{"title":"Mind Force Retreat: Improving the Subjective Well-being of Military Veterans Through Alternative Mental Health Therapies","authors":"Giles A. Barrett, Hilary Currin","doi":"10.1177/10541373231187729","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This study focuses on the subjective well-being (SWB) of a sample of military veterans before and after their engagement with a nonclinical, alternative mental health therapies residential retreat in the United Kingdom. The study findings have relevance for trauma-exposed individuals globally. Military veterans will actively avoid seeking traditional mental health treatments due to factors such as stigma and life-long labels, as well as a reluctance to engage in talk therapies. This is despite the widespread occurrence of diagnosed and undiagnosed chronic mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder following periods of service. Moving beyond trauma-informed practice and embracing a healing-centered approach involving holistic therapies delivered during a retreat-type format has a positive impact on the SWB of service users. Positive changes in SWB were recorded using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and the lived experiences of the participants. A shared military identity contributes immeasurably to a veteran-centered approach to holistic therapy, healing, and recovery.","PeriodicalId":39747,"journal":{"name":"Illness Crisis and Loss","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Illness Crisis and Loss","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10541373231187729","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"Social Sciences","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study focuses on the subjective well-being (SWB) of a sample of military veterans before and after their engagement with a nonclinical, alternative mental health therapies residential retreat in the United Kingdom. The study findings have relevance for trauma-exposed individuals globally. Military veterans will actively avoid seeking traditional mental health treatments due to factors such as stigma and life-long labels, as well as a reluctance to engage in talk therapies. This is despite the widespread occurrence of diagnosed and undiagnosed chronic mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder following periods of service. Moving beyond trauma-informed practice and embracing a healing-centered approach involving holistic therapies delivered during a retreat-type format has a positive impact on the SWB of service users. Positive changes in SWB were recorded using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and the lived experiences of the participants. A shared military identity contributes immeasurably to a veteran-centered approach to holistic therapy, healing, and recovery.
期刊介绍:
When dealing with issues of grief, crisis, or loss as a counselor, medical professional, or researcher, it can be difficult to find resources to help you in your work. Receiving the most current research on the latest topics in the field from Illness, Crisis & Loss can help. Illness, Crisis & Loss is the resource that furthers your understanding and knowledge of the psychosocial and ethical issues associated with life-threatening illness, traumatic human crises, grief, and loss.