Online Therapy for Veterans

Shockingly, up to 34% of U.S. veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That’s compared to 6% of the general U.S. population. Traumatic brain injury, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies are also highly common.

This is understandable with the higher exposure to traumatic events. But returning home can also feel traumatic. You may feel cut off from civilian life – disconnected. 

Loneliness and mental health difficulties can form a negative feedback loop, with loneliness worsening mental health and vice versa.

It’s easy to feel alone in your struggles. But mental health difficulties worsen when you’re isolated. Instead, seek online therapy from an established platform such as DoMental. It’s an effective form of emotional support that can be accessed in the comfort of your own home. 

How Does Online Therapy Help Veterans?

Online therapy can provide mental health care for veterans. It gives you a safe space to discuss what has happened and work through any traumatic events. It can give you the tools to put your feelings into words. 

Therapists working specifically with veterans can offer specialized support. They assist veterans in coping with a whole host of combat-related difficulties, such as:

• PTSD
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Combating stress
• Military sexual trauma
• Substance abuse
• Anger management

And the list doesn’t end there. With specialist online counseling for veterans, you can be sure your therapist understands you. 

Unfortunately, online therapy isn’t suitable for acute mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, severe depression, schizophrenia, and traumatic brain injury. In-person therapeutic support is vital to manage the severity of these conditions.

How Does Online Therapy for Veterans Work?

When signing up for online therapy, the first step is filling out a questionnaire. It asks you questions about your current situation, how you identify yourself, and the state of your mental health. 

This questionnaire is necessary to ensure a therapist is found who suits your needs. It is kept private, not shared with anyone else. You can then set a nickname, or if you would rather stay anonymous, that’s often an option too. 

Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, the online therapy platform will get to work finding you a suitable therapist. 

The client-therapist relationship is a significant determining factor of successful therapeutic outcomes. That’s why DoMental offers a free switching service; you can change your therapist whenever you want!

Continue with someone only if you feel comfortable with them, as this will aid the therapeutic process. 

Once you connect with your therapist, you can decide between online messaging, telephone calls, or video calls. Some online therapy providers may charge an additional fee for telephone and video calls, so watch out for that! 

What Will Online Therapy for Veterans Look Like?

When it comes to online counseling, there are many different approaches. Therapy is tailored to each veteran's individual needs, so you will gain positive outcomes from any therapy approach.  

All veteran-specific therapies will focus on the primary difficulties faced by veterans. However, there are some therapy types designed explicitly with veterans in mind. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy for veterans

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a short-term therapy approach that focuses on the problem, not the person. It will allow you to swap your unhealthy thoughts, feelings, and behaviors for more positive choices. 

It can steer you away from self-destructive paths like alcohol and drug abuse and encourage engagement in productive hobbies. 

Prolonged exposure therapy for veterans

Prolonged exposure therapy provides a safe, non-judgmental space to work through your traumatic experiences. Your therapist will support you to think back to those painful events and reframe them in your mind, so they do not continue to inhibit your life. 

Cognitive processing therapy for veterans

In cognitive processing therapy (CPT), you discuss the traumatic events to stop them from affecting your daily behaviors. CPT can be explicitly used to treat military sexual trauma, PTSD, substance abuse, and other combat-related emotional difficulties. 

Acceptance and commitment therapy for veterans

This therapy approach teaches veterans to integrate mindfulness into their lives to reduce the intrusion of stress and traumatic experiences. 

Instead of suppressing these feelings and memories, therapists encourage acceptance and commitment to exploring them. By understanding these challenges, you can move past them. 

Interpersonal therapy for veterans

This focuses on your relationships with others. It is deeply rooted in attachment and communication theories. These theories believe relationships to be of the utmost importance; without them, we cannot heal emotionally. 

Interpersonal therapy is typically used to treat depression. Depression may come about because of fractured relationships, or relationships may become severed due to depression. Regardless of which caused the other, interpersonal therapy aims to ease the depression and mend the relationships. 

CBT and prolonged exposure therapy are highly recommended for veterans suffering from PTSD. Veterans with substance abuse issues may benefit most from CPT, and if you’re struggling with damaged relationships, interpersonal therapy could be the right choice for you. 

An integrative approach, combining several therapeutic techniques, can be used in therapy for veterans struggling with various problems. 

Why Is Online Therapy Right for Veterans?

Seeking therapy is hard enough when you’re a civilian. Let alone when you’re a veteran who's already feeling isolated. But, there are many benefits of online therapy; it breaks down many barriers stopping veterans from seeking treatment. Let’s explore these next. 

Benefits of Online Therapy for Veterans

1. You’ll find therapists who understand veterans

It can be tricky finding a therapist who understands your unique situation as a veteran. The last thing you want is to be sat in a room with another person you feel doesn’t understand you. 

Online therapy providers such as DoMental possess an extensive network of therapists from all over the country. You can connect with someone from your state or from the other side of the country. With this range of therapists to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find at least one who understands veterans.

2. Your information will stay private

Just like in-person therapy, online therapy is confidential, meaning your therapist isn’t allowed to share anything you disclose unless it poses a significant risk of harm to you or anyone else.

The added bonus of online therapy is anonymity. If you don’t want to reveal your real name, you don’t have to. This can ease any anxiety felt about the stigma of seeking mental health support. 

3. You can stay at home

There are no worries about travel or where you are in the world with online therapy. You can attend in the comfort of your own home, or anywhere for that matter. 

Even if you’re busy, you can just send your therapist an online message. It’s much more flexible than in-person therapy. 

Online Therapy for Veterans’ Families

Military life doesn’t just affect those going into combat; it also impacts those left behind. Being a military wife or husband can be taxing, especially when the responsibility of children falls solely on your shoulders. 

Those left behind can feel angry and alone or confused about why the person has gone away. 

When veterans come home, it’s a transition for everyone. Trauma experienced during combat can affect the veteran’s personality and mood, which can be challenging to understand for partners, children, and family members. Families can struggle to know how to support their loved ones.

Online counseling can benefit all those affected by helping you manage combat-related changes and rebuild relationships. 

Online Therapy Can Help You, Veterans

Veterans, it’s normal to return from combat not feeling like yourself. If you’re feeling lonely, you’re not the only one. But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence. 

Therapy isn’t just for civilians. Therapy is a practical treatment approach to help veterans cope with the traumatic experiences of combat, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. 

Online therapy provides mental health care for veterans. It can help you find a therapist who understands you without the worries of travel. You can keep your privacy intact and contact your therapist whenever you choose.