Veteran Mental Health
As a professional counselor and military veteran, one of the most rewarding aspects of the work that I do is helping other veterans come to a point of awareness and understanding about their experiences in the military, and setting the stage for change if that’s what the veteran is willing to do. Working with anyRead more about Eight Things a Veteran Wants Their Mental Health Counselor to Know[…]
There’s something about anniversaries that make them extremely important to veterans. Birthdays and wedding anniversaries are important to many people, of course, and are remembered with cards and gifts, but veterans celebrate different anniversaries than others. We remember milestones in our career: promotions, or deployments. We celebrate some, knowing that they are important points in our lives,Read more about Veteran Memorial Moments and Two Ways to Approach Them[…]
During my admittedly short time as a civilian, I’ve come across a few phrases that I was not familiar with during my time in the military. Profit Margins. Uniquely syndicate real-time functionalities. Zombie project. One that I really can’t wrap my head around, though is: It’s nothing personal, it’s just business. Well, my business isRead more about Can You Be Passionate About Something if You Don’t Take It Personally?[…]
The news was broadcasting the image of unrest in Turkey. I sat there, watching, as civilians approached an armored vehicle with soldiers standing around it; as the civilians moved forward, the soldiers fired in the air, and I thought to myself, “Dear God, don’t let them have to fire on their own people.” I imaginedRead more about The Moment I Realized I Hate War as Only a Warrior Can[…]
A recent article on the New York Times web site talks about a senior Army leader, Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, how open and forthcoming he is about his experiences regarding mental health concerns, and the treatment he sought to address these concerns. In a recent social media conversation, I talked about how senior leaders, LikeRead more about A General’s Mission Against Mental Health Stigma Can’t Be Done Alone[…]
If you want to see an example of military resilience, take a look at the movie Unbroken. This is a dramatization of the true story of Louis Zamperini, the Olympic athlete, Army Air Corps Bombardier, and WWII POW. If you haven’t heard Louis’ story, take a few minutes to check out this short video: TheRead more about Lessons from a POW on Resilience, Perseverance, and Veteran Mental Health[…]
If you ever want to interact with veterans in any way, I highly recommend that you listen to Jay Knight’s podcast, Veteranology, for an unvarnished inside look into what it’s like for a young leader in the military to rejoin the civilian world. Most specifically, one of the best episodes to start with is Episode 5,Read more about Military to Civilian Transition: How To Do Like a Combat Vet[…]
If there is one thing that veterans know, it’s leadership. Good leadership, bad leadership, toxic leadership, inspirational leadership. The concept of leadership is hardwired into the military’s hierarchical system, and is one of the core elements of success of America’s modern military. In my experience, those who haven’t served in the military have a misconceptionRead more about Two Types of Leadership, and How They Apply to Veteran Mental Health[…]