Welcome to the Military Counseling Initiative (MCI) Blog, provided as a discussion forum among current and aspiring military counselors, chaplains, caregivers, family members, and friends.
The bottom lines for our initial consideration are as follows:
The need is great… unprecedented mental and behavioral health challenges in among current military personnel, our nation’s veterans, and their families.
The opportunity to help is also great…the inventory of mental health counselors for our military is insufficient, both in government institutions and in the private sector.
Faith makes a difference in mental and behavioral health outcomes… we know this to be true anecdotally and empirically. Christ-centered counseling, in particular, can be particularly effective when addressing the wounds of the heart, soul, and spirit resulting from military duty.
Our military needs the best practices and the best people to address current challenges… there is a particular “faith gap” which need to be filled, consistent with prescribed ethical counseling guidelines.
Each of us must consider our role…do we have a heart to help our military, our distinguished veterans, and their families? Do we have (or are we willing to acquire) the skills that will make us effective lay and professional counselors, as well as overall military caregivers?
What are your thoughts about this? As we start this new venture, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at military@aacc.net.
Major General Bob Dees, U.S. Army, Retired, AACC Military Director