“John (not the veteran’s name) was a two-tour Iraq veteran struggling with debilitating symptoms of both post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). These difficulties were related to multiple combat and roadside bomb exposures, and compounded by the deaths of several of his friends in his unit.

John’s issues were not caught during the discharge process, which played a significant role in his subsequent divorce and homelessness within six months of his discharge. John came to our veterans counseling program’s attention through a local Vietnam veteran. Over the course of 20 months of counseling and the utilization of collateral support from other veteran resources, he was able to make good progress with PTSD and TBI symptom management.

This allowed John to grieve his losses, reconnect with his strengths and resiliency, establish supportive housing, re-establish contact with family and friends in meaningful ways, and enroll in a VA vocational rehabilitation program. Though not symptom-free, John has been able to better manage his mental and physical health issues to a degree that has enhanced his quality of life since walking through our doors.”
—Robert Perry, program coordinator and licensed clinical social worker, Peninsula Community Mental Health Center