The Art of Taking Better Fish Photos
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Honoring Service and Finding Healing: A Veteran’s Journey with Hooked on Healing
Hooked on Healing is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting disabled veterans as they navigate PTSD, depression, and other service-related challenges. Their mission is simple and powerful: use the outdoors and fly fishing to provide healing, community, and renewed purpose.
We spoke with Abbrieanna Hibbs, a U.S. Navy veteran, mother, and educator, whose life was profoundly changed by her experience with Hooked on Healing.
Can you share a bit about your military journey - what inspired you to serve, and what experiences during that time shaped the person you are today?
I joined the Navy in 2014, inspired by my grandfather who served more than 30 years as an MFM Corpsman. After earning my BA, I felt called to something meaningful and challenging. I served as an Aviation Machinist Mate, which taught me resilience, discipline, and responsibility. My time in the military shaped who I am, but it also brought emotional and mental challenges that I didn’t fully understand until later.
What challenges - mental, emotional, or physical - have you faced during your healing journey, and how has Hooked on Healing helped you overcome or manage them?
After leaving the service, I struggled with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. I often felt overwhelmed and disconnected. Hooked on Healing helped me slow down and learn to be present again. Fly fishing requires focus and intention — watching your line, hearing the water, reading the current. That mindfulness helped break the constant cycle of stress and fight-or-flight responses. Being outdoors gave my mind room to breathe.
How did you first hear about Hooked on Healing, and what motivated you to get involved with the program?
I came across Hooked on Healing during a very difficult time — I was going through a divorce and raising my twin boys alone. I kept seeing the program mentioned at the VA, online, and even on the radio. It felt like a sign. I reached out, attended a meeting, and joined that day because I knew I needed support and a community that understood veterans’ struggles.
How did you first get involved with Hooked on Healing, and what impact has the program had on your life or recovery journey?
I first volunteered at the annual banquet and was later asked to serve as head coordinator for the 2026 banquet. Having a purpose and a role helped rebuild my confidence. The VA often pushed medication, but I needed healing — not numbing. Hooked on Healing gave me a healthy way to cope, to show up for my kids, and to feel like myself again.
Spending time on the water is at the heart of HOH. How has being outdoors and fly fishing helped you manage stress, pain, or mental health challenges?
Being on the river brings peace that I haven’t found anywhere else. The rhythm of casting and the sound of the water quiet my mind. On difficult days, the river helps me release what I’m holding emotionally. It reminds me that healing can happen slowly, one cast at a time.
Many veterans find peace in the outdoors. What does being on the water, surrounded by nature, mean to you personally? How does it help with your healing process?
Floating down the Sacramento River, I feel grounded. The scenery, the fresh air, the movement of the water—being in nature reminds me that peace still exists. It clears my head and helps me process emotions I once ran from.
Fishing often teaches patience, presence, and peace. What lessons or insights have you gained through your time with HOH that carry over into your daily life?
I’ve learned patience and how to be truly present. Before, I felt lost and disconnected. Now, I show up—to my life, my children, and my work—with a full heart. I’m no longer hiding from the world.
HOH brings veterans together in a safe and supportive space. What has the sense of community within Hooked on Healing meant to you personally?
Hooked on Healing feels like family. Even as the only woman in the group, I felt embraced and accepted from day one. My boys are welcomed, too. The support I receive here is genuine and life-changing—something I didn’t find through the VA.
How has your idea of strength changed since leaving the military? Do you see strength differently now, through the lens of healing and vulnerability?
Strength isn’t staying silent or bottling everything up. Strength is recognizing when you need help and asking for it. A year ago, I reached a breaking point—but instead of giving up, I chose to go fishing. That moment changed everything.
Do you feel called to help other veterans now that you’ve found healing? How do you hope to pay that support forward?
Yes. I want to support others who feel unseen—especially survivors of abuse and trauma. I want to be a voice for those who are suffering in silence and remind them they are not alone.
In your own words, what does Hooked on Healing mean to you? How has it shaped your outlook on life, healing, or hope for the future?
Hooked on Healing is a family. It has given me hope, community, and the belief that healing is possible. I no longer feel lost. I see a future now.
For those who’ve faced challenges after service, speaking out and asking for help can be difficult. What message would you share with others who are still struggling in silence?
You are not alone. You are loved and valued—even when it doesn’t feel like it. There is help. There is hope. Please reach out.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank for supporting you along the way?
I want to thank my parents and siblings for supporting me and caring for my boys when I needed space to heal. Thank you to Hooked on Healing for welcoming us and giving us community. And thank you to my twin boys, Hudson and Cooper—you are my light.
