I want to take a moment to discuss one of the biggest joys of being a military psychologist, the clients. To do this, I will answer a question I’m periodically asked:
What do you like about working with military members?
A complete answer would take much more time and space than I have here, but I can summarize it in five major categories.
As we have looked at the concept of moral injury we have predominantly looked at it as a condition of the individual. However, every disorder exists within a social context. In this entry, I’d like to examine the role of American society in moral injury. Previously, I had discussed the treatment options that have evolved. These methods focus on the service members developing some form of peace with what had happened in a variety of ways. What I am hoping to examine is the aspects of our culture and society that may contribute to the burden that our service members bear in the prosecution of a war or conflict.
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.
The percentage of "(w)omen serving in the U.S. military" who "report mental health problems," according to a recent study from the RAND Corporation -- Gender Differences in Health Among U.S. Service Members. Among male service members, it's 15%.
What helps you to become a better clinician? There may not be a single answer to this question. In fact, most of us probably benefit from a variety of different experiences depending upon our learning style and what we are specifically seeking to improve. Literature on competency development also highlights that such improvement can focus on knowledge, attitude, skills, or any combination of these.