Returning Veterans’ Experiences of a Holistic Therapeutic Program

Abstract

Since 2001, over 2.7 million U.S. military service members have been deployed (Wenger et al., 2018). Many of these soldiers have encountered serious challenges readjusting upon their return home and many may not access the services needed to achieve successful reintegration. Current literature calls for holistic approaches to service provision, involving collaboration of support services to address the underutilization of services. To better understand the gap in treatment utilization, a qualitative approach was used to examine returning veterans’ experiences of an intensive and holistic service delivery program implemented in coordination with local veterans’ organizations. Within the study, a generic qualitative approach was used to analyze interviews with 6 military veterans who had previously been deployed and were participating in the holistic therapeutic program. Results of the analysis revealed the following themes pertaining to participants’ experiences of the treatment process: (a) the importance of trusting relationships in the therapeutic setting; (b) importance of gaining adaptive coping strategies; (c) maintaining a sense of strength and independence; (d) difficulty with adjusting to civilian life and access of support services; and (e) difficulty with self-expression in civilian contexts. Limitations and recommendations are also provided.