In any community, people speak in lowered voices about the place that people go when they’re in psychological distress. It’s derogatorily called the “loony bin” or the “nuthouse.” The conversation gets chill and people quickly change the subject when you hear of someone who went to the local psychiatric hospital. Read more…
There is a mysteriousness when it comes to therapy and mental health. Some might think that it’s a bunch of psychobabble BS, or something like. Others think it’s snake oil, some made up mumbo-jumbo that has people talking about their feelings and whining about how their papa didn’t hug them Read more…
When we talk about #VeteranMentalHealth, we often want to shy away from the painful realities that exist. We know that they’re there, but we also want to erase them away like words written in sand. What would it be like if we were able to have a real conversation about Read more…
We could say, without too much exaggeration, that a good half of every treatment that probes at all deeply consists in the doctor’s examining himself, for only what he can put right in himself can he hope to put right in the patient-Carl Jung Early in my training as a Read more…
When it comes down to it, when life is on the line, we must match our deeds to our words. After twenty-two years in the military, and another three working with veterans as a mental health counselor, I understand the immense value in the concept of trust. Trust and the Read more…
I’ve often heard the psychological aftermath of a veteran’s military service described as a black dog. The black dog is an emotion, or series of emotions, that the veteran experiences, sometimes under control, sometimes uncontrollably. The black dog of PTSD can be terrifying. It’s always on alert, hackles raised, mouth Read more…
In order to ensure that the Head Space and Timing community is providing the most support possible to veterans, their families, and those who support veterans, we offer weekly posts that highlight free resources for veterans. This is important to us: in our opinion, veterans should not have to pay for their Read more…
“They gave Pandora a box. Prometheus begged her not to open it. She opened it. Every evil to which human flesh is heir came out of it.The last thing to come out of the box was hope. It flew away.” Kurt Vonnegut Many of us have heard of the story Read more…
A recent post listed eight things that a veteran wants their mental health counselor to know. It’s extremely important that mental health professionals take the time to understand the cultural aspect of military service, and how the veteran’s time in the military has impacted them. It’s often one of the Read more…
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 Read more…