Aaron Dugan
Founder & President
Aaron, a Marine veteran
I am a USMC Combat Veteran; I served from 2006-2010 as an Infantry Mortarman with 2/8 weapons company based out of Camp Lejeune, NC. I deployed in 2007 to Ramadi, Iraq and then later deployed in 2009 as part of operation Khanjar under the 2nd MEB led by General Larry Nicholson.
After my military service, I jumped into emergency services: I served as an EMT-B on an all-volunteer crew, ultimately making the rank of 1st Lieutenant, while also serving on the volunteer fire department in the same town. If that wasn’t enough, I also worked full time as an LNA in the Neuro Special Care Unit at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.
Over the years I had taken lives, and when I got back I told myself that my goal was to save more than I took. Along the way I had collected unimaginable trauma that I never learned to work through. Ultimately, my own demons led to a failed marriage, my entire world crumbling into nothingness, and sitting in a dark room alone wanting to die.
Whether I had a uniform on saving lives or was struggling to just make it to the next day, in my mind I was the “hero.” I believed that I didn’t need help because I am the one that gets called for help. I was unaware how wrong that mindset was until my world crumbled.
I had some bad experiences with mental health providers in general during my time in service and later at the VA; I honestly hated all of them for it. During my darkest moments throughout my divorce process, I felt so incredibly alone. Honestly the only thing that kept me alive was my daughter and knowing that she deserved more than I had become.
Fast forward a couple years of enduring hell and being basically homeless for a few months, I met Kat, who is also a Labyrinth Therapeutic Services founder/board member. She not only accepted me for who I was and where I was at in my life; she also chose to believe in me and my passion for wanting to save as many people as I can as fast as I can.
I began volunteering at Out of The Woods EMDR and Counseling Services as the Military and First Responder Liaison; my sole purpose and mission in life was to reach the guys and girls just like me who were stuck alone in a dark place. I quickly found that I needed to do more if I was going to be able to accomplish that. It seemed like every time I found someone who could benefit from a therapist who didn’t suck at their job or one who used modalities that are proven to work extremely well, their insurance didn’t cover it or there was one hurdle after another blocking them from care. It was within my struggle in my outreach position that the concept for Labyrinth Therapeutic Services was originally born. Partly out of frustration with the VA, health insurance companies and the entire mental health system in general and partly out of the need to be able to do more to meet people where they are at.
My brothers from my time in the service are still killing themselves at a rapid rate. We have lost more to ourselves than we did to Afghanistan and that is unacceptable. My heart breaks every time I hear of another brother or sister losing their battle.
The war may be over, but our battles will last the rest of our lives. We can’t do it alone, we weren’t trained to fight alone, we fought in fire teams for a reason. When I needed support the most, it wasn’t there. When I needed help, there was no one to call.
The lack of support ends with Labyrinth, we are here; we will endure your darkness beside you until the sun rises on the other side.
Kat Delaney
Founder & Vice President
Kat’s uncles, Army and Air Force veterans.
For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep fascination with human psychology; not just how humans operate, but why we operate the way that we do. What about an experience causes a human to suffer? What causes us to change? How can so many people experience the same event and yet all of them turn out different? I guess it’s really no wonder that I wound up a mental health counselor. I began working in the field nearly 10 years ago and have worked in a variety of settings from community mental health, college mental health, correctional mental health, and ultimately landing in private practice. In 2022 I opened my own group private practice, Out of the Woods EMDR and Counseling Services, in Litchfield, NH. I predominantly work with clients struggling with PTSD and other trauma disorders as well as dissociative disorders.
My passion for psychology quickly turned into a passion for finding the best possible treatments for the clients I work with. This led me to become trained in EMDR, psychedelic assisted therapy, brain spotting, and a variety of other modalities. My clients come from all backgrounds, but over the years I found that one population continued to flock to me; military and first responders. I’ll probably never know whether it’s my specialty modalities, dark humor, sarcasm, or my inability to act like a regular therapist that draws them in. But what I do know is that I’ve been honored to stand alongside these clients and witness their healing. After giving everything to our country and our communities they are often the first ones to be forgotten, and when they’re not being forgotten they are being given a horrific excuse for mental health care.
