Therapy for Military and Veterans

The sacrifice of being in the military extends beyond the individual into their families and loved ones. It can be an isolating experience when those on the outside struggle to understand the stress, uncertainty, fear and emotional turmoil that can come from a military life. The highly-trained team at Sillon is here to help navigate these uncomfortable experiences by working through complex trauma, helping process uncomfortable feelings, forming coping mechanisms, strengthening family communication and connection, and overall providing a safe, confidential space to heal.

While the specific type of therapy needed depends on each individual’s needs, the most common for military members include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT type of talk therapy that helps people learn how to identify, process and change destructive or disturbing thought patterns that are creating a negative influence on their lives.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR): EMDR is an evidence-based therapy for PTSD and other trauma-related disorders. Throughout this therapy, individuals will focus on the traumatic memories while engaging in eye movements, hand vibrations, tapping, or sound in an effort to stimulate different parts of the brain that are typically impacted by the trauma. By doing this, over time there will usually be a reduction in the intensity of emotion associated with those memories.
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): PE is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that leads individuals to approach their trauma related memories, situations and feelings in a safe environment, enabling them to face fears they’ve been avoiding. By safely facing these feelings, the idea is that the emotional charge associated with them will be diminished, allowing life to be lived a little easier.
• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT emphasizes acceptance as a way to cope with negative thoughts, feelings and circumstances. The goal is to increase involvement in meaningful life activities aligned with their personal values, while accepting that strong emotions are appropriate and unavoidable. Accepting the feelings instead of avoiding them can make room for a more meaningful life.
• Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT): Military life can be difficult on family members too, sometimes creating a disconnect or lack of understanding. EFT is used to help improve a couple’s connection and bonding by focusing on the importance of emotion and how it helps us connect with others.
• Teletherapy: For those unable to or uncomfortable with meeting in person, Sillon proudly offers Teletherapy. This option provides a safe and effective way to confidentially address mental health concerns in a way that works for you.