In honor of Veterans’ Day this month, For All Seasons is bringing the focus to the mental health of families and caregivers of veterans, active service, and reserve members who can experience a unique set of challenges, stressors, and traumas, from deployment and combat to reintegrating into civilian life after leaving the military.

According to Timothy Nowicki, a licensed clinician at For All Seasons, family members of veterans and service members have varying experiences and perspectives on how the military experience affects them.

“Veterans often have intense jobs and need to learn more about the mind-body connection, particularly as it relates to trauma, when reintegrating into civilian life and their homelives,” Nowicki shares.

“Those who have served have followed a military chain of command, and learning to manage the fluidity of familial relationships can be challenging,” he adds.

Other family stressors for active service members’ and veterans’ families include extended and repeated deployments, financial and housing instability, and food shortages – all risk factors for poor mental health. Caregivers of veterans also have an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety themselves.

Mental health tools that can help families and veterans cope include:

• psychoeducation – giving people the knowledge, language, and tools to help them manage their mental health. This can include connecting bodily reactions to emotional awareness.
• developing open and ongoing communication – listening without judgment helps veterans and family members feel understood and supported
• helping veterans feel a part of the community
• engaging in individual and group therapy

According to Beth Anne Dorman, president and CEO of For All Seasons, 100% of the For All Seasons team is trained in cultural competency around service members, veterans, and their families. “We strive to meet veterans where they are and provide a safe space for them to sit,” Dorman shares.

For All Seasons offers therapy, psychiatry, victim and crisis support, and education to the community – including veterans and their families. This includes Open Access, which is the agency’s walk-in and telehealth service that allows individuals and families to begin therapy with no appointment needed and no waitlist.

For All Seasons Behavioral Health & Rape Crisis Center offers mental health services, victim and crisis support, and education & outreach on Maryland’s Mid-Shore and throughout the state. The agency’s unique model of care ensures anyone can receive the highest-quality, trauma-certified mental health care when they need it, regardless of language or ability to pay. For information about For All Seasons walk-in hours, contact 410-822-1018 or visit ForAllSeasonsInc.org.