DeCarvalho Lorie T. - Healing Stress in Military Families

Table of Contents

Copyright 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com . Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If legal, accounting, medical, psychological or any other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

The case examples in this book are based on real-life people. However, all of the names and identifying information have been changed to protect individuals and preserve their confidentiality and anonymity.

This book should not be used as a substitute for appropriate professional help if it is required.

The contents of this work are intended to further general scientific research, understanding, and discussion only and are not intended and should not be relied upon as recommending or promoting a specific method, diagnosis, or treatment by physicians for any particular patient. The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. In view of ongoing research, equipment modifications, changes in governmental regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to the use of medicines, equipment, and devices, the reader is urged to review and evaluate the information provided in the package insert or instructions for each medicine, equipment, or device for, among other things, any changes in the instructions or indication of usage and for added warnings and precautions. Readers should consult with a specialist where appropriate. The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. No warranty may be created or extended by any promotional statements for this work. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any damages arising herefrom.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. In all instances where John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is aware of a claim, the product names appear in initial capital or all capital letters. Readers, however, should contact the appropriate companies for more complete information regarding trademarks and registration.

For general information on our other products and services please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com . For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

DeCarvalho, Lorie T.

Healing stress in military families : eight steps to wellness / Lorie T. DeCarvalho and Julia M. Whealin.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-118-03821-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-118-21862-4 (ebk)

ISBN 978-1-118-21863-1 (ebk)

ISBN 978-1-118-21864-8 (ebk)

ISBN 978-1-118-23209-5 (obk)

I. Whealin, Julia M. II. Title.

[DNLM: 1. Family TherapymethodsUnited States. 2. Military PsychiatrymethodsUnited States. 3. Family RelationsUnited States. 4. Military PersonnelpsychologyUnited States. 5. Stress, PsychologicalUnited States. 6. VeteranspsychologyUnited States. WM 110]

616.89156dc23

2011039270

We dedicate this book to our military families. We acknowledge and honor all of the sacrifices you make every day, which often go unrecognized or unnoticed. We thank our service members, National Guard Members, reservists, and veterans for their service to our country. And we thank the loved and loving family members who stand beside them along the way. We pay tribute to your patience, steadfastness, loyalty, and courage. And we appreciate and respect those who are serving our countrys military families.

Preface

There are more than 3.1 million individuals who are part of a military family, including 2 million children. About 900,000 children have one or both parents who have been deployed multiple times (DoD, April 2010). Active-duty service members, National Guard members, and Reservists bear a heavy weight as they serve our country. But sometimes, as civilians, we may forget that for every service member and veteran affected by active duty, a family is also impacted.

Military family members are the silent witnesses to their loved ones sacrifices and pain. The family members sit in front of the television, praying that their loved one will not become a statistic covered up by the camouflage of a body bag. The family deals with separation from their loved ones for months to years at a time. They manage the family affairs and household needs. They open their arms when their loved ones return. Military children go to school every day, not knowing when mom or dad will be back to play ball or hear about how their day at school went. The family stands by as the returnee readjusts to seemingly mundane daily life outside of a combat zone. The family sacrifices in ways that often go unnoticed by the rest of the world. Their pain tends to lie hidden, though it is very real.