Handbook of Psychosocial Interventions for Veterans and Service Members: A Guide for the Non-Military Mental Health Clinician
Edited by Nathan D. Ainspan, Craig Bryan, and Walter E. Penk
Abstract
Of the nearly 23 million individuals who have served in the US Armed Forces, the number of service members, veterans, and family members who will seek out professional mental health services is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. Most of these services will be delivered outside of the US Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs by clinicians who may have limited experience with or knowledge about life in the military, nor will they have convenient access to the most up-to-date literature about military and veteran mental health. By summarizing the latest research and providing guidance and resources to help treat service members and veterans, this handbook fills an important gap for the mental health clinician. The focus of this handbook is on short-term psychosocial interventions that can be practically conducted outside of specialty medical settings. Topics covered in this book include information about the military culture; rules and regulations of the military; challenges faced by women military personnel and veterans; unique needs of National Guard and Reserve personnel; post-military transition; and clinical and social issues facing gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender service members and veterans. Other chapters describe the latest advances in how to assess and treat psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and insomnia, and guidance on treating associated clinical issues such as suicide risk, nightmares, anger and aggression, and shame and guilt and the challenges to family members including youth and teens after an injury or death. Finally, this handbook financial planning, post-military education, and employment
Keywords:
Military psychology,
psychosocial interventions,
military culture,
military rules,
suicide,
post-traumatic stress disorder,
traumatic brain injury
Bibliographic Information
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Print Publication Date:
- Apr 2016
- Print ISBN-13:
- 9780199353996
- Published online:
- Jun 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med:psych/9780199353996.001.0001
Authors
Nathan D. Ainspan,
editor
Research Psychologist, Transition to Veterans Program Office (TVPO) of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Craig Bryan,
editor
Executive Director, National Center for Veterans Studies, The University of Utah
Walter E. Penk,
editor
Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M College of Medicine