Testimonials
"I am writing to share my experience with the support and help my family received from Eric at Project Headspace and Timing. I am the proud sister of a Marine. He served two tours as a Combat Marine in Iraq. As a consequence of his military service, he unfortunately developed severe PTSD for which he self-medicated with drugs and alcohol for many years. From 2016 through the summer of 2021, his substance abuse and mental health progressively worsened to the point that he had to be acutely hospitalized for three weeks. This was then followed by several weeks in an inpatient PTSD and substance abuse treatment program.
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It was in late 2019 when I reached out to Eric. My brother’s symptoms and the circumstances of his home life were progressively deteriorating, and I felt he was rapidly approaching a crisis point... Eric and I, along with other friends of my brother whom Eric knew, worked together for two years to make sure he had support and did not feel alone. These were the scariest, most stressful two years of my family’s life. Watching someone you love spin out of control and feeling as though there is nothing you can do is one of the hardest things to experience.
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During this time, Eric’s support, from his late-night phone conversations to emergency trips across the country to be at my brother’s side, had significant, positive impact on the situation with my brother. I truly feel like Eric played a big role in saving his life. When it came time for my brother to attend an inpatient therapy program that could treat his dual diagnosis of PTSD and substance abuse, Eric was there to assist me in finding funding. Through Project Headspace and Timing, a portion of the tuition was covered so that my brother could attend one of the best and most successful treatment programs for veterans and first-responders in the country. There is not a day that goes by where I am not deeply grateful for Eric’s willingness to help. He is an angel and a blessing to our family and to my brother. His continued friendship with my brother has given him someone he trusts and feels safe confiding in when things get rough and someone he knows will support him and guide him back onto the right path when the pressure of life’s stresses start to push him in the wrong direction.
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Eric, you are a blessing. My family and I are forever grateful. "
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- Proud sister of a Marine
"Hi Eric,
I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for what you and your organization has done for me. To say you saved my life would be an understatement. I was in a very dark place after I got back from my deployment, and even worse after losing my mother in law and getting laid off from my job. Having 5 kids at home (2 of which were babies) and a sick wife, I felt like there was no way out and I was ready to end it all.. I just had no fight left in me. When I got introduced to you and your organization, I was skeptical at first. I had no hope that anyone could possibly understand what I was facing. I still figured I would give it a shot. At first it was nice just to have someone to share my struggle with (it seemed like nobody cared what I was dealing with, only that I made some mistakes). Then, you started sharing resources with me that I didn't know existed (even though I have been in the military for over 15 years). At one of my lowest points, you got me linked up with a treatment facility that has since been the turning point in my life, and I am forever grateful.
It has been about four months now since you helped me get to the Indiana Center for Recovery, and I have not looked back. I am on a good path to put the pieces of my life back together and for the first time in a long time it feels like there is a light at the end of my dark tunnel. I can't thank you enough for the support and encouragement you have shown me over the past several months. Most of all, I am grateful to now have someone I can consider my friend that has not only helped me, but also continues to help others like me once again find hope! I still have a long road to travel to get through my current issues, but I truly hope to one day be in a position myself to help others in a way you have helped me! Thank you Eric!"
- Current Illinois Army National Guard Officer
"Hello, my name is “Mama Bear”.
If you are reading this, then you are on the same mission we were on for several years: a quest for information, for answers, for help, and hope.
Our son is a US Marine who served our country overseas for 4 years, but came home a changed man. He had constant nightmares that resulted in chronic insomnia, and became increasingly angry and agitated, which morphed into rage. His happy-go-lucky, loving personality slowly vanished. Our Marine was struggling: self-medicating with drugs and massive amounts of alcohol, legal troubles... Our attempts to help him with middle of the night visits and chats, counselors/therapists, and even multiple stints in rehab were only temporary band aids, so things just kept getting progressively worse. Our family was in turmoil, and our beloved son was at his wit’s end threatening to end it all. Desperate for help but not knowing where else to turn, we reached out to our local VFW who brought in Eric- a veteran running a program for veterans called Project Headspace and Timing. Let me tell you- the timing, understanding, patience, compassion that Eric had was critical. He spent hours just talking and calming our son down, helping him get the proper care he needed. We fully credit this man and his team with saving our son’s life and getting him onto the road to recovery and success. This post-military decade has been a frustrating, infuriating, often heartbreaking roller coaster ride for our son and our entire family, but now we can all finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Life IS improving and that is what matters most.
Whether a family member/friend of a veteran, or a veteran yourself, you’ve found the right place. PTSD, addiction, mental illness, and suicide are all serious issues that entirely too many of our veterans suffer with (their families along with them) but don’t know where to find the help they need. If our story sounds even remotely familiar, or you just need another veteran to talk to whom honestly understands how you think and feel, PLEASE reach out to Project Headspace and Timing. They will help you take the first and most difficult step to get on a better road, potentially saving your loved one or your own life!!
We will never give up hope, nor should you.
