72: Rethinking Resilience: How Military Families Are Affected by the Resilience Narrative with Jennifer Barnhill

Have you ever felt like you had to put on your "brave face" even when everything inside was crumbling? Many of us in the military community wear our resilience like a badge of honor, but sometimes that badge can start to feel quite heavy. You might notice that while everyone else is praising your strength, you're actually feeling more disconnected and alone than ever. In this episode, I'm joined by Jennifer Barnhill, military family reporter and the 2025 Navy Spouse of the Year, to talk about her new book, The Military Stories You've Been Told and the Ones You Need to Hear. We explore how the word "resilience" has morphed from a clinical term into a cultural expectation that can sometimes leave us feeling gaslit or dismissed . What You'll Learn: The Origin and Evolution of "Resilience" The "Performance" of Strength The Impact on the "Home Front How the Narrative Affects Your Relationship Moving Toward Authentic Connection The Hidden Reality of "Presenting" Resiliently The Role of Nonprofits and Community Systems A New Perspective on "Dependents" The Truth About Systemic Gaps Why There's "Always More to the Story"   >>>Make sure to like, review, and subscribe to get all the future episodes and help the podcast be found by others who would benefit the most.  You can sign up for Elizabeth's FREE 10-week relationship email course here.  Read the show notes for this episode here.    Free Relationship Pattern Assessment Are you having the same conversation over and over? Many couples assume they have a communication problem when they're actually stuck in a relationship pattern that keeps creating the same conflict. Take the free Relationship Pattern Assessment to identify the pattern that may be keeping you disconnected and learn what to focus on next. 👉 https://pages.communicateandconnect.com/relationship-quiz