Transitioning from military to civilian life is stressful – regardless of your deployment or combat experiences – both for service members and their families. If you or a loved one is facing challenges with this transition, you are not alone. Veterans often describe feeling disconnected, isolated, irritable, depressed, anxious, and hypervigilant. Additionally, many veterans face struggles with insomnia, flashbacks, nightmares, survivor guilt, substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. If you find yourself persistently running “what if?” scenarios over and over again in your mind, you don’t have to continue this broken-record cycle. There is hope. You can benefit from receiving counseling from someone who understands military culture and has knowledge about what you have endured.

I am not a veteran. I have never faced what you have lived, nor will I ever pretend to have lived your experiences. What I do have is a heart for working with veterans and forming genuine relationships with them. I am fully aware of the stigma attached to seeking help in military culture, and know that many veterans have been harmed by admitting they are struggling. If that has been your experience, I am saddened and determined to provide you with a different experience.

While each veteran’s experiences are unique, many service members report similar symptoms after their service has ended. I have pursued and received extensive trainings on working with veterans and their family members, and specialize in working with OIF/OEF/OND veterans. At the University of North Texas, I created Vets Connect, an uncensored, tell-it-like-it-is support group for men and women feeling disconnected from others upon returning from service. Current research highlights the distress today’s veterans are facing, along with the lack of resources they are receiving. With the veteran suicide rate at an all-time high, not asking for help is a serious danger. Please know that there are therapists who are passionate about helping veterans and their families, and I am one of them. I am honored and privileged to serve those who have served. Please call for a free consultation so we can determine if we would work well together. If I am not the therapist for you, I know of many resources available to you. Please check out the resources below to see if you or your loved one can benefit from any of these services.

Military families face challenges that non-military families cannot possibly understand. There is help available for you, too. Trauma affects not only the person directly involved, but also the family and friends of the survivor. Help is available and I would be honored to help you or connect you with resources that can help. Please reach out and let me help you get connected.

Resources

For more information on support and services for veterans and their families, please visit the Cohen Veterans Network website:

www.cohenveteransnetwork.org 

For more information on PTSD, please visit the following websites:

www.ptsd.va.gov/

www.ptsd.va.gov/www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/…/27-Things-You-Should-Know-about-PTSD.asp  

For more information on resources for veterans in the DFW area, please visit the Veterans Resource Center website:

www.veteransresourcecenter.org 

For The Veteran’s Guide to Starting a Small Business:

https://digital.com/veterans-business/

A Guide to Veterans’ Benefits:

 https://www.caring.com/caregivers/veterans-benefits/#va-benefits-explained