Afghanistan: How to Support Your Mental Health

Friends of the Clinic,

The developing news from Afghanistan has potentially placed a strain on the mental health of veterans, active duty, and military family members. This could be when those moments, emotions, and feelings are reactivated - but now is not the time to go at it alone.

Our clinic remains ready to support veterans and military families who would like to discuss their experiences and feelings in a supportive environment. Our services include individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and child and adolescent therapy, providing support to the whole family. During this time of stress for our military community we have the commitment and expertise to provide comfort to those affected by the events in Afghanistan. Those interested in an appointment can find information here.

The Veterans Administration Veterans Crisis Line is also available at 1-800-273-8255; or VA Chat Online. This is a time for all of us to stand by our Afghanistan veterans and military families, and the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals stands ready to support in any way we can.

In Their Words: What Does 9/11 Mean to You?

Next week marks twenty years since 2,977 Americans’ lives were lost; and we recognize that many of you served based on what happened in our country on that terrible day. By making that brave decision, you honored the people we lost on 9/11 when you took action to defend the freedom of all Americans. For all of us, though, this anniversary - combined with the recent events in Afghanistan - can stir feelings like grief, fear, and anxiety. So today we’re taking a moment to reflect on that day two decades ago, as well as give you and your loved ones the resources to cope. We will never forget, and we are committed to serving the veterans in our community and their families.

Dr. Anneke Vandenbroek, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President and Director, Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals

I was active-duty on 9/11 with the US Army and stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center. Due to the time difference the first I knew of the events was when my clock-radio turned on to wake me up to start my day.

It was clear at that time that the event was going to have a major impact on our country. It was such an overwhelming feeling, to realize that in a second things were changing in a very significant way, and impossible to understand or predict what the impact would be. Pearl Harbor brought the US into WWII – and being stationed in Hawaii at the time I think this was very much in my awareness. Twenty years later the impact has been so much greater than I would have imagined – 20 years of American service members sent to the Middle East, the impact on our culture, on our economy, our military. I think a great deal about the individual sacrifices of the service members who have served on deployment, and the sacrifices of their family members who have supported them.

Tricia Tyler

Director of Operations, Veteran Staffing Network, Easterseals DC MD VA

On 9/11, I was a senior at the United States Military Academy (West Point), about 8 months away from being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. I remember I walked into my law class and everyone was staring at the TV - the first plane had crashed into the North Tower. At the end of class, my professor turned the TV on again. When we saw that a second plane was involved, it started to hit us that this was not a mistake, this was an attack.

9/11 was the first time in my generation's lifetime that our safety on American soil was threatened. It's hard to describe the sudden feeling of vulnerability. The idea that America was no longer untouchable. Every year on 9/11, I think back on how our country reacted to that event. Our first responders in NYC and at the Pentagon, were heroes. Americans pulled together to help one another: many people helped at Ground Zero, while others volunteered to help families of victims. In the darkest time, that was a silver lining for me.

Many of us in the military community sacrificed for the war on terrorism. We've lost soldiers, we've lost friends, we've known people whose lives are forever changed by the injuries and trauma they encountered in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is critical that, as a community, we offer support and care to our nation's veterans and military families. If you find a veteran who needs help, there are resources available. The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals continues to provide behavioral health care for post 9/11 Veterans, National Guardsmen, Reservists, active duty members and all military families. This is a time for all of us to stand by our veterans and military families, and we stand ready to support in any way we can.

Senator Chris Van Hollen Visits the Cohen Clinic!

On August 16, Senator Chris Van Hollen toured the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals to learn about the resources and services we provide to veterans, active duty service members, their families, and caregivers in the DMV area.

Our team is grateful to have had the opportunity to share the good work we do in our community with him!

Train a Service Dog with Warrior Canine Connections

Our partner Warrior Canine Connection has their next batch of puppies ready and waiting for our veterans to train them to be of service to our communities! Sign up required!

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