Though I see a variety of patients in my practice, about one third of my patients are United States military veterans. This group experiences unique challenges and their care is an important area of focus for me.
 
Many different kinds of people serve in the United States Armed Forces, and each person’s experience of their time in service will be unique and complex. That said, there are certain challenges commonly faced by those who have served in the military, such as the following:

• Difficulty feeling at home in the civilian world after military service.
• Struggles with feeling understood by those who have not served in the military.
• Struggles with transitioning from taking orders to acting on one’s own initiative. 
• Problems with maintaining a sense of confidence outside the role of soldier, sailor, airman, marine, coastie, etc., such as at work or in relationships.
• Suffering stemming from nightmares, flashbacks, or overwhelming emotions and memories.
• Having a hard time feeling close to other people.
• Feeling as if one was involved in military life “yesterday,” even if separation happened many years ago.
• Problems with feeling numb, or turning to alcohol, substances, or risky behavior to feel “normal.”
• Carrying complex and heavy personal history, such as having experienced traumatic events in childhood in addition to the experience of violence or war in the military as an adult.
• Feeling that other people quickly make assumptions or judgements about you based on your veteran status, even if they don’t know you well.

 
I do my best to meet my veteran patients wherever they are at emotionally, and work to understand them as individuals while taking their military history into account. If you would like to make an appointment with me to see if we might work well together, please go to the “Location & Contact” page to send me a message.