Domestic abuse is an issue that impacts both military and civilian families. All behavioral health providers should, at a minimum, know how to safely ask clients about it and be aware of the resources available for use when abuse is disclosed. However, many clinical providers, working both on and off military installations, report knowing very little about this topic.
When developing a case conceptualization, we often consider the co-occurring psychological factors at play; however, we may neglect to fully consider the many social factors involved. Maercker and Horn (2013) developed a three level model of socio-interpersonal factors related to the development of PTSD, which can be useful when forming a case conceptualization. The first level considers social affective changes and encompasses factors such as shame, guilt, anger, and revenge. The second level examines close social relationships including social support, and the third level includes distant social contexts such as one’s culture.
The percentage of veterans who "reported suicidal ideation" in their first year after separation from the military, according to an article published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine -- The First Year After Military Service: Predictors of U.S. Veterans’ Suicidal Ideation
The weekly Research Update contains the latest news, journal articles, useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
● Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Processes and Mediation: Challenges and How to Address Them.
● Technology-Based Methods for Training Counseling Skills in Behavioral Health: a Scoping Review.
● Adherence to Daily Interactive Voice Response Calls for a Chronic Pain Intervention.
Since 1968 Americans have known to call 911 during emergencies to activate either the police, fire department, or emergency medical response. When my own house caught fire in late 2019, as I ran to find a garden hose in the dark, I yelled to my then 15 year old son, “call 911.” It’s a phrase so ingrained in our American psyche that we instinctively know to activate that response in our times of panic, fear, and need. But each year millions of 911 calls are made due to issues related to emotional distress or mental health problems for which police, fire, rescue, and EMS services are not always the optimal responders.