancient Philosophy Behind the Military Mind – Nancy Sherman

Introduction to Moral Injury: A Spiritual Look for First Responders – Bruce Lacillade

Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families – Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D

The holiday season often comes with higher spending, which can take a toll on our pockets just when we're entering a new year with the desire to make a fresh start. Because of this, January is observed as Financial Wellness Month. This designation was created to acknowledge the importance of financial wellbeing and our relationship with money, conveniently (and strategically) following the gift-giving season. 

There is a strong connection between our mental health and financial health. When there is a decline in either, we may feel burdened. Preventing that feeling can be an impossible feat, so some tips to achieve and maintain your personal financial wellness can certainly help.

• Create financial goals. What do you wish to accomplish and what steps will you need to take to achieve these goals?

• Set a budget (and stick to it). Review all your monthly expenses and spending habits. Is there anywhere you can place limits on your spending? We love Starbucks too, but regular visits for $5 coffees get pricey after a while.

• Have an emergency fund that is available for unexpected expenses. We call this a “rainy day fund”. Tomorrow is unknown, so it’s beneficial to prepare today.

Maintaining control over your daily and monthly expenses is important for personal and financial growth. By spending within your means, you give yourself the freedom to make choices about how you live your life today, and how you imagine the possibilities of tomorrow.

Each February, we celebrate Black History Month to honor, acknowledge, and pay tribute to the immeasurable achievements and contributions of Black Americans. This annual observance gives us the opportunity to increase awareness, express appreciation, and expand our knowledge about the role that Black Americans have in continuing to shape our communities and our nation today. 

James Earl Jones is not just known for providing the voice of Darth Vader. He joined the Army in 1953 following his education at the University of Michigan, where he excelled in the Pershing Rifles Drill Team and Scabbard & Blade Honor Society. Before heading off to Ranger school in Colorado, Mr. Jones completed his basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Discharging from the Army as a 1^st Lieutenant to pursue his acting career, Mr. Jones was the second male Black actor to receive an Academy Award nomination for his work in “The Great White Hope” (1970). 

Read more about other iconic Black Veterans by visiting the VFW website Celebrating Iconic Black Veterans - VFW.

Forge Health is proud to work with the organizations listed below.  We collaborate to ensure that those we serve are supported in many ways. Click on the name of each organization to visit its website and learn more.

Wounded Warrior Project

Free support services for Veterans and their families. Visit their website for a full list of all available programs.

Gary Sinise Foundation

The Gary Sinise Foundation serves our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. 

Objective Zero Foundation

The Objective Zero Foundation uses mobile and web app technology to connect the military and veteran community to peer support, wellness activities, and mental health resources.

Code of Support Foundation

The Code of Support Foundation leverages the nation’s full spectrum of resources to ensure all members of our military, veterans, and their families receive the benefits and support they have earned.

Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Since 9/11, Tunnel to Towers has been helping America’s heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, and by building custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.  

HERO First

HERO can provide monetary assistance to families with financial issues caused by loss of wages due to a loved one in a recovery treatment plan.

1st H.E.L.P.

First H.E.L.P. reduces mental health stigma for first responders through education and awareness and assists first responders in their search for healing. They acknowledge the service and sacrifice of first responders lost to suicide and care for their families in the aftermath of suicide loss.