Augusta, GA

VA Augusta aims to bring awareness to PTSD

Published

2 years ago

June 4, 2024

VA Augusta aims to bring awareness to PTSD

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, and VA Augusta is working to break the stigma around seeking help.

PTSD is often an invisible wound that can affect veterans and even their loved ones.

Experts at VA Augusta are working to bring awareness to the issue and provide hope to veterans struggling.

According to the National Center for PTSD, the disorder is more common in veterans than civilians.

Dr. J. Richard Monroe, a clinical psychologist at VA Augusta, says the problem isn’t knowing how to treat PTSD, but rather encouraging individuals to seek help.

He also says it requires focused treatment.

“We have resources across the spectrum of care from self-directed, maybe an app that might help someone deal with stress, all the way to intensive weekly appointments for outpatient therapy. There’s exciting research that shows that daily visits even get to the same outcome just a little faster,” said Monroe.

Will Martin is a veteran who served in the Army for 21 years.

Martin says individuals in the military are trained to keep their heads down and complete a mission, focusing on their emotions last.

He knew it was time to take action when PTSD began to seriously affect his personal life.

“It kind of spilled over to my relationships are negatively impacting that I wasn’t very good at communicating what I needed, or, you know, what I was really feeling,” said Martin.

Martin says the PTSD Program was able to help him tap into his trauma and begin to recover.

“It doesn’t eliminate it, but what it does is it gives you the wisdom and knowledge and tools and figure out how to navigate it and not let it negatively impact your life,” said Martin.

Martin’s personal success with the program encouraged him to break the stigma surrounding military members seeking mental help.

“I grew up in a very blue-collar environment and military environment where if you went to go see a shrink, quote, unquote, that was a sign of weakness and a waste of time and money. And I experienced the exact opposite of that,” said Martin.

According to Monroe, combat is one of the main triggers of PTSD, but not the only one. Nearly 80% of individuals experience trauma in their life, and 7%-10% will develop PTSD.

Veterans interested in treatment should ask for a referral from their VA primary care or mental health provider.

If necessary, they can also self-refer for same-day care by visiting the VA Augusta Mental Health Walk-In Clinic located at 1 Freedom Way.

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Augusta, GA

Local group holds 4th annual walk against autism

Published

3 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Local group holds 4th annual walk against autism

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – April is Autism Awareness Month, and one local group raised awareness with a walk in Augusta on Sunday.

The fourth annual autism walk was hosted by Moving Over Mountains Against autism at Lake Olmstead Park.

All proceeds from the walk support autism awareness initiatives.

We spoke with the CEO and founder of the group, Deidre Roberson, who said this year they are dedicating the walk to their photographer, who died recently.

Roberson told us what she looks forward to the most.

“I look most forward to seeing the different people every year. We always meet different people, new people, and they come from all over the CSRA, so Washington, Wilkes, Carolina,” she said.

There were also several vendors providing resources to families.

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Augusta, GA

From Augusta roots to Nighthawks leader: Nolan Belcher comes home

Published

15 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

From Augusta roots to Nighthawks leader: Nolan Belcher comes home

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- Augusta University baseball is in a three-game series matchup against the University of North Georgia.

AU is currently down in the series 0-2 after a close loss Friday and a loss Saturday.

But we aren’t focusing on the Jags, we’re going to take a look at North Georgia’s head coach, Nolan Belcher.

He is an Augusta native who began his career at Greenbrier and Augusta Christian.

He won three state championships, which then led him to play for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

There he won back-to-back national championships and finished runner up in 2012.

His coaching career began after that where he eventually joined the Peach belt Confrence, coaching at USCA and GCSU.

Now in his first season as head coach for the Nighthawks, he is happy to come home and coach in front of his friends and family.

“I’m very fortunate that I got family that, one is still around and they can come watch me do what I love. And, they’ve shown me, nothing but support throughout my whole coaching career and even back on my playing dates are very thankful and appreciative for everything they’ve done for me.”

AU and UNG will have their final series match on Sunday.

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