This Is My Brave - Stories from the Veteran Community
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THE<br />
CAST<br />
BETHANY RYAN<br />
Bethany Ryan grew up in <strong>the</strong> Midwest and joined <strong>the</strong> Army shortly after<br />
graduating <strong>from</strong> high school. She served for six years, with a deployment<br />
to Iraq in 2005. She currently lives in Leesburg, VA with her partner<br />
Mike and her two children, Natalee and Matthias. Bethany credits much<br />
of her recovery to non-traditional <strong>the</strong>rapy types such as music, art,<br />
and equine-assisted. A piece of her <strong>the</strong>rapeutic art titled, “Bursting<br />
Out Of Silence” has been displayed at <strong>the</strong> Military Women’s Memorial,<br />
Washington Dulles International Airport, and Library of Congress. She<br />
has a passion in advocating for mental health awareness and reducing<br />
<strong>the</strong> stigma that surrounds it. She believe silence is deadly and hopes her<br />
story resonates with o<strong>the</strong>rs in a way that normalizes conversations and<br />
expressions of personal struggle. Learn more about Bethany and her<br />
artwork at Bethanyryan-art.com<br />
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