For Matt, the transition from active military to a civilian lifestyle was a challenging adjustment, “As I think more about the transition to being a veteran - it was hard to acknowledge the end of something.” Matt dedicated his life to protecting our nation through his years with the Air National Guard, but like so many he struggled with his mental health after his service and found it difficult to seek treatment that fit into his schedule. “When I first got to the Cohen Clinic I was resistant, but the clinician I was working with met me where I was at. She helped me feel more at ease and comfortable with what I was thinking, feeling, and going through. I feel more confident in my ability to deal with whatever change or transition comes my way.”
The change from soldier to civilian isn’t easy. It can be jarring, as numerous challenges arise while navigating through a new way of life. “Transition is a strange time – it sounds like you are just changing jobs, but when you leave the military everything changes,” says Dr. Anneke Vandenbroek, PhD., Director at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals. A veteran of the United States Army, Dr. Vandenbroek knows the shift can be enormous and discombobulating, “The routines and culture and all these things that you take for granted as ‘normal’ suddenly don’t quite fit. It is easy to underestimate how challenging it can be and then be caught off guard when it actually happens.”
Part of our mission at the Cohen Clinic is to help veterans through the challenges of the transition, and beyond. Our team of clinicians helps to ensure that each of our patients has the opportunity to succeed after service through culturally informed high-quality, evidence-based mental health care, regardless of discharge status. And that doesn’t stop with veterans - we also recognize the challenges families face upon their loved one’s return from deployment . Unlike other veteran clinics, at the Cohen Clinic, family members can also get the care they need.
Rebecca is the spouse of an Army veteran injured in combat. “At first I was angry, then I became disappointed. It’s like I was going through the stages of grief after his injury.” Rebecca was becoming overwhelmed as her husband’s caregiver, as a mom, and just trying to reconcile everything that happened. “I found out about the Cohen Clinic as we were transitioning out of the Army . I was able to get the grief counseling that I needed and I was able to discuss the difficulties that I was having as his caregiver. I didn’t expect it to help as much as it has.”
The Cohen Military Family Clinics provide specialized therapy for depression, anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other transitional challenges. We also provide individual counseling to adults and children age 5 and up, couples counseling, family therapy, and group therapy to support the entire military family. And the same high-quality care is available via a computer, tablet, or phone with our telehealth appointments. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit our website.
