“12 Months On” – A Landmark Conference on Veteran Health and Innovation
One year after the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, Charles Sturt University and the Pro Patria Centre are uniting for a first-of-its-kind conference: “12 Months On”, held Wednesday, 8 October 2025, at Joyes Hall, CSU Wagga Campus.
This event brings together leading voices in medicine, psychology, research, and lived experience to ask one critical question: What has been working for veterans, and how do we build on it?
Progress Since the Royal Commission
In the 12 months since the Commission, important shifts have begun:
Recognition of emerging therapies: Psychedelic-assisted therapies, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), and endocannabinoid health are now part of active research and clinical discussion.
Focus on brain injury research: Greater attention is being directed to traumatic brain injury (TBI) as an underlying driver of PTSD symptoms, helping reframe treatment away from purely psychiatric models.
Collaborative care models: Partnerships between universities, veteran organisations, and health providers are showing new ways to integrate evidence-based research into frontline care.
Community-driven initiatives: Veteran-led projects are reducing stigma, increasing peer connection, and ensuring that lived experience is shaping service delivery.
Key Themes at the Conference
The conference will highlight innovations in TBI and PTSD care, with topics including:
Resilience and systems change – Dr Lyn Worsley will share insights on building resilience, wellbeing, and collaborative recovery frameworks.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) – Dr Nick Bradley will present the latest evidence showing HBOT’s promise for reducing symptoms of PTSD and repairing brain injury in veterans.
Medical Assisted Therapies – Dr Ted Cassidy will discuss next-stage treatments for mental health that move beyond conventional polypharmacy.
Endocannabinoid Health – Dr Michael Mumford will outline the critical role of the endocannabinoid system and why its understanding is reshaping treatment pathways.
Evidence-based diagnosis for TBI – Mr Jeff Phillips will present advances in protocols to better diagnose and manage traumatic brain injuries.
Clinical insights on PTSD care – Dr Julie Sines-Phillipps and the Zed3 Medical team (Dr Rachelle Dawson, Mr Ross Calear, Ms Jaimee Forster) will highlight gaps in current approaches and the need for evidence-based alternatives.
Hosted by Army veteran Mr Damien Thomlinson, the conference will also feature talks form personal lived experience and cutting edge evidence based research.
Why It Matters?
For too long, veterans struggling with PTSD and brain injury have faced limited options, often reduced to heavy medication and repeated hospitalisation. The “12 Months On” conference represents a turning point, bringing together clinical experts, researchers, and veterans themselves to forge new paths in rehabilitation, education, and innovation.
By asking what has been working, this conference will help ensure that the lessons of the Royal Commission are not left on paper, but translated into action that saves lives and restores health.
🗓️ Event: “12 Months On” Conference
📍Location: Joyes Hall, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga
⏰ Date & Time: Wednesday, 8 October 2025, 9am–4pm
✅ Lunch Included | Networking & Exhibitor Booths | Keynote Panels
For more information, visit: propatria.com.au/conference
