High Risk Family Analysis Veterans Research Paper

, 2011, pp. 263). In implementing something as simple as phone-based CBT with the veterans in the research project at hand, an overall improvement in mental health and well-being could be achieved through relatively few treatments as research has shown, and in seeing the willingness of participants in this research project to provide information regarding their feelings and general mental health, it can be assumed that these same individuals would be willing to provide the same, if not deeper, information regarding their mental health to counselors or therapists in this remote setting with specific goal and behavioral approaches being the main focus of treatment.

Further, solution-focused therapy (SFT) as also been successful in the treatment of veterans with PTSD and the presence of substance abuse. Results of several studies suggest that traumas are often not so debilitating that individuals cannot come back from them entirely over time. This type of resilience has been seen in many veterans who have undertaken SFT and have stayed in therapy long enough to see significant improvements in their overall mental health, including a lessened occurrence of flashbacks and nightmares of their experience in war-time. In understanding and highlighting the resilience of the human spirit through a SFT approach, veterans are imparted with a sense of optimism and hope that professionals can use to foster a strengthened counselor-client relationship (Bannink, 2008, pp. 217). The SFT approach has stemmed from an increased awareness that the military is a unique culture that is comprised of distinct ethics, core values, codes of conduct and strict hierarchical roles that have long made it difficult for servicemen and women to open up to an outsider regarding the intricacies and secrets of their time in service especially during wartime. The utilization of SFT allows for a solution focused approach that promotes strengths-based and resiliency perspective that can be used with service members and their families to provide them a comprehensive view of the effects of the past and goals for the future (Carillo, et al., 2010, pp. 395).

Both CBT and SFT focuses in the treatment of veterans of foreign wars with PTSD and substance abuse issues have proved significantly helpful in allowing these individuals to successfully combat their addictions while working to strengthen their mental health, sense of self, and place within their families, the military, and their respective community.The resources to aid these servicemen and women, as well as the 75 veterans surveyed for this project, are there to be utilized, but it is up to those in charge as well as those effected to make sure that these therapy initiatives are taken advantage of by veterans.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that there is a direct correlation between the PTSD that veterans of foreign wars suffer with and their rates of substance abuse. In viewing the research available on the subject as well as the methods that the military and counselors have advocated for in beginning the treatment of PTSD and substance abuse for veterans of foreign wars, it is clear that both CBT and SFT approaches can be helpful as long as there is a specific military focus contained in each. Veterans of foreign wars have taken on a specific service that requires a specific kind of focus when attempting to deal with these individuals' mental health. While a correlation is seen in the research group at hand, additional research regarding the solution to the problem of substance abuse among veterans exists and can be utilized in order to eliminate the correlation in a future analysis of this research group as well as in others throughout the country.

Works Cited

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Carillo, E., Coll, J., Gerbauer, J., Smiley, K, and Weiss, E. (2010). "The military genogram: a solution-focused approach for resiliency building in service members and their families." The Family Journal, 18(4): pp. 395-406. Web. Retrieved

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Carmody, D., Leader, J., Lin, J., and Mohr, D. (2011). "Telephone-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for veterans served by community-based outpatient clinics." Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 79(2): pp. 261-265.

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