Forge Through

From Fire Comes Strength:  Veterans and First Responders Find Healing Through Blacksmithing

Forging knives like a blacksmith was always a dream for Dean Hamilton, and after a career in the Defence and Police Forces, it has become his latest way to serve others.

Dean joined the Army at 17 but left after three years of service. He found it difficult to find the brotherhood he experienced during his time in the military out in the civilian world.

“Where do you fit? Because you don’t quite fit in normal society anymore, you look at things in a different way and have different expectations of the people around you. More of a collective viewpoint yet you are no longer part of that big family you were,” he said.

Dean later joined the NSW Police searching for that brotherhood, where he worked for more than a decade.
But his experiences dealing with events like fatal motor vehicle collisions, murders, suicides and witnessing the sad underbelly of society started to catch up with him.

Dean didn’t know it at that point, but he was developing symptoms of PTSD, and he soon reached a low point and considered taking his own life.

“I didn’t think about family,” he said. “I didn’t think about the devastation I would leave behind. I was exhausted.”

Program Statistics
Since launching in March 2017, the Forge Through Program has delivered 78 courses, supporting 208 participants.
The program focuses on reaching the 70.3% of individuals not actively seeking help, engaging them in meaningful, therapeutic activities that promote mental wellbeing and encourage further support.
Demand for the program continues to grow, with increasing interest from individuals and rehab providers alike.

Path to recovery

Dean began the slow road to recovery under the guidance of GPs and psychologists after being diagnosed with PTSD.

But he had a breakthrough when his wife Gina encouraged him to pursue a long-held ambition to give forging a go.

“When I was over an anvil, and there was hot steel, and I was concentrating on not burning myself, I didn’t think about anything else,” Dean said.

“It was the first time that I’d had an element of mental peace in an incredibly long time.”

He became so immersed in the old-world trade that he made his own forge at home and turned the practice into a business.

And after a successful recovery, he still wanted to do more to serve the community, so he started a charity to support veterans and emergency crews.

Forging a new path

Dean has created a program called Forge Through, where veterans and first responders battling PTSD come to his property at Nelligen on the NSW South Coast and learn how to make a knife.

The program is recognised as a charity with DGR status, however it does not receive any Government funding, relying on donations to keep the charity running.

“The aim is to grow the financial support to help sustain the program well into the future.”

The program has just entered it’s ninth year, but it is not without great personal expense with time, finances and resources to Dean and his wife.

“The knife is just the carrot. The knife is really just to get people through the door.

“Because what it is, it’s not a knife. It’s a symbol of transformation.

“And it’s a symbol that they can do something. They can take a crappy piece of steel and turn it into something beautiful.”

John ‘Wolfman’ Harvey served as a medic in the Air Force for 18 years and was diagnosed with PTSD in 1996.
He struggled to find the right support until he found Forge Through.

“Dean gave me this crappy little bit of steel from a farm harrow and said, ‘Oh, we’ll make that into a knife’, and I thought, ‘you’re crazy,’” Mr Harvey said.

Forge Through Program

The Forge Through Program offers veterans and first responders a chance to unplug, connect, and create in a supportive, rural environment. The 2.5-day experience at a remote property in Nelligen NSW feels more like time in a mate’s shed than a formal workshop.

Purpose – The program builds peer support by fostering connections through shared experiences. It encourages social re-engagement through hands-on knife making, demonstrating that healing is possible—and that others care enough to walk beside you.

How It Works – Each course hosts one veteran and one first responder, supported by a mentor who is a past participant. This intimate format ensures personal attention and genuine connection.

Day one introduces the group, the forge, and the program’s origins. Over shared meals and fireside chats, bonds begin to form.

The Smithy – Using recycled steel—symbolic of new beginnings—participants forge knives by hand. The work is therapeutic, transforming raw material and mindsets alike.

Reward for Effort – Day three focuses on refining and fitting handles. As the knives come together, so do the participants. Pride, purpose, and connection shine through.

What has occurred over the previous two days has been an introduction to transformation, an opportunity to discuss self-care and a welcoming to a tribe. Allowing the often-disenfranchised individual to become a part of something once again.

Just the Beginning – Graduates join a growing tribe with ongoing access to events like social fishing trips, high-country adventures, regular workshops, and our popular “Christmas in July,” which drew 68 attendees this year. We’ve even fielded teams in the 405km Massive Murray Paddle.

Building a community

Besides learning a new skill, the most important thing to Mr Hamilton is the community he’s been able to build.
Participants stay in touch, hold social events, holiday together and some return to be mentors.
“I know that if I’m in trouble, or if I need something, I can reach out to these guys, and they’ll be there for me,” Mr Harvey said.

Army veteran Michael Mumford has helped treat some veterans who’ve participated in the program through his GP practice.

He explains how programs like Forge Through can be beneficial.

“Groups like Forge Through are quite good in picking up some of these people and giving them a purpose, giving them an interest,” Dr Mumford said.

Mr Hamilton hopes he can continue to grow the family he’s built.

“What I’m trying to demonstrate for those people that come in, I tell them that I was [at a low point], and now look at what we’re doing here,” he said.

In a statement, NSW Police said they had “several programs to invest in and look after the physical and mental wellbeing of police officers throughout their career.”

They include having mental health clinicians embedded in stations and a team to help officers transition into civilian life, among other initiatives.

In a statement, an Australian Defence Force spokesperson said support was always available for members, veterans and their families through a range of programs that encouraged seeking help as early as possible.
A new branch is responsible for the development and implementation of Defence’s new mental health and wellbeing strategy, the spokesperson said.

The strength of the Forge Through Tribe is in its members involvement in the creation of its infrastructure. By being a part of the building process, participants develop a sense of pride and ownership knowing that the work they do now will benefit all those yet to come.

“We have raised a Tribe, now to build the village.” Dean said.

Testimonials
Thank you for a life changing experience…. Gary
Thanks to you all for your skill, sacrifice of your time and your friendship. A truly unforgettable experience…. Matt
Thanks for everything. The course, the words of wisdom and the conversations at the end of day. Great course that enjoyed immensely…. Darren
You have given me three amazing gifts, only one of them is a knife…. James