Santa Clarita Valley nonprofit offers mental health help to military members, first responders

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) — A support group in the Santa Clarita Valley is going above and beyond to help members of the armed forces and first responders who are facing mental health issues.

They call themselves “The Guardians,” and after being a group of about 13 people for five years, the group decided to turn into a nonprofit organization to reach more service members.

“We talk about trauma and our emotions and feelings in a box, or it could be we’re talking about our relationships and the challenges we might face in our daily lives,” said Tim Traurig, the president of Guardians SCV.

“I think being able to get a hold of our young men and women, the military, fire, and law, and have those kinds of discussions about something like what we do should be a part of maintenance for your life.”

After six months, the group was able to quadruple its attendance.

They meet once a week, and once a month, family members are invited to join in and share. Traurig said with so much tragedy in the world, it’s important to get ahead of these emotions early.

While conventional therapy sessions may work for some, Traurig said the group has shared experiences they can’t find elsewhere.

“There isn’t a population of people they’re more comfortable with than their own peers,” he said. “We have no counselors, no therapists, it’s all peer-to-peer support, and it’s men and women helping men and women.”

To learn more about the Guardians, click here.