While the majority of military spouses are female, male military spouses represent a unique and often unrecognized segment of military dependents. In this blog, we examine what, if any, advances in understanding this population have been made through recent DoD demographics and research publications
Have you heard about Written Exposure Therapy (WET) yet? It’s a newer evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) for PTSD, recently added as a first line, trauma-focused treatment in the latest VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines. Last year I took the WET training taught by Dr. Brian Marx, one of the treatment originators. I must admit, I was skeptical about how it worked and whether it would be effective. Since the training, I have used it with 2 patients and now feel comfortable adding it to my PTSD toolbox.
A lot has been written on the importance of promoting readiness in the military population, but this concept of “readiness” can be applied to military families as well. It is important that military family members are prepared to meet the challenges that accompany military life, which in turn, helps to ensure that their Service members can be “mission ready.” In March of 2018, “What We Know about Military Family Readiness: Evidence from 2007-2017” was published, which summarized the literature on military family readiness from the past 10 years.
In October 2012, I wrote one of my very first blog entries for the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) on the topic of the American Red Cross and their support for military families. Seven years later and in honor of Military Family Appreciation Month, I want to take this opportunity to remind our readers of this very special organization and the great work that the American Red Cross carries out daily in support of America’s military and Veteran families.
I have been a Navy spouse for over twenty years. During that time, I have witnessed first-hand the changes experienced by military families in many aspects of their lives. While military families will always experience certain normative stressors, the tools they have to navigate these stressors is ever-changing. Experiences such as moving, frequent separations, deployment, and awareness of risks involved in military service are a common thread among families. However, the way these normative stressors are experienced, understood, and addressed continues to evolve.