Continuing Education
| Working with Veterans from Iraq & Afghanistan: Exploring the Psychological Impact of War & Its Unique Treatment Considerations | ||||||||||||||||
Recent research from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suggests that close to 40 percent of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan experience some form of mental health difficulties, including problems such as PTSD, depression, and substance abuse. Since PTSD has been associated with numerous adverse outcomes (physical health problems, absenteeism, decreased psychosocial functioning and increased risk of suicide), there is a significant need for treatment intervention among our veterans. This course provides an overview of the psychological impact of war, with a particular emphasis on PTSD and its treatment. Participants will learn about military culture, common war-zone experiences and the difficulties veterans have when adjusting to civilian life after war. Issues of vicarious traumatization and self care will also be discussed. Videos and case examples will be presented. This class can be taken as a standalone or as part of our Treatment Strategies for Returning Troops workshop series. Click here for information about the series. Instructor Biography  Gretchen Lindner, PhD, completed her doctoral training at Georgia State University and her internship at the Palo Alto VA Health Care System (PAVA). She also completed a one-year postdoctoral fellowship with the SFVA’s PTSD Clinical Team, specializing in the treatment of OIF/OEF veterans. Gretchen currently works with the PAVA PTSD Clinical Team treating veterans with war-related stress reactions. Her approach to treatment incorporates cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, psychodynamic and family systems perspectives, and she provides individual, group, and family therapy.
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