At Whitson Family SCounseling Services, we recognize that our community has a large military population.  We honor and respect those who serve and the family members who sacrifice so that can happen.  As a result, we offer a variety of services designed to address the specific needs of military personnel, retirees, and their families. 

• Individual Counseling:  Being a member of the military or having a family member who is presents an array of it’s own challenges.  From adjusting to deployment and fear of the dangers of war to the isolation of frequent relocations and the stress of military life on the family, military life is hard.  At times individual counseling is needed to help deal with issues of depression, anxiety, anger, loneliness, fear, or adjustment. 
• Couples Counseling:  Military life can be difficult for a couple.  Dealing with frequent moves, separation from each other, adjusting to being apart and then being together, single parenting during deployment, and the stress of military life can all be overwhelming.  Couple’s therapy with a therapist who understands these stressors can make a huge difference in all of the adjustments that must be made to make this unique situation a success.
• Family Counseling:  Obtaining family harmony can be challenging for any family.  Military families have to deal with all the same challenges of any other family, plus the unique challenges of military life as well.  Some of these may include negative feelings over frequent moves, emotions about the enlistee being gone/ having to deploy, fears about safety of the enlistee, adjustment with deployment and with return, as well as many other issues.  If you feel like your family has difficulty communicating or dealing with these issues, family therapy may be the most effective treatment strategy.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):  Experiencing a life threatening trauma or one in which one’s sense of physical integrity is threatened can lead to PTSD, which includes symptoms of avoidance, re-experiencing the event, and increased arousal.  War veterans often experience PTSD.  It is important to know that this is a normal response to a traumatic event and does not make one crazy.  It is an issue that can be resolved through traditional talk therapy or through EMDR.  The sooner an individual suffering from PTSD seeks treatment, the better.
• Substance Abuse:  The stress of military life can create a variety of issues, including substance abuse.  It may be the enlistee who uses to forget memories of war.  It may be the spouse or child who uses substances as a coping mechanism instead of dealing with feelings related to military life.  Regardless of the situation, if there is substance abuse in your family, it is important to seek treatment immediately.  We offer substance abuse treatment with a therapist with over 20 years experience dealing with the complicated issues involved with substance abuse.
• Pain Management:  Those who have been injured while servicing in the military may be dealing with chronic pain.  This can be excruciating.  Not only can the physical pain be almost unbearable, on top of that there are issues of depression, lack of ability to participate in activities, the impact on the family, career concerns, lack of understanding of loved ones, and a whole variety of other issues.  There are a variety of techniques that can assist in managing chronic pain and the issues associated with it.  These include cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, hypnosis, EMDR, and coping skills training.