Military & Veterans[Lt. Col. Philip Holcombe] The quick answer is get online and look at the educational materials. I think there's a really deeper more important answer. I love psychology because I love people. And I think what I've discovered about people is if you will listen— shut your mouth and listen— they will tell you what's going on with them, and they will tell you when they're ready for help. If a provider demonstrates the ability and feels honored to be shared with and is genuine in that, the patient will know that, and they will come back. You will make mistakes, and they will come back because you have listened. So get educated about post-traumatic stress disorder, know about the resources in your area in terms of providers who are trained in evidence-based practices and can pursue those, and listen.
Posted on BrainLine May 8, 2013.
About the author: Lt. Col. Philip Holcombe, PhD
Lt. Col. Philip Holcombe is an Army psychologist who serves as the chief of Clinical Recommendations at the Deployment Health Clinical Center at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Produced by Victoria Tilney McDonough and Erica Queen, BrainLine.