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The Morning Formation Podcast

Veteran Turned Social Worker Helps Find Resources and Resilience with Eleni Veneris-Whitehead

Jan 06, 2026 Season 4 Episode 8

KP

We welcome Elaine Venez Whitehead, a veteran, spouse, Guard behavioral health officer, and LCSW, for a clear-eyed look at military families, hidden stress, and the resource map that too often stays invisible. We talk resilience without clichés, practical help for spouses and kids, and what growth looks like after hard truths.

• veteran-to-social-worker journey and mission
• what an LCSW does and why it matters
• Guard behavioral health and readiness roles
• realities behind the curtain for spouses and kids
• the tribe model for support and access to care
• unseen stressors in relationships and reintegration
• abuse, stigma, and how to seek safe help
• school-based supports and USO community resources
• special education insights on behavior and emotion
• education, translation of MOS, and transition gaps
• concrete programs like Zero 800 and Operation Purple
• owning mistakes, building structure, and consistent growth

For everyone else out there, Formation Nation, remember survivability starts with awareness, and sometimes the strongest warriors are the ones holding the home front together

Links for Eleni:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleni-venieris-whitehead-429890aa?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homegrownecho?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Veteran Resources:

http://www.va.gov/

https://211la.org/

https://211sandiego.org/

https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/services/outreach/vrc

https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/community/veterans.html

https://www.campcorral.org/

https://www.militaryfamily.org/state-of-the-military-family-programs/operation-purple/operation-purple-camp/

https://www.uso.org/