Michelle and Tiffany’s individual passion for working in the SMVF community came together in 2019 when they decided to collaborate on a military cultural competency training each of them had been previously teaching separately.
The culture of the military and the diverse population of those who serve their country made Michelle, as a civilian mental health clinician, and Tiffany, as a military veteran and mental health professional, want to share the intricate concepts of a small but integral part of our society.
In the U.S. there is an ever-growing rift between those who serve in the military and those who do not. The Academy of Military Culture is working to create a bridge between our warriors and protectors and those who are being protected is essential in closing that rift.
Traditional constructs within the mental health field are at odds with the spirit of a warrior; in a world where individual goals and selfishness are encouraged, the selflessness and collective goals of the military member are misunderstood, and this leads to poor outcomes and distrust of civilian providers.
The only way to bridge that gap is to model inclusivity and provide culturally competent education to mental health professionals who are willing to learn another perspective.
1-2 day in-person training with the option to add an experiential, intensive equine day
Practice what you have learned with the horses
2-3 day online training with the option to add an experiential, intensive equine day
Our individual sessions and custom packages drill down the specifics of how you can apply what you learn directly to the people you serve.
Michelle is the Founder, Executive Director, and Lead Therapist at Operation Equine (a nonprofit 501c3 organization) and possesses over 30 combined years of teaching and counseling experience and has had the honor of serving those who serve us – in the Military Service Member, Veteran, and Emergency Responder – for over 12 years.
In working with successful and heartfelt organizations such as Project Sanctuary, TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), and serving as a Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC) on military bases both at home and abroad, she discovered that truly: the whole family serves, and so she is dedicated to creating and offering Operation Equine programs to the entire family, as well as to any caregivers who assist them.
Tiffany Morgan, owner of Your Weapon Is Your Mind, served in the US Navy from 1997 to 2001 onboard an aircraft carrier as an Aviation Ordnanceman. She comes from a long line of military service in her family and is also married to a Navy veteran, so veteran’s issues are near and dear to her heart. She utilized her GI Bill to obtain a Bachelor’s in Psychology and has spent the last 15 years working in community mental health.
She is passionate about teaching organizations and healthcare professionals how to work with service members, veterans, and their families in a more informed and ethical way. Her mission is to be the translator between the well-intentioned civilian and the veteran in order to bridge the military-civilian divide.
Tiffany also participates in quite a few local and national veteran organizations as a way to stay plugged into her community. One of the most influential has been her work with the Colorado Veteran Treatment Courts where she helps fellow veterans who are judicially impacted and dealing with mental illness and substance abuse.
She is currently partnering with another veteran to build a community of veterans and supporters where rebuilding camaraderie, structure, and purpose to support post-military transition and recovery from addiction and mental illness combine with trauma-informed peer support and clinical care when needed. She feels extremely honored to work in this field where it’s not just a career; it’s her life’s passion.
Lee Dudley is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in treating trauma and attachment issues. She is also passionate about working with the Veteran and First Responder communities, helping parents of behaviorally disturbed teens, women who are experiencing divorce and depression, along with helping those who have experienced grief and loss. She incorporates a powerful blend of wisdom, practical skills, hope, and humor in therapy.
Lee is committed to helping adults find and recover their sense of purpose and drive in life. Lee is the founder and executive director of the Equine Partnership Program and provides trauma counseling to individual clients as well as developing programs for the Denver Public Schools and Temple Grandin Equine Center.
Lee can attest to the incredible power utilizing horses in the therapeutic process and has seen incredible breakthroughs in the healing process through it.
"This course is helpful to those who didn't serve."
"The entire training was so valuable! I will cherish the insights about how to ground and connect with our bodies and the parallels between horses and Veterans."
"...I [had] a moment with the horses and they helped me feel vulnerable but also safe to open up emotionally."
"The Trainers are highly knowledgeable and competent in military competency and equine integration. I learned so much around Military culture and feel more confident being able to step in and work with the military population."
"[The most valuable thing I learned in this training was] The concept of stepping outside of ourselves and our past experiences to look at our clients/participants from a neutral standpoint and consider that their stories are different than we think."
"Coming from a law enforcement background (16.5) years, I appreciated the content and activities covered during the training. The metaphorical experiences working with the horses was very therapeutic and symbolic."
"I enjoyed the introduction of Vets, families, and peers as all being a part of the process and how much being in the military affects everyone close to them. It became a bigger picture to me and opened my eyes to how much Vets are affected, as well as the tying the culture of military [the transition of] the civilian world."
"[The most valuable thing I learned] was going deeper into unpacking the culture as culture and not stereotypes..but a unique culture within a culture with a clear ethos and shadow and how the 2 cultures (Military/Veteran and civilian) can clash."
"There are so many ways to help Vets and this is one really good way to touch the Vet and meet them where they're at and to [help them] move forward."
"I thoroughly enjoyed the in person training day! As a more traditional horsewoman, I felt as if our session was a “breath of fresh air” in terms of working with our horses and veterans at Allegiance Ranch."