Robyn knew how to research, write and work through complex documents. As a military legal officer, those skills had been central to her career. Writing about her own health and traumatic experiences was different.
She had completed a PTSD claim herself. The process was emotionally draining, and the thought of doing it again made other applications difficult to face. What she wanted was someone who could listen, organize the information and carry the practical work forward.
A career built through determination
Robyn returned to university as a single parent raising three young children. She completed her undergraduate degree, entered law school and joined the Naval Reserves in 1999.
She later transferred to the Regular Force as a legal officer. Her work included advising military commanders, teaching the law of armed conflict and supporting operations in Canada and overseas. She served in Bosnia and Afghanistan, where she worked with Afghan military legal personnel. Yellowknife became a particularly memorable posting, giving her the opportunity to travel widely while advising on northern operations.
Robyn valued work that brought her face to face with the people carrying out the mission. She was medically released on her 60th birthday in May 2024.
The emotional cost of writing it all down
PTSD, anxiety and physical health problems were affecting Robyn’s daily life. Completing her first claim had required her to gather medical records and describe deeply personal experiences, including military sexual assault. Revisiting those experiences affected her sleep, her thoughts and her ability to cope.
The difficulty was not a lack of knowledge or writing ability. It was the emotional weight of applying those skills to her own experiences.
At the Lawrencetown exhibition, our compass rose logo caught Robyn’s attention. She stopped to ask about 270 West and later spoke with our team.
Her request was direct:
“Please take this off my plate.”
Turning conversation into clear documentation
Robyn began working with Tanya, one of our Benefit Navigators. Through their conversations, Robyn could explain her experiences without having to construct every part of the written claim material herself.
We organized what she shared into clear claim documentation and brought it back to her for review. Robyn felt the material captured limitations and impacts she had often minimized when talking about her own health. Seeing those details set out clearly helped her acknowledge what she was living with.
We also arranged assessments with a nurse practitioner. Robyn did not have a family physician after returning to Nova Scotia, so obtaining the required medical documentation had been another obstacle. Our team coordinated the assessments and the additional work when a further visit was needed.
For Robyn, having someone share that practical and emotional burden had value beyond the eventual decision.
“Even if I hadn’t been successful, it still would have been invaluable.”
Communication that worked for her
Robyn’s ability to manage conversations and appointments varied from day to day. We adapted around that. She could meet in person, speak by phone or use email and text, depending on what she could manage at the time.
“The means of communication was up to me.”
Tanya also checked in about how Robyn was doing, not only when a document needed attention. Robyn remembers discussing the pain in her hands and later receiving a wax-treatment kit from Tanya. She saw the gesture as a sign that her concerns had been heard.
“I didn’t feel like a number. I didn’t feel like a file.”
Support beyond the disability claims
Robyn subsequently received approvals for several physical conditions. We also helped her work through applications for rehabilitation, income replacement and the Veterans Independence Program.
While some health-related matters remain outstanding, Robyn describes substantial changes in her life. Compensation allowed her to pay off her home and help her children. Other approved benefits and services were helping with practical needs at home, including bathroom adaptations and household tasks.
She also speaks warmly about her VAC caseworkers and rehabilitation specialist. Together, those supports reduced some of her anxiety about how she would manage as she grew older. She no longer felt responsible for carrying every application, appointment and follow-up on her own.
Robyn’s story shows that knowing how to navigate complex paperwork does not make it easy when the subject is your own health and trauma. By taking on research, organization, coordination and follow-up, we gave her more room to focus on her health and daily life.