Supporting Veterans and Military Members
I love training and consulting with clinicians on how to better serve our veterans and military communities. I am excited to share where I get most of my information and the resources I use to continue improving my competency with these communities. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about supporting us. If you do not find a resource below that meets your needs, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Continuing Education Resources
Center for Deployment Psychology – http://deploymentpsych.org/
These folks are on the cutting edge on military struggles and trauma and their trainings and webinars are generally free. Their presenters can be a bit dry, but you can’t beat the information you’ll gain from them.
PsychArmor Institute – https://psycharmor.org/
These folks are grant funded and provide free, amazing webinars and online courses on a broad range of topics. They will work with your organization to help you develop our a full course set for your organization’s needs and may provide a Veteran Friendly certification. In addition to clinical training, they also provide classes for veterans and their families that my clients have found helpful.
Readings and Other Media:
On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Dave Grossman
The single most recommended book for anyone interested in serving combat veterans. Dr Grossman traveled the country collecting stories, researching the history of warfare, and integrated multiple sources to help create a clear picture of what our culture does to those we send into combat.
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger:
This is a best seller that discusses our need for belonging and how complex community or wartime crisis often reminds us what we’re missing in our day to day life.
White Donkey: Terminal Lance by Maximilian Uriarte:
A fantastic graphic novel that shares the experience of a Marine during the Iraq war.
The Invisible War:
A documentary that covers the stories of Military Sexual Ttrauma (MST) survivors and their experiences trying to engage the VA for services. Often available Free on Amazon Prime. There are two versions of this film that often get screened, make sure you see the full version, the shortened version leaves out key details around this complicated struggle.
Headspace and Timing – http://veteranmentalhealth.com/
This is a great site dedicated to providing information, resources, and access to help for veterans. Duane France is the main force behind the site and provides blogs and podcasts about veteran issues. I have been lucky enough to contribute to the content. If there is a topic relating to veteran mental health, Duane has likely put together information on it. I recommend this site for both clients and providers.
Resources for Veteran Clients:
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1 / Text 838255 or Confidential Chat
If you are in crisis or want to help a veteran who is, the Veteran Crisis Line is a solid first stop. Duane France did a great blog outlining how best to use the resource. In short, they do not immediately call the police and it does not always dump you to a voice mail. Check out Duane’s review or just call if you’re curious about how these folks can help.
This is a grant funded center out in Aurora. They provide low cost therapy and psychological testing for veterans. If you’re on the east side of town, they are a low cost option for mental health care separate from the VA.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
This organization is one of the largest advocacy group in the country and help any veteran navigate the VA system and applications for disability benefits and services. As they are so large, their services can often feel impersonal and distant, but they tend to get their clients’ successfully through the process.
Most counties also have Veteran and Military Family Service Coordinators.
I have worked with Jefferson County, Aurora, and Denver and have great respect for their coordinators. A simple Google search will get you their contact information. They are a great way to find local resources in your area.
There are a great many more organizations that can support you and your clients. Should you have trouble finding the right recourse, please reach out. Thank you again for stepping up to serve our veterans. It really does mean the world to me.