Behind Every Hero is a Great Woman- Military Spouses Lead Mental Health Revolution as Community Challenges Mount
Military spouses lead mental health advocacy, blending faith, technology and community to deliver accessible support tailored to military family needs
At 32, Eleanor Haack-Finney has survived nine surgeries, including four cardiac procedures. She’s raising four young children as a military spouse whilst pursuing a Master’s in Divinity and building a mental health ministry.
Last week, she was named 2025 Heroes at Home Military Spouse of the Year for something that started with a simple recognition: military families weren’t getting the mental health support they needed.
As a Navy spouse, mother of four, and certified biblical counsellor, Eleanor had lived through her own journey of hardship, healing, and purpose. She watched other military families struggle with the same challenges she’d faced- frequent relocations, deployments, reintegrations, and a mental health system that didn’t understand their unique circumstances.
Eleanor founded Defenders of Resilience in early 2023 after years of dreaming about how to better serve military families.
“Being named the 2025 Military Spouse of the Year is humbling,” Eleanor said at the ceremony. “This honour is not just for me – it’s for every spouse who’s quietly held it all together, who’s carried the weight of deployments, relocations, and reintegration whilst building community and offering hope.”
When asked to share her favourite quote during the awards celebration, Eleanor chose Esther 4:14: “Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.”
“This verse carried me through some of the hardest seasons of military life,” she explained. “It became the foundation for my upcoming book, Perhaps This Is It, releasing in Spring 2026. The message is simple: God can use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.”
Eleanor’s organisation has launched the Operation Resilient app and built a growing network of lay counsellors and life coaches. These programmes are designed to meet military families wherever they are – spiritually, emotionally, and geographically. The approach fills a gap that traditional medical models often struggle with: providing ongoing, accessible support that understands military life intimately.
A Fundamental Change in Military Mental Health
Recent Department of Defense surveys show military spouses are actively utilising counselling services, demonstrating growing awareness and willingness to seek support in navigating the unique stresses of military life. This marks a significant departure from previous generations where seeking help was often seen as weakness.
Military spouse mental health advocacy has gained serious momentum over the past few years. Dr Courtney Barber, a psychologist and marriage and family therapist, was named the 2024 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year for her leadership in mental health and well-being for military spouses. The Military Spouse Advocacy Network launched Mental Health Ally certification in 2024, further supporting advocacy efforts amongst military spouses.
An Urgent Need
Nearly 40% of military families experience significant psychological distress, according to recent data. The 2024 Active Duty Spouse Survey, which included responses from over 561,000 military spouses, highlighted persistent concerns about well-being and mental health support within military communities.
Military families face challenges that civilian support systems often miss. Frequent relocations disrupt continuity of care. Deployments create months of solo parenting followed by difficult reintegration periods. Children struggle with constant school changes. Traditional therapy models simply aren’t built for families who move every two years or live on remote military bases.
A Digital Approach Solving Practical Problems
The Operation Resilient app provides continuity when families relocate. Her network of counsellors and life coaches understand the specific stresses of military life because many have lived them. The programmes combine professional mental health support with faith-based resources and community connection.
Defenders of Resilience has also created digital discipleship programmes that travel with military families regardless of their posting. This addresses one of the biggest challenges military spouses face: rebuilding support systems every time they move.
The Heroes at Home programme, which has been honouring exceptional military spouses since 2005, recognises Eleanor’s work at a time when spouse-led mental health initiatives are gaining recognition across the military community. Her award highlights a change towards viewing military families as active partners in developing solutions rather than passive recipients of services.
Eleanor’s upcoming book will share more of her story and mission. Her work demonstrates that effective mental health support often comes from within the community itself – from people who understand both the clinical needs and the realities of military family life.
The success of Defenders of Resilience suggests that investing in military spouse leadership creates sustainable, culturally competent mental health infrastructure that can adapt to the unique demands of military service.
Eleanor’s recognition validates something many military spouses know instinctively: they don’t need to suffer in silence, and they’re uniquely positioned to build the support systems their community needs.
To learn more about Eleanor’s mission, upcoming book, or Defenders of Resilience programmes, visit www.eleanorfinney.com or connect with her on Facebook.
