Military service members provide an invaluable service that protects national ideals and ensures the country and various regions around the world are safe havens for people from all walks of life. That service requires considerable sacrifice, and the cost of service can extend well beyond the time military personnel are on active duty.
According to the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 1.7 million veterans utilized mental health services at the VA last year.
• Individual and group counseling: American Addiction Centers notes that individual counseling is a one-on-one approach to therapy that can help veterans work through their issues, thoughts, concerns, emotions, and individual situations.
Some veterans may prefer individual counseling because of confidentiality and the one-on-one attention each session provides.
But group counseling provides an opportunity to receive and give support from and to others who may be in similar situations and have similar experiences during their time in the military.
• Couples and family counseling: Couples and family counseling can hep veterans open up with those closest to them, which some veterans struggle with after their time in the military. The VA notes that couples therapy for veterans and their significant others can help them reconnect spiritually and romantically. Therapists leading this type of therapy aim to create a space for listening and mutual understanding.
• Readjustment counseling: Readjustment counseling aims to help veterans and their families successfully transition from military life to civilian life. That transition can be difficult for both veterans and their families, and it’s important to note that family members of individuals who served in combat zones or received a military campaign ribbon are eligible for readjustment counseling.
• Substance use treatment: The VA notes many veterans have problems with alcohol, tobacco, street drugs, and prescription medicines.
Various services, including medically managed detoxification, are offered to veterans under the umbrella of substance use treatment.
More information is available at va.gov and veterans.gc/ca/.