Military Psychology Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Army Veteran, Marissa Snowden, whose journey didn't end at retirement-it evolved into a mission to better understand the psychological realities of military life. After leaving active duty, she has pursued graduate studies with a strong focus on research. Drawing from both personal experience and academic expertise, she shares how her time in uniform shaped the questions that now drive her work.
The conversation explores her development of a unique measurement model designed to better assess the mental and emotional impacts of military service. She discusses key research areas, including how deployment influences life after service, as well as the often overlooked roles of autism and depression in veteran reintegration. With a blend of lived insight and scientific rigor, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the challenges veterans face, and the innovative ways research is helping to address them.
Featured Links:
You can contact Marissa Snowden via Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-snowden-9548132b6/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3ByQb4MGlDRaKB0GSXE%2Bf8Lw%3D%3D
Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with members of the California National Guard to talk about what makes the guard unique, the wide range of missions they support, and how they are taking new approaches to support the mental health of service members and their families. LTC Harris and MAJ Burns offer a behind-the-scenes look at the people, missions, and support systems that make the California National Guard a vital part of both national defense and local community response.
Featured Links:
You can find the California Military Department app in your preferred app store.
Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

Successful decrease in the stigma toward mental health services has led to an increase in the number of Service Members seeking care, resulting in challenges to military mental health providers and systems in meeting the increased demand. In this episode, Dr. Ethan Bannar sits down with Colonel Elisha Parkhill Pippin, Director of Psychological Health for the United States Air Force, to discuss her 2024 article in the Air Force Times and her recommendations for balancing evidence-based practice with satisfaction-based medicine. Together they explore the current difficulties faced by providers, the impact of homegrown/unit-based efforts to meet the increasing needs of the force, and discuss ways that providers can utilize available resources to better serve the populace. Tune in to hear more about the Air Force Targeted Care Initiative and Mental Health Strategic Initiatives Group, aiming to change the culture surrounding evidence-based practice in our Armed Forces!
Col. Pippin can be reached at [email protected], and her article can be found here: https://www.airforcetimes.com/opinion/2024/05/20/mental-health-professionals-overlooked-in-air-forces-resilience-push/

Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]

One of the biggest limitations in Disaster Mental Health (DMH) training has always been the difficulty in replicating high intensity environments within a structured training space. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Jinkerson sits down with Dr. Ryan Landoll, former Chief of the Behavioral Health Optimization Program of the United States Air Force who now serves as Assistant Dean for Preclinical Sciences at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Together they explore the limitations of standard mental health training models for military DMH and the importance of scalable training programs that can offer practical experience without the risks of a war zone. If you're interested in learning more about trauma-based simulation, the role of trauma familiarization, patient flow management, and psychological first aid in Disaster Mental Health, or the role that Generative AI can play in DMH training, this episode is for you!

Dr. Landoll can be reached at [email protected]
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Selecting a career path is a daunting task. Whether we are helping new recruits to choose their first MOS, counseling current subordinates looking to make a switch, or helping our peers who are transitioning back to civilian life, the role of psychology in these decisions is significant. Please join Dr. Jeremy Jinkerson as he sits down with Dr. Brianna Werner to discuss Vocational Psychology and the role it plays in these critical conversations!
Want to get connected with our team or guests? Have feedback, suggestions, or recommendations? Send us an email at [email protected]