HAMILTON, Ohio — Not many people would willingly choose to live out of a trailer for more than a month, but Michelle Berling is not like many people.
She's the owner of BB Barn in Hamilton, where she spends a lot of her time training people for horseback riding.
When you begin to talk with Berling, you start to learn that she's done a lot in her life.
"So, I started off as an EMT," Berling said.
Whether it was being an EMT, a firefighter, a hazmat medic or working in law enforcement, Berling spent nearly three decades as a first responder.
WATCH: How Berling plans to spread awareness for PTSD across the country
However, she said they were jobs that also left a lasting mental impact on her.
"All of that just adds up," Berling said.
Berling has PTSD and she said it's something that many first responders and veterans deal with. However, she said most people are too afraid to speak up about what they are dealing with.
She said there's still a stigma about PTSD, even from other first responders.
"I mean, people I work with that are like, 'We just go home and drink our troubles away,'" Berling said.
Berling said she wants to change that.
That's what sparked her idea to travel across the country to have conversations with people about PTSD and how to deal with it.
She's calling her journey "Trail Rides Across America", where she will stop in 15 states over a month-long span starting Sept. 1.
"I know how much my PTSD affected my life," Berling said. "I don't think anyone else should have to go through that."
She won't be alone. She'll be joined by her horse Mad Jack, her donkey Nelson and her service dog Ryker.
She and her animals will be living out of a trailer the whole time. She said she's paying for all of the expenses for the trip.
In the states she's stopping at, she'll visit other farms and facilities to speak to people about the impact of PTSD and the benefits of using animals, like horses, to help heal.
"All of the money that is raised goes back into whatever facility that I'm at," Berling said.
Berling said that her animals have helped her heal in her own journey.
"In my case, I felt that I could talk to my animals," Berling said.
Berling said she wants to show people that animals can help bring joy to those who need it most.
"I wish people would understand there is that stigma there, and I don't know how to break it but I'm trying," Berling said.
You can find a list of locations and states that Berling will stop at on this website.
Berling also said she will provide frequent updates on her social media, like her Facebook page.
