Helping veterans and their loved ones flourish after war.
Veterans Day: a Day for Remembering
Veterans Day this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam War Memorial. It’s the most visited memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC. For those who have lost a loved one, Veterans Day is a day of mourning and celebration of a life cut short. Veterans Day is also a day to remember joyful homecomings and
From Saigon to Kabul
Anniversaries of war events that made headlines back home or personal experiences like the day you were wounded or lost a buddy, can trigger post-traumatic stress reactions. The key to riding the waves of reexperiencing combat stress is seeking support from other veterans or loved ones. Locking yourself away is like trying to put a lid on an erupting volcano, eventually, it blows when you least expect it.
History of PTSD
In 1974 a public defender tried to use a “traumatic war neurosis” defense for a Vietnam veteran who was facing prison time for a breaking and entering charge. The judge refused the war neurosis defense saying it was not an official diagnosis in DSM-II, the current edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
PTSD in the News Again
A recent headline in Stars and Stripes reads, “Senators express concern about veterans’ mental health in wake of Ukraine invasion.” Read Article Here The article describes a letter US senators sent to Veterans Affairs urging the VA to reach out to veterans who may be experiencing problems with PTSD. They fear images of the Russian
Thanksgiving
It’s that time of year to reflect on what we are grateful for. Beyond my usual list of family, friends, etc., I am grateful for the end of US troops fighting in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, my gratitude is complicated by the shame of a chaotic withdrawal and the bitter reality of the ongoing suffering of the
Psychotherapy, Veterans and Their Loved Ones
A nonveteran client of mine, I’ll call her Susan, did three courses of therapy over about fifteen years. Each time we focused on resolving her presenting problem, while we worked on healing her deeper wounds from childhood. In one particularly lively session Susan told me about a difficult conversation in which she told her sister,