Aside from my interest in psychology, I have spent the majority of my life passionately arguing for the things I believe in (I am positive my mother would back me up on that). Very quickly after beginning my career in the mental health field, I became aware of just how powerful insurance companies have become in our country. Cost is the biggest barrier in our country to mental health care and here’s why in a nutshell: Because insurance companies pay so little, refuse to pay at all, or delay payment for months (sometimes years), most private practices are either forced to close their doors or forced to become self pay only to stay afloat. This limits clients’ options and eventually leads them to a community mental health center…but wait! Because private practices can’t afford to take most insurances, community mental health centers become overrun with clients trying to access care, leading to impossibly long waitlists and dangerously high caseloads for therapists on staff.
At first, I began trying to fight this problem with my own practice; by taking on my own pro bono clients and taking on interns to offer sessions at significantly reduced rates…and talking to anyone who would listen about the internal problems of our mental healthcare system. I got tired of standing on my soapbox trying to fight a system that is designed for us to remain sick, physically and mentally. It was after meeting Aaron that I began to see the weight of this broken system more personally. I grew up with two uncles who served in the military and worked with this population for multiple years, but seeing the impact on Aaron when he heard of another brother or sister taking their life ignited a new fire. I guess it’s really no wonder that I wound up helping form a nonprofit that could get people mental health care that works, regardless of their insurance or ability to pay.
Becca Esposito
Founder & Board Member
TOP LEFT: Becca’s grandfather, an Air Force veteran and firefighter
TOP RIGHT: Becca’s father, a firefighter
BOTTOM ROW: Becca’s husband’s uncles, both firefighters who lost their lives in 9/11
I have worked within the healthcare system and the mental healthcare systems for more than a decade; from urgent care systems, surgery centers, and mental health private practices. I spend my time battling insurance companies every day just to get them to pay for services they are contractually bound to pay. I am the one who hears the countless excuses they come up with to deny or delay payment, all while trying to help clients understand how their balance keeps rising when they were told their insurance would cover their services. I am the one who has to then negotiate payment plans with these clients to pay off their large unexpected balances, knowing that most will stop getting their counseling because they can no longer afford it. I’ve been given the runaround between multiple workers, been hung up on, and been lied to by insurance companies and worked within the state system to report these behaviors to the commissioner to investigate and handle.
I became part of Labyrinth because I can already see the positive impact it will have on making a difference in the community and lives of those who need it most. My grandfather served in the Air Force and later as a firefighter for Boston Logon International Airport, and my father served on the Milford Fire Department. My husband lost two uncles, proud New York City firefighters, to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Having close personal relationships with both first responders and veterans has made me aware that having even a small part in providing mental health support to those who might not otherwise have access to it can make an incredible direct, positive impact in helping them develop a better life for themselves and their family.
Becky Glaze
Founder & Board Member
Becky, an Army veteran
Growing up, I always admired those who served in law enforcement, which sparked my own desire to serve others. This passion led me to earn a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and shortly after graduating, I joined the U.S. Army as a Military Police Soldier. During my time in the military, I witnessed the mental health struggles many of my fellow service members faced, which fueled my drive to find solutions. This led me to pursue a Master’s in Social Work, giving me the tools to help those who often put their mental health aside in service to others.
As a veteran and therapist, my mission is to create a safe space for fellow veterans to process the wounds they brought into service and those they acquired while serving. I’m dedicated to breaking down the stigma around mental health and helping others understand that mental health is just as vital as physical health, because mind and body are interconnected. Let’s begin the conversation about mental health, and work together to heal as individuals and as a community.
Beth Duffy
Founder & Board Member
Beth’s father, an Air Force veteran.
I am honored to serve as a board member of Labyrinth Therapeutic Services, an organization dedicated to breaking barriers and ensuring access to high-quality mental health care for veterans and first responders. As a dual-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, I bring extensive experience in psychiatry, mental health, and substance use treatment to this vital mission.
In addition to my role at Labyrinth, Elizabeth is the owner of Mosaic Health, where I specialize in providing compassionate, trauma-informed, and holistic psychiatric and mental health services. My approach integrates mental and physical well-being, delivering comprehensive care tailored to each individual’s unique needs.
This cause is deeply personal to me. As the daughter of an Air Force veteran who faced mental health challenges, I understand the profound impact that mental health care—or the lack of it—can have on individuals and their families. My father’s journey inspired my unwavering commitment to demystifying and destigmatizing mental health care for those who serve and protect their communities.
Through my work with Labyrinth Therapeutic Services, I strive to create a safe, confidential, and judgment-free environment where veterans and first responders can heal without fear of retaliation or stigma. I leverage my knowledge, experience, and passion to make a meaningful difference in reducing barriers to care and supporting those who have given so much for others.