SERVE TO SUPPORT

'A Career & Life of Service'
Exclusive Interview with Dr. Jennifer Bryne
Featured in 'Innerviews'
Hosted by Allié McGuire

​Co-founder of Shields and Stripes, Owner of 5by5 Performance Therapy, Boston University academic mentor, passionate occupational therapist, yoga instructor, certified mental health integrative medicine provider, Air Force Veteran, special operations military spouse, mom, daughter, little sister of a Blackhawk pilot and big sister of an awesome human with disabilities, Dr. Jennifer Byrne’s mission in life is simple: to save lives and foster happiness. She focuses on providing the care that Veterans, Law Enforcement, First Responders AND their families deserve and need.

ALLIÉ: In choosing a career of service, you were influenced early on in your life by your brothers. You cared for your younger brother who had special needs. Jen, can you share this story and how that guided you in the way it did in your career of choice?

JENN: I absolutely can. And I'm very excited to do so because Ricky is his name. Ricky has had such a huge impact on my life from a very early phase. My parents were very specific in telling us, "Ricky is with our family for a reason. He’s here to teach you, you can teach him, but make sure that you learn lessons from one another." So it was really embedded in me at a very young age that not only did I protect my brother, but I needed to learn from him. He is less than two years younger than me, so very close. We are very close. Ricky was born with microcephaly in 1992. So, if you remember back when the Zika virus was a big conversation, a lot of babies were being born with microcephaly because of the Zika virus.

Well, back in 1992, my parents were in their thirties. Ricky was their third kid, and they had no idea what microcephaly was or how to care for a child with significant disabilities. Ricky was born and came into our life, and my parents did an incredible job early on, getting him set up with all the support he needed to participate in life with his siblings and friends at school. He had a team of therapists—speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists. I didn't know what OT was when I was younger. I just remember this woman coming in and inviting me to do art projects with Ricky and almost teaching me how to be an OT as his sister without me even knowing what OT was. Adapting his environment involved making buttons so instead of turning on the radio, he could just press it in his room. It was all these things to be super creative, to maximize Ricky's life, and make him happy. I didn't know what OT was until later. So, I went to my college orientation, met one of my now-best friends, and asked her what she was majoring in. She said, "Occupational therapy." I asked her to tell me about it, and she said, "You can be creative. It's in the medical field, and you get to help people live happy lives." That sounded very familiar, so I asked my mom if Sharon was an occupational therapist, and she said she was. I was influenced early on without even knowing what OT was.

ALLIÉ: I love how organically that happened. It wasn’t you seeking it out; it almost sought you out. Now let's talk about your other brother, your older brother who joined the Army. He influenced you as well. Can you tell us about your call to serve that led you to join the ROTC while attending the University of New Hampshire?

JENN: I can. So, as much as Ricky was an influence, my older brother absolutely was as well. Both of them remain two of the best friends I'll ever have. Now, this is going to be interesting. Life got a little messy when I was 10, 11, 12 when my parents decided to divorce, and my brother and I had too much freedom as teenagers. This will circle back. He ended up getting into a bit of trouble, and I was rebelling at a young age. In our teenage years, we were troublemakers. I was still able to get good grades and care for my brother, but I wasn't really doing what I needed to be doing as a teenager. I was drinking at a very young age. My brother decided college wasn't for him and joined the Army when I was 14. He became a Black Hawk pilot and found structure and mentorship, pulling him out of a challenging phase. He got his direction early on. I was a bit crazy and thought, "I'll just enlist in the Army like you, Jeff.” He caught wind of that, sat on it for a day, and then pulled me out of a day of high school, my senior year, and made me shadow him. He made me shadow one of the enlisted technicians and sat me down, saying, "I agree that you would do very well in the military, but you're going to college. You're going to be an officer, and you're going to be an officer in the Air Force because I want you to go somewhere where I know they will take care of my little sister. The Air Force takes care of their people very well." I agreed, and that's where my brother's influence came from. We both didn't come from military parents, but we had drive and motivation. We had to grow up early, and the military was a beautiful path for us to put our intelligence and energy in the right place.

ALLIÉ: Thank you for sharing those stories about your brothers, Jenn. Now let's talk about you. Your background as an Air Force veteran and special operations military spouse is quite unique. How have these experiences influenced your approach to providing care for Veterans, Law Enforcement, and First Responders, as well as their families through Shields and Stripes and 5by5 Performance Therapy?

