Military and Veteran Mental Health Services | MI Counseling

Military and Veteran Mental Health Services in Michigan help service members, Veterans, and military families manage stress, trauma, and life changes. Many people feel stuck with sleep problems, anger, guilt, or feeling “on guard” all the time. You may also worry that asking for help could affect your job, your clearance, or how others see you. This care is private, respectful, and built to help you feel safer, steadier, and more in control.

These services may include therapy, skill-building, and care planning for concerns like PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, moral injury, substance use, and family strain. Support can be helpful after deployment, during a PCS move, after discharge, or years later. If you are active duty, Guard/Reserve, a Veteran, or a loved one, you deserve care that understands military culture and real-life barriers to treatment.

Signs You Might Benefit

Some symptoms are easy to spot. Others can hide for a long time. You do not have to “hit rock bottom” to get help.

• Sleep problems: trouble falling asleep, nightmares, waking up tense, or feeling tired all day
• Feeling on edge: jumpy, scanning rooms, needing to sit with your back to a wall, or starting fights quickly
• Anger or irritability: short fuse at home or work, road rage, or constant frustration
• Intrusive memories: flashbacks, unwanted images, or feeling like the past is happening again
• Avoidance: staying away from crowds, news, driving routes, or anything that reminds you of a hard event
• Depression: low mood, loss of interest, numbness, or feeling hopeless
• Anxiety or panic: racing thoughts, tight chest, sweating, or fear that something bad will happen
• Grief and loss: death of a buddy, changes in identity, or leaving a unit and feeling alone
• Moral injury: deep shame, guilt, or anger about actions taken, not taken, or witnessed
• Relationship strain: conflict, pulling away, trouble trusting, or feeling “checked out” at home
• Alcohol or substance use: using to sleep, to calm down, or to stop memories
• Trouble at work/school: focus problems, mistakes, or feeling unsafe around people

Benefits of care can include better sleep, fewer nightmares, less anger, stronger coping skills, better communication, and more peace in daily life. Many people also report feeling more connected to family and more confident in public settings.

Evidence-Based Approach

Good care is not “just talking.” We use proven methods that match your needs, goals, and readiness. Treatment is guided by research and clinical best practices. The National Institutes of Health and peer-reviewed studies show that evidence-based trauma therapies can reduce PTSD symptoms and improve daily function (NIH, n.d.). The American Psychological Association also supports several strong, research-based treatments for PTSD and related concerns (American Psychological Association, 2017).

Trauma-Focused Therapies

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): helps you work through painful beliefs (like “I should have done more”) and reduce shame and guilt.
• Prolonged Exposure (PE): helps you safely face memories and avoided situations so fear and panic shrink over time.
• EMDR: supports the brain’s natural healing by working through stuck trauma memories in a structured way.

Skills-Based Support for Daily Life

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): builds tools to manage anxiety, depression, and negative thinking patterns.
• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy): helps you handle hard thoughts and feelings while moving toward what matters most.
• Sleep and nightmare support: routines, coping tools, and evidence-based strategies for insomnia and trauma-related sleep problems.
• Anger and stress management: body-based calming skills, trigger plans, and safer ways to respond under pressure.

Whole-Person, Military-Informed Care

Military life is unique. We consider unit culture, deployment cycles, training stress, transition out of service, and family roles. We can also coordinate (with your written permission) with primary care, psychiatry, or community supports. In Michigan, mental health providers must follow state licensing rules, professional ethics, and privacy laws. Licensed clinicians (such as psychologists, clinical social workers, and professional counselors) are trained to provide care that meets Michigan licensing standards for safe, competent practice.

What to Expect

Starting therapy can feel like a big step. We keep the process clear, steady, and paced to you.

Step 1: First Contact and Scheduling

When you reach out, we will ask a few simple questions about what brings you in, your preferred appointments, and insurance basics. You can share as much or as little as you want at this stage.

Step 2: Intake Appointment

Your first visit is an intake. We learn about your symptoms, your history, your strengths, and what you want help with. You may also complete short screening tools for PTSD, depression, anxiety, sleep, and substance use. We will talk about privacy, therapy limits (like safety concerns), and your rights as a patient.

Step 3: A Clear Treatment Plan

We will suggest a plan based on your goals. Examples might include trauma therapy, sleep work, or coping skills first. You get a voice in the plan. If you are not ready to talk about trauma details, we can start with stabilization skills and daily functioning.

Step 4: Ongoing Sessions

Most sessions are about 45–55 minutes. You will practice new skills in session and between sessions. Progress is reviewed often so we can adjust. Therapy is not about forcing you to relive the past. It is about reducing the power the past has over your present.

If you are in crisis: If you are thinking about harming yourself or someone else, call 988 (Press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line), call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Insurance

Cost should not be a mystery. Many patients use insurance, and we can help you understand the basics before you start.

• Copay: a set amount you may pay per visit (for example, $20–$50), depending on your plan.
• Deductible: the amount you may need to pay before your plan starts covering care. Some plans have no deductible for mental health visits; others do.
• Coinsurance: a percentage you may pay after the deductible is met (for example, 10%–30%).

Mental Health Parity

Mental health parity laws generally require many insurance plans to cover mental health care in ways that are comparable to medical care. That means copays, visit limits, and prior authorization rules often cannot be stricter for mental health than for medical services. Coverage varies by plan, so we verify benefits when possible and explain what we find in plain language.

If you have VA benefits, TRICARE, employer insurance, or a marketplace plan, we can discuss options and next steps. If you are using out-of-network benefits, we may provide a superbill depending on clinic policy.

FAQ

Will therapy affect my career, security clearance, or military record?

Therapy is private medical care. In most cases, getting help does not harm a clearance and can show responsible decision-making. There are limits to confidentiality, such as imminent risk of harm, abuse reporting requirements, or court orders. We explain these limits clearly at the start so you know what to expect.

Do I have to talk about combat or the worst event right away?

No. Many people start with sleep, anger, anxiety, or relationship stress. If trauma treatment is part of your plan, we move at a safe pace and use structured methods (like CPT, PE, or EMDR). You stay in control of the process.

What if I don’t know whether it’s PTSD, depression, or something else?

You do not need to diagnose yourself. During the intake, we assess symptoms and how they affect your life. Then we recommend the best-fit approach. PTSD can overlap with depression, anxiety, grief, and substance use, so we look at the full picture.

Can family members get support too?

Yes. Military life impacts partners, spouses, and children. Depending on your needs, care may include individual therapy, couple or family sessions, and coaching for communication and stress. With your permission, we can also help loved ones understand PTSD symptoms and how to support recovery.

References: American Psychological Association. (2017). Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/ | National Institutes of Health (NIH). (n.d.). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd