"There's Nothing Wrong With Me"—A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Soldiers' Resistance to Counseling
Upon returning from deployment, service members are likely to experience a host of challenges. Be it reintegrating with loved ones, recalibrating to life outside the combat zone, or struggling with moral injury or self-medicating behaviors, these individuals often have difficulties reaching out for help. Given the military culture of strength, honor and self-discipline, the idea of admitting to a problem is often foreign, which can result in service members avoiding treatment. Therefore, counselors must recognize and honor the unique aspects of military culture in order to both navigate resistance and bolster resiliency. Presented by a former combat Marine, this presentation will offer the necessary tools to connect with service members and veterans.
This presentation will focus on providing counselors with five primary strategies for helping combat-experienced service members.
Participants will be able to:
- Explore the training needs for counselors working with this population.
- Examine counselors’ personal qualities that can either enhance or impede connecting with these clients.
- Explore the cultural aspects unique to working with service members.
- Direct counselors to the necessity of self-care, as working with this population can be emotionally taxing.
- Explore several special considerations for treating service members who have experienced combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bryce Hagedorn,
Ph.D., NCC, MAC, LMHC
Bryce Hagedorn is a National Certified Counselor, a Master Addictions Counselor, and a licensed mental health counselor and qualified clinical supervisor in the state of Florida. He holds his Ph.D. in counseling and counselor education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Currently serving as the program director of counselor education and school psychology at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, Dr. Hagedorn has served on a variety of state, regional and national organizations dedicated to addictions, spirituality and counseling. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Hagedorn has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including private practice, community mental health clinics, inpatient/outpatient hospitals, intensive outpatient programs, and college counseling centers in the areas of his specialties, chemical and process addictions.
A nationally and internationally recognized speaker and author, Dr. Hagedorn has written more than 50 articles and book chapters, has presented more than 130 times at the international, national, regional, state and local levels, and is co-author of the book Counseling Addicted Families. As a former U.S. Marine who has experienced combat himself, Dr. Hagedorn offers an important perspective to help train counselors to effectively engage service members and veterans in the counseling process.
NBCC Foundation has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 805. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. NBCC Foundation is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Each state sets its own requirements for licensure, including continuing education requirements to maintain licensure. Questions about CE requirements for state licensure should be directed to your state board. You can find their contact information on our state board directory.
