Veteran Women Find Strength Off the Beaten Path
Montana (June 18, 2025) – On the Trail to Healing: How Alongside Women Veterans Outreach is Redefining Support for Women Who Serve and Spouses of Veterans
In the mountainous terrain of the American West, an unconventional nonprofit is helping women carry the weight of war and service, not in therapy offices or support groups, but on hiking trails, bike paths, and snow-covered ridges. Alongside Women Veterans Outreach (WVO) is creating a new kind of healing space—one forged in the outdoors and built on peer perspective.
Founded with a singular mission in mind—to help women veterans and first responders manage stress, anxiety, depression, and adrenaline—Alongside WVO is reshaping the way post-service support is offered to women who have lived through the demands of military and first responder life. The organization’s approach is immersive, physical, and personal.
“We are not a retreat,” says the organization’s leadership. “We are the hard work each woman must engage in to be better.”
A Mission Rooted in Shared Experience
Alongside WVO was designed specifically for women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, for the spouses of combat veterans and first responders, and for women on the frontlines of their communities—firefighters, police officers, search and rescue crews, as well as aerial firefighters and avalanche response teams. Many of these women share a common challenge: the psychological toll of service and a lack of spaces where they feel fully understood.
This is where Alongside steps in. With a board composed of military veterans, law enforcement officers, and first responders, the organization is uniquely equipped to provide peer-led support from people who truly "get it."
“Our philosophy is simple,” the team explains. “No one is more qualified to help a veteran or first responder than someone who’s lived it.”
The Power of Outdoor Therapy
Rather than rely solely on traditional counseling settings, Alongside WVO brings therapy into the wild. In the summer and fall, women participate in structured hiking and all-terrain biking excursions through the forests of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. In winter and spring, those same trails become Nordic ski paths. The movement is more than exercise—it’s a form of tangible therapy.
These experiences are offered entirely free of charge to participants, made possible by the generosity of volunteers, donors, and partners who believe in the healing power of movement and connection.
Between the Trails
Alongside also offers virtual peer support through VTTV (Veterans Talking To Veterans)—a weekly opportunity for participants to engage in honest, challenging, and necessary conversations about life after service. Additionally, the Peterson Academy Campus, an online platform used by the organization, reinforces its philosophies and provides tools women can access at home.
Together, these in-person and virtual elements create a year-round support system—a tribe of women who grow stronger, together.
Recognizing the Invisible Sacrifices
One of Alongside’s most meaningful distinctions is its inclusion of military spouses, particularly the wives of combat veterans and first responders. These women often shoulder incredible emotional burdens, yet their sacrifices go largely unrecognized. Additionally, it validates their experiences and provides them with the same opportunities for growth and healing.
To the women it serves, Alongside is more than an outdoor program. It’s a lifeline. A proving ground. A place to rediscover strength. As one participant shared, “This isn’t a place you go to escape. It’s where you go to fight for the version of yourself you want to bring home.”
For more information or to learn how to support the mission, visit Alongside Women Veterans Outreach.
