Posted on Mar 30, 2014
Who would you seek first for treatment of PTSD or related problems, Family Life Chaplain or other health care provider? Why?
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Family Life Chaplains have advanced degrees in counseling and psychotherapy. Many even practice Eye Movement Desensitaon and Reprocessing (EMDR), and have the higest level of confidentiality.
PTSD
Counseling
Health
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 3
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Sir, an interesting question. I personally feel that the most important thing is that the individual seek professional help from a qualified provider. Period. You provided two qualified sources of assistance and personally I would be comfortable and confident with either but it is a very personal decision for the individual.
If a service member asked me where to go, I would be confident providing both resources to the individual and allow them to choose whichever they were more comfortable with.
Having said that, there is another issue that we must consider. If this individual is nearing separation and wanting to file a claim for disability with the VA for PTSD, there is a requirement for a clinical diagnosis. While they can obtain this diagnosis from the VA, it would be more beneficial if the individual had the diagnosis earlier with a history of treatment as well. While I wholeheartedly agree that a Family Life Chaplain could be of great help in treatment and coping techniques I am not confident that they are qualified to diagnose a mental health condition (or, more specifically, that their diagnosis would be accepted by the VA). Also, the records, being confidential, would be more difficult to obtain to be used in evidence in support of a claim.
Again, obtaining treatment, as soon as possible is the first priority; but the possibility of a claim with the VA should be given consideration at some point along their journey of coping and hopefully healing.
Thank you for providing the community with a very important source of assistance for our service members!
If a service member asked me where to go, I would be confident providing both resources to the individual and allow them to choose whichever they were more comfortable with.
Having said that, there is another issue that we must consider. If this individual is nearing separation and wanting to file a claim for disability with the VA for PTSD, there is a requirement for a clinical diagnosis. While they can obtain this diagnosis from the VA, it would be more beneficial if the individual had the diagnosis earlier with a history of treatment as well. While I wholeheartedly agree that a Family Life Chaplain could be of great help in treatment and coping techniques I am not confident that they are qualified to diagnose a mental health condition (or, more specifically, that their diagnosis would be accepted by the VA). Also, the records, being confidential, would be more difficult to obtain to be used in evidence in support of a claim.
Again, obtaining treatment, as soon as possible is the first priority; but the possibility of a claim with the VA should be given consideration at some point along their journey of coping and hopefully healing.
Thank you for providing the community with a very important source of assistance for our service members!
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CH (MAJ) Waldrop:
When I was a WO1 I will share with you, I did not care about credentials, my entire basis on who I spoke to was can I trust you!
I came in the Military at 1984, and I will share with you Soldiers do not trust, and that is for good reason.
When I was a WO1 I will share with you, I did not care about credentials, my entire basis on who I spoke to was can I trust you!
I came in the Military at 1984, and I will share with you Soldiers do not trust, and that is for good reason.
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Capt Keenan Lee
There are too many "professionals" that will disclose information on you to authorities if they hear anything threatening. We talk and say things off the cuff with no intent on harming others but they feel to ignore their oath of privacy and doctor's privilege to secrecy. So we bottle things up and it destroys us.
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Sir, if a soldier is an atheist, agnostic, or just leans towards a secular world view; it would be reasonable for him to initially seek another health care provider. I frankly wouldn't care who he prefers to see. I just want him to get better in the way that's best for him.
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CH (MAJ) (Join to see)
Thanks for your comment. For what I gather from your response there is a "presumed" religiousness to care provided for treatment of PTSD by a Family Life Chaplain. I believe in providing autonomy to Soldies/Family Members in their choice of treatment and goals. My fear is that Soldies do not seek care b/c of fear that a diagnosis will be placed in their medical records. This is not the case when seeing a Family Life Chaplain. I would have hoped that quality of care, competence, and confidentially would be decisions points and not the religious beliefs of the provider.
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1SG(P) (Join to see)
Sir, I'd hope for the same. But I could also understand a soldier thinking, "I'll see the shrink to get my head straight and I'll see the Padre to get right with God."
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CH (CPT) Heather Davis
CH (MAJ) Waldrop:
When I was deployed as a WO1, I had a Soldier's Chaplain, and I will share with you he knew his Soldiers. He was and E-1 to an E-8 and went from 2LT to LTC. He had the experience and perspective from his own childhood trauma.
It is not about the Credentials, it is about the trust, and acceptance, and I will share with you I disagree with your statement. The last person I would want to go to with my vulnerabilities is a person that does not have a strong spiritual background!! Their is a distinction between a Shepherd and a Hired Hand.
When I was deployed as a WO1, I had a Soldier's Chaplain, and I will share with you he knew his Soldiers. He was and E-1 to an E-8 and went from 2LT to LTC. He had the experience and perspective from his own childhood trauma.
It is not about the Credentials, it is about the trust, and acceptance, and I will share with you I disagree with your statement. The last person I would want to go to with my vulnerabilities is a person that does not have a strong spiritual background!! Their is a distinction between a Shepherd and a Hired Hand.
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