Navigating the impacts of military sexual trauma with Telah Morrison

Colonel Telah Morrison, OMM, CD, retired from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 2022 after 35 years of service in both the Regular and Reserve Forces. Telah joined the CAF in 1986 and went to Royal Military College (RMC) Saint-Jean, six years after the RMC began allowing women to attend in 1980. She is the first woman Logistics Officer in the Royal 22nd 3rd Battalion, and the first woman and first logistician to teach at the infantry school. She was inducted into the Order of Military Merit as an officer.

Telah achieved her illustrious 35-year military career despite significant professional barriers she faced after she came forward about a sexual assault she had experienced at military college.

Telah joined Brian and Laryssa on Mind Beyond the Mission to share about the personal and professional impacts of military sexual trauma (MST), the crucial role of leadership and community in supporting those who are impacted, and highlights the urgent need for cultural shifts within the military to address and eliminate MST. She shares practical coping strategies and advice for survivors, reflects on the importance of resilience, recovery and the enduring bonds fostered within the military community.

Key topics

• The professional and personal lifelong impacts of MST and coping strategies for those who are impacted
• The vital role of community and peer support in processing traumatic events and supporting your well-being
• Fostering resilience and strength over time
• The importance of advocacy and awareness, and the broader cultural shifts needed in the military to address and prevent MST
• The significance of leaders talking openly about mental health and leading by example in seeking support

Resources

Resources on MST for people who are impacted, their Families and Friends, and health care providers

Canadian Military Wives Choir — providing a supportive network for women in the Canadian military community through music

Inspiring inclusion: What this means to women Veterans — a Perspectives blog post co-authored by Telah Morrison

Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre — services for currently serving and former CAF members impacted by sexual misconduct

Apply to Veterans Affairs Canada for disability benefits if you live with a mental or physical condition due to a service-related sexual trauma


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