Battle Mind to Home Mind: Fundamentals of Supporting Transition and Readjustment to Civilian Life 

Location: Virtual

Instructor: Peter G. Schmidt, Psy. D., LMHC

CE credits: 3 APA CE's (pending)

Workshop Offerings:

October 23, 9am-12pm

November 13, 1pm-4pm

December 11, 9am-12pm

Course Description:

Currently there are 15.7 million veterans in the United States with 494,383 veterans and 581,047 family members residing in WA state. Research and anecdotal accounts demonstrate how identity transformation occurs when entering and leaving the military. Readjustment and reintegration into civilian life can be a formidable challenge depending upon what resources and personal connections are available. How can one better support the personal growth and resilience of veterans and their families?

The purpose of this interactive training is to increase understanding and military cultural competence. Through lecture, small dyads/triads, and large group work, participants will develop an understanding of the Battle Mind to Home Mind framework, its impact on readjustment and homecoming, clinical application to counseling and posttraumatic growth, and other promising best practices for mental health treatment and support.

 Objectives:

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify two (2) reasons why one would join the US military and describe development and psychological impact as a result of basic military and technical training.
• Describe two (2) battle mind skills / experiences and their impact.
• Describe three (3) adverse psychological effects of battle mind in the civilian setting.
• Name the primary characteristics of posttraumatic growth.
• Summarize three (3) Service Member, Veteran and Family (SMVF) strategies that promote interpersonal connection.
• Explain the application of the Battle Mind to Home Mind framework to psychological practice.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Article References

Edwards, E. R., Goldsmith, M. M., Tran, H. N., Bulanchuk, N. K., Epshteyn, G., Wrobleski, J., May, D. G., Snyder, S., Lee, A. S., Schofield, K. F., Gorman, D., Dichiara, A., & Geraci, J. C. (2022). Supporting the nation’s transitioning veterans: Narrative review of practices and recommendations for psychotherapy and counseling of veterans separating from military service. Psychological Services, 20(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000701

Rattray, N. A., Flanagan, M. E., Salyers, M. P., Natividad, D., Do, A.-N., Frankel, R. M., Spontak, K., & Kukla, M. (2023). The Association Between Reintegration, Perceptions of Health and Flourishing During Transition from Military to Civilian Life Among Veterans with Invisible Injuries. Journal of Veterans Studies, 9(1), 224–234. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v9i1.432

Romaniuk, M., & Kidd, C. (2017). The Psychological Adjustment Experience of Reintegration Following Discharge from Military Service: A Systematic Review. In Jmvh.org. https://jmvh.org/article/the-psychological-adjustment-experience-of-reintegration-following-discharge-from-military-service-a-systemic-review/