Military Spouse Shares The Impact Animal Assisted Therapy Can Have on Veterans

Fighting depression, anxiety and even moral injury for those who serve can be a battlefront that is tough to win. In this episode, you'll hear from a military spouse and clinical director who shares how animal assisted therapy can be a life saver. 

Many of us know someone who has struggled with depression, sadness, unresolved emotional issues – I think all of us know someone who has.  Mental health conditions are common in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (46.6 million in 2017). More than 1.7 million Veterans received treatment in a VA mental health specialty program in fiscal year 2018.

Yet, often there is a stigma attached to getting help – and while there is no better alternative to getting one on one help, there are some effective ways to help address some of these issues without having to walk through the clinic doors. Our guest on The Military Wire, Prairie Conlon, LPC, has a Master’s Degree in professional counseling and a Postgraduate Degree in Military Behavioral health counseling. She was recently featured on MILITARY MAKEOVER with Montel Williams, and is also a military spouse. She's lived what she is discussing on this episode and shares how animal-assisted therapy can greatly benefit a Veteran or a military spouse.