Strategies to Help Veterans Who Are Making The Change From Military to Civilian Life
U
. S . veterans comprise about 6 percent of the U . S . population , about 18 million people , according to the Pew Research Center . Although the number of veterans across the United States is declining , about a quarter of all veterans ( 20 % -25 %) are under age 45 , indicating that many may be transitioning to a civilian career following their military service . Veterans face challenges during their transition to civilian employment in areas such as employment , mental health , substance use , and family / relationship issues , all of which impact their life satisfaction and overall well-being . For various reasons , military veterans may not seek help from clinical mental health counselors . When veterans do find their way to our doors , mental health counselors may struggle to understand veterans ’ experiences as they tran-sition from military to civilian careers .
We examined college student veterans ’ beliefs on help-seeking behavior while also examining their narratives on career transition and life satisfaction . The outcomes help identify strategies that mental health counselors can use to support veterans experiencing transition . Understanding the military transition experience can enable mental health counselors to assist veterans more effectively in accessing needed services , support , and resources essential to their social , emotional , vocational , and mental health .
One reason veterans may struggle to seek help with their career transition involves the stigma of mental illness in both military and civilian communities , according to a 2020 article in the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy . Other reasons include problems veterans may have relating to non-veterans and feelings of disconnection , according to two 2021 articles in Military Psychology ( April and September ). In lieu of therapy , veterans may seek support from sources such as other veterans , peers , or mentors , or they may turn to their spouse or other family member . Another consistent challenge supported by several studies is that veterans experience a lack of purpose , identity , and meaning following their military career , which can compound their feelings of disconnection and difficulty relating to non-veteran peers .
Heather C . Robertson , PhD , LMHC , CASAC , CRC , is an LMHC ( NY ) and LPC ( CT ), as well as a certified addictions counselor ( NY ) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor ( CRC ). She is a veteran spouse who has worked with military veterans in substance use , higher education , and career counseling settings . She is a professor and chair of the Counselor Education Department at St . John ’ s University in Jamaica , NY . She can be reached via email at robertsh @ stjohns . edu .
James S . Bethea , PhD , LMHC , CRC , is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor ( NY ) and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor ( CRC ). He is an associate professor and coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in the Department of Counselor Education at St . John ’ s University in Jamaica , NY .
MILITARY-TO-CIVILIAN CAREER TRANSITION
Those of us who treat veterans who are transitioning from the military to a civilian career should be aware of the variety of feelings they may have about the change . A 2020 article in The Career Development Quarterly found that some veterans experience a sense of grief and loss following their military career , which contributes to isolation and negative feelings regarding the transition . Other concerns veterans have may include financial pressures and the need to translate their military experience into understanding education and certification requirements of civilian life and careers , according to a 2024 study of student veterans ’ academic and service transitions before , during , and after attending community college . While data on college student veterans is limited , much recent research demonstrates that these challenges persist as student veterans navigate from college to a career environment .
continued on page 16 The Advocate Magazine 2025 , Issue # 1 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org
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