Hooah Am I?  Exploring how confusion of the term “veteran” impacts identity and leads to unnecessary suffering, increased shame, and suicide.

The presentation will provide education, a conceptual framework, and strategies to develop an integrated sense of military identity; one in which a service member feels like they belong both in the Veteran community and within the population as a whole. Overidentification with other Veterans can lead to isolation from the world as a whole (e.g., family, work, and spirituality) whereas avoidance of one’s own military identity can limit access to pride in service, camaraderie with other Veterans, and access to Veteran resources. Even worse, a Veteran can feel like they do not belong within either community, Veteran or civilian, leading to a sense of marginalization, feeling left out, and being lost. This is the greatest risk for distress and suicide. This presentation highlights an often-overlooked aspect for suicide risk, which is a sense of belonging in community.

Continuing Education Hours: 2.0

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.