Therapy for Female Veterans

Why do we need therapy specific for Female Veterans?

Female Veterans have a unique, lived experience serving in the military that often includes military sexual trauma (MST). Having personal experience looking for a clinician that could understand and relate to the challenges military life and transitions into the civilian world take, I hope to bring a lens that will be helpful to fellow female Veterans that have navigated the challenges specific to being a woman in the military as well.

What challenges do female Veterans face?

Female Veterans are often mistaken as just the wife or partner to a male service member and their service in uniform is often dismissed and undervalued. Assumptions are made while in service and after, once a female transitions into the civilian world at the VA on a daily basis based on gender alone. If a female Veteran has survived MST, it is rare there is any real justice or accountability from the trauma she survived and the hidden wounds from the betrayal and moral injury she endures are long lasting and impacting to her whole world and relationships in the military and afterwards.

What symptoms are treated?

I treat a range of symptoms that female Veterans may have. This includes anxiety, depression, feeling stuck, life transition challenges, frustration, anger, nightmares, hyper-vigilance, difficulty adjusting to civilian life, isolation, emotional numbness, and trouble connecting with others. If you experience any of these symptoms, there is Hope.

What are the treatment options for female Veterans at Hope and Renewal Counseling?

I utilize a variety of therapeutic modalities and each client receives their own individualized treatment plan which can be adjusted as we gauge your progress through your healing journey. These different methods are a mixture of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Attachment Theory, Polyvagal Theory, Walk & Talk Therapy, and Equine Assisted Therapy.

How do you get started on your healing journey?

Contact Ashley to set up a 15-minute FREE consultation where we will discuss what changes in your life you are wanting to make and set up a regular schedule to begin treatment and creating the life you want.