DCoE Blog

• Frontline Psych with Doc Bender: Could Psychotherapy Help You?

  Posted by Dr. James Bender, DCoE clinical psychologist on January 24, 2013

  

  U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Duncan Brennan

  Dr. James Bender is a former Army psychologist who deployed to Iraq as the brigade psychologist for the 1st Cavalry Division 4th Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Hood, Texas. During his deployment he traveled through Southern Iraq, from Basra to Baghdad. He writes a monthly post for the DCoE Blog on psychological health concerns related to deployment and being in the military.
  
  How do you make a soldier run away screaming? Suggest therapy.
  
  Although this is an exaggeration, the truth is most service members aren’t open to the idea of talking to a stranger about personal issues. When I’ve suggested therapy, responses have ranged from anger to disbelief and often back to anger, with the assumption that I considered them “weak” or “broken.” Far too many service members view a psychological health concern as a character flaw instead of what it is, a treatable condition. Therapy isn’t for “weak” or “broken” people. It’s for people who recognize a problem, address it and then overcome it.

  
  

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  Categories: Stress , PTSD , Treatment , Psychological Health   |   Comments (2)

• Tips for Encouraging Your Loved One to Access Mental Health Services

  Posted by Corina Notyce, DCoE Public Affairs on January 2, 2013

  

  Below is a blog post from Military Pathways, written by Dr. Steven L. Sayers, a psychologist and director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Coaching Into Care program.
  
  

  It happens every year. We visit friends and family who we only see occasionally and are often surprised at their condition. For the family of a struggling veteran, this can be especially difficult if that veteran doesn’t want to seek treatment. Fortunately, there is a program specifically for those trying to help a veteran who won’t seek treatment. The program will “coach” you through working with your vet.
  
  Family members are key resources for service members and veterans. They know when something is wrong and can encourage each other to seek help. Unfortunately, sometimes misunderstandings, disagreements and conflicts get in the way of helping. Here are some suggestions for working with your service member or veteran when you think he or she is troubled and experiencing depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or another mental health concern:
  

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  Categories: Stress , PTSD , Families , Veterans , Resources , Treatment , Depression , Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Job Searching Tips for the Veteran with PTSD or TBI

  Posted by Dr. Nathan D. Ainspan, industrial psychologist with the Army on December 27, 2012

  

  Courtesy of Nathan Ainspan

  I won’t lie to you. Looking for a job in the current economic climate is hard. Finding an employer who understands your military background can be tough. And, thanks to misinformation and misperceptions about mental health concerns, many employers are hesitant, if not scared, to hire veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI). So, if you’re a veteran looking for work right now, it may seem like the deck is stacked against you. Here are five suggestions to help you improve your odds and transition into a civilian job.
  
  1. Figure Out What You Are Able To Do
  Having PTSD or TBI may prevent you from carrying out certain duties on the job — but that doesn’t diminish what you are capable of doing. Take inventory of your skills, what you can and can no longer do. But, don’t be too quick to limit yourself — many accommodations exist that will allow you to perform tasks you might not have thought possible. For ideas and information on accommodations, visit the Job Accommodation Network. Finding out what you can do will help you figure out what you want to do.
  
  

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  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury , PTSD , Veterans , Reintegration , Resources , Psychological Health   |   Comments (0)

• Frontline Psych with Doc Bender: PTSD and Holidays – Plan For It

  Posted by Dr. James Bender, DCoE clinical psychologist on December 13, 2012

  

  Dr. James Bender is a former Army psychologist who deployed to Iraq as the brigade psychologist for the 1st Cavalry Division 4th Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Hood, Texas. During his deployment he traveled through Southern Iraq, from Basra to Baghdad. He writes a monthly post for the DCoE Blog on psychological health concerns related to deployment and being in the military.
  
  For most of us, the holidays are parties and food, and a happy time when we reconnect with faith, family and friends. For some, it’s a time of heightened stress. Feeling some stress during the holiday season is normal — keeping track of everyone’s wish lists is one example. However, for combat veterans who recently returned from theater or those diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the holidays can bring special challenges for both them and their family.
  
  

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  Categories: PTSD , Families , Veterans , Treatment , Psychological Health , Deployments   |   Comments (2)

• Fighting Stigma with Technology: Survey Seeks Service Member Feedback

  Posted by Dr. Karen O’Brien on October 31, 2012

  

  A soldier utilizes a telehealth mobile application on an iPad to learn more about stress management. (Photo by National Center for Telehealth & Technology)

  As a mental health provider at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and a former Department of Veterans Affairs provider, I can’t count the number of times service members and veterans have expressed concerns that admitting to a mental health problem might lead to demotion, loss of security clearance and even discharge from the service.

  I have also heard many service members and veterans express the view that only “weak” people talk about their problems. This, and similar myths prevent service members from seeking psychological health care:

  • Coming in for care will hurt my career
  • I will lose leadership roles and the trust of my unit
  • If posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were real, everyone exposed to trauma would get it
  • People who weren’t wounded shouldn’t have PTSD
  • Treatment doesn’t work

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  Categories: Technology , Research , PTSD , Veterans , Treatment , Psychological Health , Leadership   |   Comments (6)

• Site Puts Names, Faces to PTSD

  Posted by Corina Notyce , DCoE Strategic Communications on October 23, 2012

  Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms should not be ignored, but don’t take it from me. At AboutFace, created by the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, meet veterans from all eras who talk about how PTSD changed their lives and how treatment has helped them get back on track. Through personal videos, servicemen and servicewomen candidly describe how they knew they had PTSD; how PTSD affected the people they love; why they didn’t get help right away; what finally caused them to seek treatment; and, what they experienced with treatment and how it helps.

  Meet Army Capt. Sarah C. Humphries. When Humphries returned from a one-year deployment to Iraq in 2006, she wasn’t the same person. “We’re expected to come back nurturing and ready to just step into our roles and that added to the isolation … When I got home it was so overwhelming, [even] the thought of having to organize a shopping list,” said Humphries. Finding it difficult to express her feelings, Humphries’ relationships with family and friends suffered including her marriage. In this video testimonial, she describes the moment she realized she needed help.

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  Categories: Personal Stories , PTSD , Families , Veterans , Treatment , Psychological Health   |   Comments (2)