Best Practice Guide for Supporting Military & Veteran Communities

One of the most common statements I hear from service members and veterans is, “They don’t get me,” “They speak a different language than I do,” or “They don’t understand how the Army works.” As someone who has worked closely with military personnel and veterans, I completely understand this frustration. At times, it can feel like there’s a barrier between civilian support services and the unique experiences of those who have served. I’ve been there too. That’s exactly why this program exists — to bridge that gap and provide effective, empathetic support to military and veteran communities.

Purpose of the Best Practice Guide

The Best Practice Guide was developed based on extensive experience working directly with service members and military veterans. It aims to enhance the effectiveness of professionals providing care and support to individuals through the CHANGED Program©, which serves as a structured intervention for those navigating life challenges after their service. This guide is designed to assist professionals in engaging more effectively with military and veteran clients, building trust, and creating a therapeutic relationship that promotes lasting and meaningful engagement.

The primary goal of this guide is to ensure that service members and veterans feel understood, respected, and supported when they seek help. They must know that reaching out for support will not be judged negatively and that the professionals offering care are not only knowledgeable but also sensitive to the military culture and language. This is a vital step in encouraging them to engage fully in the healing process and to trust the support services available to them.

Understanding the Military and Veteran Experience

The first step in providing effective support is understanding the unique experiences and mindset of service members and veterans. Military service involves a highly structured, disciplined environment where individuals must follow orders, maintain emotional control, and develop a strong sense of duty to their country and comrades. For many service members, this becomes an integral part of their identity. As a result, transitioning out of this environment into civilian life can be disorienting and emotionally difficult. They may struggle to relate to those who have not shared these experiences, and this disconnect can make it challenging for them to open up to care providers.

In addition, veterans often face complex psychological and emotional challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and struggles with reintegration into civilian life. These challenges can make it even harder for them to trust professionals who might not seem to understand their background. This is why it is essential for those in support roles to adopt an approach that is not only skilled but also empathetic and culturally informed.

Enhancing Engagement and Building Trust

The Best Practice Guide emphasizes the importance of developing a meaningful relationship between the service member or veteran and the support provider. A strong, trusting relationship is the foundation upon which all effective interventions are built. For this to happen, professionals need to approach engagement with military members in a way that acknowledges their unique language, culture, and experiences.

1. Acknowledge the Military Culture: Understanding military culture is key to engaging effectively with service members and veterans. This includes recognizing the sense of camaraderie, duty, and hierarchy that often defines their experiences. By respecting this, you can help create an environment where the individual feels understood, valued, and respected.

2. Communicate Clearly and Empathetically: Many service members and veterans struggle with the language used in civilian care settings. Military veterans may feel alienated or misunderstood if care providers use terms or approaches that don't resonate with their experience. Using language that reflects their background — or at least being open to learning their "language" — is essential for effective communication. Empathy is the cornerstone of this. It’s about meeting them where they are, recognizing their emotional states, and showing genuine interest in their well-being.

3. Encourage and Normalize Seeking Support: The military community often holds strong beliefs about self-reliance, resilience, and the perception that seeking help might be seen as a weakness. As a result, it’s crucial for support providers to consistently normalize and encourage seeking support. This means explicitly reassuring service members and veterans that asking for help is a sign of strength and maturity, not weakness. These reassurances help to reduce stigma and make the process of engaging in support services feel safe and acceptable.

4. Provide Trauma-Informed Care: Many service members and veterans have experienced trauma during their service, whether it’s combat-related or stemming from other difficult circumstances. It’s essential that professionals providing care are trained in trauma-informed care, which means understanding the impact trauma has on a person’s mental and emotional health and responding in a way that doesn’t re-traumatize them. Trauma-informed care also emphasizes safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment — all of which are vital for developing a therapeutic relationship.

The Role of the Best Practice Guide in Care Plans

The Best Practice Guide can be seamlessly integrated into the individual care plans of service members and veterans who are participating in the CHANGED Program©. After an initial assessment of needs is carried out, sections of the guide can be incorporated into the care plan to provide targeted interventions based on the unique circumstances and needs of each individual.

The guide offers practical advice on how to engage with each service member or veteran in a way that takes into account their personal history, emotional state, and readiness to seek help. This means that care providers can tailor their approach to be more effective in meeting the individual's specific needs, ultimately leading to better outcomes.

Fostering Long-Term Therapeutic Relationships

One of the most significant challenges in working with military and veteran populations is maintaining long-term engagement in therapeutic relationships. In many cases, service members and veterans may initially seek help but struggle to stay engaged due to feelings of alienation, mistrust, or the complexities of their emotional challenges. By using the Best Practice Guide as a tool to foster understanding and trust, support providers can create a foundation for ongoing engagement.

Key strategies for fostering long-term engagement include:

• Consistency in Support: Service members and veterans appreciate stability and consistency. Regular, predictable interactions help build trust over time, ensuring they feel supported even when they’re facing difficulties or setbacks.

• Strengths-Based Approach: This approach focuses on the strengths and resilience that individuals have developed through their military service, rather than focusing solely on their struggles. Recognizing and building upon these strengths can help service members and veterans feel empowered and capable of overcoming challenges.

• Respect for Autonomy: While the military experience often involves a high level of structure and command, it’s essential for support providers to recognize the importance of autonomy for service members and veterans. Empowering them to make choices about their care and giving them control over their treatment plan helps foster a sense of ownership in the healing process.

Conclusion: Ensuring Effective Support for Military and Veteran Communities

The Best Practice Guide is a vital resource for professionals supporting service members and veterans. By integrating this guide into your practice, you’ll be better equipped to understand and engage with the military community in a way that resonates with their lived experiences. This enhanced understanding fosters trust, improves engagement, and leads to more successful outcomes in therapeutic interventions.

The key is to acknowledge the unique challenges of military and veteran populations, meet them where they are, and communicate in a way that respects their background and experiences. By doing so, you create a supportive, non-judgmental environment where service members and veterans can feel safe to seek the help they need and work through their challenges. With the right tools and an empathetic approach, we can ensure that those who have served receive the care and support they truly deserve.