​JENN: Oh, I mean, the answer to that is everything. My experience as a veteran practicing occupational therapy in the Air Force gave me a unique perspective on the challenges and strengths of the system. I served as an executive officer for a group commander at a hospital, peering behind the curtains and understanding the military medicine system down to how they get their funding. From the spouse perspective, I understand how spouses are left out of the conversation when it comes to healthcare. Spouses should not be left out of any conversation, especially when asking people to make lifestyle changes. You can't ask someone to make a lifestyle change without involving their partner in the conversation. It has to be a change for the whole family unit. I had amazing experiences working with different people in the military, and a couple of individuals stood out because they were really struggling, and I had to be creative in how I approached their treatment. My philosophy is finding loopholes and ways to say yes, bending rules to help someone. Healthcare should be governed by what works, not by money or insurance companies. It should be about getting the person the best care around, period.

ALLIÉ: I love how you find those loopholes to say yes. So, you are a certified mental health integrative medicine provider. Could you share more about this role and how it complements your work in occupational therapy in your mission to save lives and foster happiness?

JENN: Absolutely. The certification is a bit different now, but early on, I realized that, no matter the discipline, no one has all the answers all the time. Gathering qualifications, education, perspectives, and resources from different disciplines is beautiful for treating individuals comprehensively. In the military, I was trying to get various certifications to broaden my perspective and qualifications to treat my heroes. When I found the certified mental health integrative certification, it helped me be more confident in OT's role with things like nutrition. While we're not dietitians, we can inspire healthy eating habits and patterns, help with food preparation, and understand aspects like gut health and natural supplementation. It offered a different perspective to allow me to treat more holistically, addressing the knowledge gap that I felt existed.

ALLIÉ: That's awesome. I love that you see and address that with your career and work. What's also great is that you're not only a healthcare professional but also a yoga instructor. How do you incorporate the principles of yoga and mental wellness into your holistic approach to providing healthcare and therapy to those you serve?

JENN: That's a good question. It is integrated. I love yoga, and while I may not be the best instructor, I found it incredibly valuable for certain populations, especially those who struggle with being present. Many special operators don't know how to sit still, and meditation and being present are significant challenges. I value meditation and anything that requires someone to be in their own heads for a bit. Yoga has been specifically helpful for populations that don't know how to sit, allowing me to introduce movement as a way to activate present thoughts and practice being present. It's a way to get type-A individuals to meditate using movement.

ALLIÉ: Yes, you are the queen of loopholes. Can we just add that title?

JENN: Yes, you can.

​ALLIÉ: There is one more question. Many who sacrifice to serve our country have families that sacrifice in their own way. The work you do is dedicated not only to those who serve but also to their families. Can you share why this part of care is so important and how you support these families?

JENN: Absolutely. I'll share a story. I have many friends in the military community, mostly special operations. I invited five girlfriends for a girl's night, and three couldn't make it because they lacked childcare, as their husbands were on a mission or deployed last minute. Obviously, the children are coming, but that's beside the point. I also had a friend text me needing support because her husband had to leave within 12 hours for an overseas mission. The strength required to be a military spouse is beyond what we can accurately describe to friends who aren't military spouses. Military spouses often come last, even if they want to put themselves first. They are the silent professionals supporting this country just as much. There is no role more important when talking about the military member and the military spouse. Both are equally important. Bringing the spouse into the conversation and saying, "We serve you too; we are here for you too," is not just something we should do. It’s, to me, just common sense. It’s not above and beyond. It’s just common sense. If we want to help people, you don’t just help the individual, you help the family unite. That's very much an occupational therapy principle and my understanding as a spouse myself.

ALLIÉ: Thank you for sharing that powerful perspective and for your dedication to serving families. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories and help us become more aware.

JENN: I appreciate the questions. It was nice to dig back and share how much of a troublemaker I used to be.

ALLIÉ: And the queen of loopholes that you've become. Thank you so much for your time.

JENN: It's been fun. Thank you for having me. Thank you for asking those questions.

ALLIÉ: Absolutely. Thank you for your service. ∎

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Follow Dr. Jennifer Byrne and her work with Shields & Stripes on Instagram: @shields_and_stripes