Stand With Us to Ensure No Military Family Fights Alone
Faith-based mental health and resilience support for military families—powered by people who refuse to separate care from the Gospel.
The Need Is Real—and Growing
Who We Are
Defenders of Resilience is a faith-based military ministry providing accessible mental health and pastoral care to service members and their families.
We provide:
Lay counseling and pastoral care
Marriage and life coaching
Trauma recovery programs
Support groups and discipleship
Digital access through our app
Ethical AI support for in-between moments
Behind every uniform is a family navigating stress, isolation, trauma, and unseen battles.
But here’s the reality—
many of the most effective, faith-based solutions are being overlooked and underfunded.
Not because they don’t work.
But because they won’t remove the Gospel from the process.
Data That Tells a Story
Our Story
Defenders of Resilience was founded in early 2023 by Eleanor Haack-Finney, a military spouse, and her husband Austin. Together, they have four special needs children. The idea for Defenders of Resilience had been a dream of Eleanor's for years, and it became a reality as a way to provide support and resources to the military community.
Austin joined the military later in life, after the birth of their third child, leaving when he was just six months old. Despite the challenges of military life and raising a family, Austin and Eleanor are both pursuing their education. They studied Christian Counseling at Liberty University, and Eleanor is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Counseling while also earning her MBA in Non-Profit Leadership, while Austin is studying Chaplaincy with dreams of becoming a United States Navy Chaplain.
In Spring 2024, Defenders of Resilience became an LLC and Defenders of Resilience Military Ministry a 501(c)3 nonprofit, as they prepared to launch their groundbreaking app. Their goal is to bring mental health resources to everyone's fingertips, particularly focusing on the unique needs of the military community.
Our mission at Defenders of Resilience is to provide comprehensive mental health solutions and community support for the entire military community. We aim to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the military and empower individuals and families to thrive in the face of challenges.
Mission
Our vision is to create a more resilient military community where mental health support is readily accessible and destigmatized. We envision a community where everyone feels supported, connected, and able to reach their full potential, no matter the challenges they face.
Vision
What We Do
Counseling
We provides faith-based, accessible lay counseling that meets individuals and families in real-life moments of need—without the barriers often found in traditional care. Through trained counselors and a holistic approach to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, we offer immediate, compassionate support to the military community and beyond. This model allows partners to help expand timely, life-giving care to those who might otherwise go without it.
Couples and Marriage Coaching
We offer couples and marriage coaching designed to strengthen relationships at every stage—from premarital preparation to crisis intervention and long-term growth. Through programs like PreMarital Counseling, Marriage 911, and ongoing couples coaching, their certified coaches provide practical tools for communication, conflict resolution, and shared goal-setting. By integrating mental health and life coaching, this approach equips couples with the support, structure, and accountability needed to build healthy, resilient, and lasting relationships.
Support groups create safe, community-driven spaces where individuals and families can find connection, encouragement, and healing alongside others facing similar challenges. Through both small groups and targeted support groups, participants receive practical tools, shared understanding, and faith-centered support that reduce isolation and build emotional resilience. These groups—ranging from parenting and trauma recovery to caregiver and military-focused communities—help foster lasting relationships and meaningful growth.
Groups
Big Ideas, Real Impact.
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Big Ideas, Real Impact. 〰️
Ethical AI for the In-Between Moments
At Defenders of Resilience, we understand that the hardest moments don’t wait for office hours.
The crisis often comes at 2 a.m.
The questions surface in the silence.
The weight shows up when no one else is available.
That’s why we’ve developed what we call Ethical AI for the In-Between Moments.
This is not a replacement for human care. It is a bridge to it.
Our AI is intentionally designed to provide immediate, grounded, and faith-aligned support in the moments where a counselor, coach, or pastor may not be instantly accessible. It helps guide individuals through emotional overwhelm, offers encouragement rooted in truth, and directs users toward next steps and real human connection when needed.
Every response is built with integrity, safety, and responsibility at the forefront ensuring that those who reach out are never dismissed, never left alone, and never told to simply wait.
Because no one in crisis should be met with silence.
Through Ethical AI, we are extending care beyond limits of time, geography, and capacity ensuring that support is always within reach, especially in the moments that matter most.
Why Partnership Matters
Because we are unapologetically faith-based, we are often turned away from traditional funding sources.
So we’ve made a decision:
We won’t remove the Gospel to secure funding.
Instead, we partner with people and organizations who believe in what we’re building.