Semper Fi"
- Mama Bear
I am writing to share my experience with the support and help Project Headspace and Timing provided me to assist with helping my friend and fellow Veteran I served with. In the fall of 2022 I began to notice some strange social media posts by a friend of mine. I had fallen out of touch with him over the last year or so because he was deployed and we lived a little ways apart. I knew he had recently returned home from his deployment so I figured he was dealing with the same issues most of us do when you get home from a combat tour. I immediately reached out to him to find out what was going on. During this conversation I learned he was going through a divorce with his wife and had begun down a dark path of substance abuse with alcohol. Due to these events, he ended up in some legal trouble as well. His life was spiraling out of control quickly. I stayed in constant contact with him over the next week or so but noticed a pattern of odd behavior and him not being forthright with me. I quickly realized I couldn’t provide him the help he needed and if he was going to make it out of this I needed some help. That’s when I turned to Eric at Project Headspace and Timing. Eric was quick to answer my phone call and listen to my concerns about my friend. Eric immediately reached out to my friend and was contacting him at least once a day if not more. Over the next couple weeks Eric and I spoke often about my friends condition and what he thought would be best for him. Eric and I both worked with my friend to get him the assistance he needed but he was reluctant and continued to deflect his problems. Eric having dealt with this before continued to give us advice on how to make sure we could help my friend through this difficult time. I couldn’t believe the amount of time Eric was investing in this person who was a stranger to him and how much work he was putting into helping him. It was incredible to witness the care, concern and compassion Eric demonstrated on a daily basis.
Eric and I continued for weeks to help my friend offering him several opportunities to get treatment or other sources to assist him financially and with the other struggles he was facing. My friend couldn’t be convinced and continued his self-destructive behavior. Turning everyone away and finding himself going deeper down the dark path he was on despite Eric and I’s efforts. Eric never gave up on my friend even though it was getting difficult to assist him when he didn’t want or think he needed the help both Eric and I knew he needed.
Then, one morning I woke up to a very dark and cryptic text from my friend. I called him immediately and couldn’t get ahold of him. I grew concerned and fearful something bad had happened. I called Eric immediately and both him and I began doing whatever we could to get ahold of him. Hours went by and we had no success. The concern grew larger with every passing minute. We finally learned he was in hospital in Northern Illinois. I began driving up to the hospital concerned my friend had tried to take his life. I spoke to Eric on my drive up there and he gave me guidance on what we should do moving forward and he immediately began working on the logistical piece of getting my friend in to a treatment facility. When I was finally able to speak to my friend while he was sin the hospital, we learned he drank himself into a dark place and called the Veterans Crisis Center who in turn dispatched 911 to get him and bring him to the hospital. From there the hospital was going to release him. Eric knew that wasn’t what was best for my friend and helped me convince him to go to treatment. Eric coordinated everything from that point forward. Dealing with insurance and getting my friend a ride directly from the hospital to treatment which was in a completely different state. Eric made all this happen within a couple hours and my friend was brought straight from the hospital to treatment that day. Eric worked on helping him navigating obstacles along the way when it came to his job, court dates, finances, paying rent. All my friends concerns Eric had an answer for. He took everything upon himself to ensure my friend was enrolled into a quality treatment facility with no cost to him and that all his other issues he had still going on at home were addressed.
My friend is alive today because Eric and his organization Project Headspace and Timing. Not only is he alive but he is putting his life back together. He is moving in the right direction and is sober and discovering the joy life has to offer once again. My friend thought he lost everything and didn’t want to live with the pain he was feeling. Eric helped him through that point in his life and showed him that his life was meaningful and he could find happiness.
To this day Eric still keeps in contact with both my friend and I ensuring he continues down the path of success. If it wasn’t for Eric and Project Headspace and Timing my friend would be a memory and instead, we still have the opportunity to create memories together.
If you know anybody who is struggling it’s important to understand the need for people like Eric and bring them in to help you and your loved one through the hard times. Eric is great at what he does and saves lives everyday by doing the work he does. There is no better resource to help you through the process of bringing someone back to the person they were before.
Project Headspace and Timing is an organization that is unfortunately necessary and an organization that cares and does whatever it takes to help.
- Veteran and veteran advocate
I am a grateful and concerned parent. I have a son who has been living on his own for many years. He fought in Iraq and came home truly affected by his experiences. They call it PTSD and it is a disease that alters a person’s personality. We have always had a good relationship, my son and I but he was in a very different place than before. He was suffering from pain from injuries he sustained during his tour. You never really know how someone else is handling their struggles until they act out in ways that are unaccustomed to the norm. We, as his family, were sympathetic to his plight but did not realize the depth of his pain. He turned to other substances to self-medicate and this only compounded his condition.
Eric and his people have worked tirelessly to assist my son. They have been with him during those times when he was out of control and not interested or able to see how his behaviors were affecting his family. They were there to encourage him to get into a treatment program and worked with the VA and other sources to see that happen. Eric has spent countless hours being my son’s friend and advocate and mentor, to show him a better way to work through his issues. While we are still in the midst of some of his struggles, I am confident that Eric will continue to be by his side and work with him until he is ready to walk a little straighter by himself.
Not living in the area, our first resort had been to pray for my son. This has helped greatly and I believe Eric and his organization has been the answer to our prayers. I have spoken with Eric on a number of occasions and he has always expressed his ongoing concern for my son. I have great confidence in this organization and in Eric and his people to continue to help as much as my son will allow them too. Thank you, Eric.
- A grateful parent.