By Patrick Sandone, Robert Brooks and Heather Nuske
Each May, Mental Health Month offers us a much-needed reminder: Wellness isn’t a luxury — it’s a lifeline. For first responders, veterans and frontline workers, that lifeline is stretched thin.
Every day, these heroes answer calls for help. But when it comes to seeking help themselves, many feel they can’t. More than 80% of first responders say asking for mental or emotional support would make them seem weak or unfit for duty. More than 70% carry haunting memories from the line of duty. Since 2000, more than 130,000 veterans and first responders have died by suicide — an unthinkable toll that outpaces the national average.
We can and must do better.
That’s why we are working together to change the narrative and the outcomes. As the founder of the Guide App, a leading provider of secure mobile wellness and resilience tools for first responders, veterans and frontline workers; the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, the union representing Pennsylvania fire fighters; and a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, we are united by a shared mission: to support those who serve by giving them the tools to thrive — not just survive.
Behind the uniforms and sirens are parents, spouses, teammates and neighbors. The stressors they face — trauma, burnout, long hours, sleep disruption and public scrutiny — are relentless. Yet, stigma and systemic barriers make it difficult, if not impossible, for many to seek support through traditional mental health services.
The Guide App bridges that gap. It is the only award-winning, evidence-based tactical wellness app built specifically for first responders and veterans. Recognized as a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mission Daybreak Finalist, Guide makes on-demand micro-learning courses, inspired by coaching practices normally available only to top executives and professional athletes, accessible to our heroes who serve. In addition to these expert-designed courses, the app offers a peer support community, daily resiliency practices and more — all through a secure, anonymous platform tailored to the unpredictable schedules and unique challenges of those on the front lines.
In a recent study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, clinical trial participants saw significant improvements in mental health, emotional well-being and social connectedness after using the app for just four weeks. Notably, the Guide App reduced depression by 32% and anxiety by 9%. That’s because Guide meets users where they are, offering accessible, bite-sized practices that focus on skills ranging from stress management and processing grief to financial wellness and leadership that fit into even the busiest shift.
This isn’t the first time the Guide App has been evaluated by a team of researchers. An earlier pre-clinical trial of the Guide App corroborates the University of Pennsylvania study. A pilot study showed high participant engagement with up to 75% completing at least one micro-learning lesson per week. Consistent use led to increased positive emotions, motivation and engagement and decreased anxiety (a 29% decrease on average), negative emotions and loneliness.
Through our partnership, the PPFFA is now bringing this resource to firefighters across the commonwealth, ensuring every member has confidential access to the tools, training and community they need to protect their own well-being.
Guide’s impact isn’t limited to firefighters. Police departments, public safety agencies, veterans, educators and frontline workers across Pennsylvania and the country are joining this movement. The app’s customizable approach, developed by experts in military and first responder wellness, tackles burnout, emotional trauma and life stressors head-on. And most importantly, it replaces isolation with connection — peer to peer, shoulder to shoulder.
This Mental Health Month, let’s reject the outdated belief that strength means staying silent. Courage isn’t just about running into danger — it’s also about seeking support, embracing growth and building a resilient life.
We owe it to those who answer our calls for help to ensure they know help is available for them, too — anytime, anywhere.
Let’s make sure our heroes have the tools to thrive. ••
Patrick Sandone is the founder of the Guide App.
Robert Brooks is the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association.
Dr. Heather Nuske is a Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.
