If you’re a servicemember who has returned to your community after combat duty, what gestures of support were most helpful to you or your family? If you’re a family member, friend, coworker or neighbor, what are your best ideas for helping servicemembers’ re-entry to their home communities be as smooth as possible?
Share your ideas
When a services member discusses a concern or issue in military funded therapy sessions (i.e. family counseling center on base) isn’t it mandatory for therapists to report any concerns that can affect the mission readiness of a unit or service member to their command. I was told this was true. If it is true, this MUST BE A HUGE reason why counseling services are not used as much as they are needed. Kelli
Let us know what you think. All comments will be reviewed prior to going live. Comments that are profane or obscene, or unrelated to the topic of the post will not be published.
Capella University is an accredited online university* that has built its reputation by providing quality online degree programs for working adults. Eighty percent of Capella students are currently enrolled in master’s or doctoral online degree programs in business, counseling, education, human services, information technology, nursing, psychology, public administration, public health, public safety, and social work. Capella also offers bachelor’s degree programs in business, information technology, nursing, psychology, public administration, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 129 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15 certificate programs. More than 37,100 learners were enrolled as of March 31, 2010, from all 50 states and 52 other countries. Capella is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Founded in 1993, Capella University is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).
Visit the Capella Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CapellaUniversity.
Follow Capella on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CapellaU.
* Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org.
Capella University, Capella Tower, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552), www.capella.edu.
Capella University has been named one of the top military-friendly universities by Military Advanced Education magazine. Capella extends a military discount to active duty personnel, their immediate family members, and veterans, and has a dedicated armed forces and veterans support team. Approximately 14 percent of Capella students are affiliated with the military. For more information, visit Capella Armed Forces programs or call 1-888-315-8001 to learn more.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I am quite sure that is not correct. If that was in place, none of us would have ever risked being seen near the shrink’s office, much less talking to one.
As a military psychologist, I was required to inform the person and command if I thought he or she was a threat to self or other.
I think that comand is becoming much more aware of the need to give service members the opportunity to clarify their emotions and the thoughts driven by them. We are learning that to bottle them up creates a much bigger problem.
Will
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I have treated veterans and current soldiers who had symptoms of PTSD. I am in private practice. I’ve had high ranking officers who have shared that they did not go see the Mental Health experts provided to them by the military. The reason was that they felt they would get blackballed and seen as a “crazy.” All future promotions would suffer. These individuals cannot afford to have any semblance of communication to their superiors that they had obtained mental health help. I know what military psychologists are suppose to say but depending if their offices are on base or off base, just that alone might make a huge difference in visibility in visiting a “shrink.” Some how, I have difficulty thinking that all is well in the area of “confidentiality” in the military.
Samuel Lopez De Victoria, Ph.D.
http://www.DrSam.tv
June 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Over time the symptoms of depression got easier to handle as I developed an understanding of the disease, and tireless work on my self from a bunch of angles reaped enormous benefits. Would you agree with this approach?
December 4th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I wanted to add to this response. I am a military member and I work in the Airman and Family Readiness Center. Both responses are correct in some way and a lot depends on the mission. I am stationed at a Missile Base and we have more stringent requirements for reporting individuals who seek assistance. If a member here seeks assistance (no matter what the assistance is for; parenting, marriage, ect) they are required to self report their visit. This even includes if a family member seeks assistance it can and does affect the military member’s ability to do their job.
The military knew it was a problem and a new program has been put in place that allows confidentiality for members (unless it is mandated by law). A civilian provider comes into the base on 45 day rotations (designed for short term issues) and is available to work with military members without the stigma fear that is still alive and present in the military. The provider reminds the individual about their duty to report but will not do the reporting for them. The provider can meet the individual off base to help provide a comfortable situation for the individual to find help. The program is a GREAT success and many people use it.
I will add there are still problems and some of the upper leadership wishes to get rid of the program because they feel it is unfair if they do not know a troop is having problems that could potentially affect their ability to do the mission.
With that being said, if an individual uses the Air Force counseling center (mental health) it must be reported to the Commander and the member is taken down from their ability to do their job (guaranteed).
It remains a problem in the military people are afraid to talk to someone out of fear of jeopardizing their career (especially at this base) but changes are being made. Hopefully upper leadership will send the message that getting help is more important than fear of their career and this response comes on the tail of two suicides at this base.