Building Impact Through Service: Military Couple Creates Faith-Based Support Platform

Austin Finney joined the Navy later in life, after the birth of his third child, leaving when the baby was just six months old. His wife Eleanor, a board-certified biblical counsellor and ordained pastor, experienced firsthand the challenges military spouses face during deployments and frequent relocations whilst raising their four children.

Eleanor’s recognition as 2025 Heroes at Home Military Spouse of the Year last week highlights their joint achievement: building Defenders of Resilience, a mental health platform that serves military families through faith-based solutions. Their work demonstrates how military couples can leverage their combined experience to create meaningful support for their community.

Finding Purpose Through Experience

The couple founded Defenders of Resilience in early 2023 after Eleanor’s own journey through hardship, healing, and purpose fueled the mission. At 32, Eleanor has undergone nine surgeries, including four cardiac procedures, whilst managing the responsibilities of military spouse life and raising four children.

Austin’s military service provides operational insight into the challenges service members face, whilst Eleanor’s clinical expertise as a board-certified biblical counsellor addresses the therapeutic needs of military families. Her ordination as a pastor adds spiritual guidance that many military families seek but often cannot find in traditional mental health services.

Their platform combines professional mental health support with deep understanding of military culture and faith-based approaches that resonate with many service families.

Building Solutions for Military Life

Defenders of Resilience now operates through a 501(c)3 nonprofit structure, allowing them to expand their ability to serve military families regardless of their financial positions. The organisation launched the Operation Resilient app (Available for both iOS and Android) and built a network of lay counsellors and life coaches specifically trained to work with military families.

Their digital approach addresses practical challenges military families face: frequent relocations that disrupt traditional therapy relationships, deployment schedules that don’t accommodate standard appointment times, and geographic isolation from mental health services.

The platform’s counsellors and coaches understand military culture because many have lived it themselves, providing both clinical expertise and cultural competency that traditional civilian mental health services often lack.

Faith-Based Mental Health Support

Both Austin and Eleanor bring theological training to their work. Austin is pursuing graduate studies in chaplaincy with goals of becoming a Navy chaplain, whilst Eleanor is pursuing her Master’s in Divinity with a focus on Discipleship and Outreach Ministries, building on their foundation in Christian Counseling from Liberty University.

Their faith-based approach fills a gap in military mental health services. Many military families draw strength from their spiritual beliefs during difficult periods, but traditional mental health platforms typically avoid religious elements entirely.

Defenders of Resilience has created digital discipleship programmes alongside clinical support, offering military families comprehensive care that addresses both psychological and spiritual needs.

Overcoming Military Entrepreneurship Challenges

Building a business whilst Austin serves on active duty creates unique obstacles. Military families face unpredictable schedules, sudden deployments, and mandatory relocations that can disrupt business operations. Traditional businesses would struggle under these constraints.

The couple designed their platform to function regardless of geographic location or Austin’s military availability. Their digital-first approach ensures continuity of service even when military obligations create personal disruptions.

Austin’s naval service continues alongside their business development, requiring careful balance between military duties and organisational leadership responsibilities.

Recognition and Impact

Eleanor’s Heroes at Home recognition validates their approach to serving military families through culturally competent mental health support. The Heroes at Home programme has honoured exceptional military spouses since 2005, recognising those who demonstrate leadership and service within the military community.

When asked for her favourite quote during the awards ceremony, Eleanor chose Esther 4:14: “Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.” This verse carried her through difficult seasons of military life and became the foundation for her upcoming book, “Perhaps This Is It,” scheduled for release in spring 2026.

Their work addresses documented needs within military communities whilst demonstrating how military families can build sustainable support systems from within their own community.

Expanding Their Mission

Eleanor serves on various boards of directors and writes extensively about military family resilience and mental health advocacy. Her upcoming book will share insights from their journey and approach to faith-based mental health support.

Austin’s progression toward Navy chaplain status creates opportunities to expand their platform’s reach whilst maintaining focus on military families. His military network and theological training position them to serve broader military populations through authentic cultural understanding.

Their current work with military families provides foundation for potential expansion as Austin’s chaplain training progresses and Eleanor’s clinical practice develops.

Service-Driven Approach

The couple’s platform reflects military values of service before self. Rather than focusing primarily on financial returns, they’ve structured their organisation to serve families regardless of ability to pay through their nonprofit arm.

Their approach demonstrates how military experience can inform effective community service. Austin’s operational military training and Eleanor’s clinical expertise create comprehensive support that addresses both practical and therapeutic needs of military families.

Defenders of Resilience represents their commitment to continued service to the military community through different means than traditional military roles.

Building for Long-Term Impact

The Finneys are building infrastructure that will serve military families beyond Austin’s active duty career. Their digital platform can scale to reach military families globally whilst maintaining the cultural competency and faith-based approach that sets them apart.

Austin and Eleanor’s combined credentials – his military service and chaplain training, her clinical expertise and pastoral ordination – create sustainable competitive advantages that protect their mission-focused approach.

Their work shows how military families can use their unique understanding of service challenges to create lasting solutions for their community.

Legacy Through Continued Service

The couple views their platform as extension of military service rather than departure from it. Their work continues the military mission of supporting service members and their families through different but complementary means.

Their success demonstrates that military service provides excellent preparation for purpose-driven work that serves others facing similar challenges. The discipline, operational thinking, and service orientation that military life develops translate directly to effective community impact.

Austin and Eleanor prove that military families can build meaningful legacy through work that serves their community whilst creating sustainable support for continued impact.

About Austin and Eleanor Finney

They founded Defenders of Resilience in early 2023 to serve military families through faith-based mental health solutions.

To learn more about their platform and mission, visit www.eleanorfinney.com.