Mental health struggles among our nation’s veterans have reached a breaking point.
One organization decided to do something about it.
And Cohen Veterans Network just dropped one crucial fact about PTSD that every American needs to hear.
Veterans group launches campaign to set the record straight on PTSD
Cohen Veterans Network kicked off a new campaign this month called “PTSD: What Therapists Want You to Know.”
The timing makes sense – June is PTSD Awareness Month.
What’s different about this effort is who’s doing the talking.
Instead of politicians or bureaucrats, they’re putting actual therapists front and center.
These are people who work with PTSD patients every single day.
“PTSD is often misunderstood, leading to stigma and misinformation that can prevent people from seeking help,” said Dr. Anthony Hassan, president and CEO of Cohen Veterans Network. “By increasing awareness and understanding about the disorder, we hope to empower more individuals to take that first step toward care. PTSD is treatable, recovery is possible, and support is available.”
The campaign digs into questions that keep families up at night.
Why do two people react completely differently to the same trauma?
What actually causes PTSD to develop?
How can someone get the most out of treatment?
The numbers don’t lie about America’s PTSD crisis
Here’s what the data shows about PTSD in this country.
Seven out of every 100 veterans will deal with PTSD at some point.
The general population isn’t much better – six out of 100 adults will face it.
About 12 million Americans are living with PTSD right now.
This isn’t just a military problem.
PTSD can hit anyone who experiences or witnesses something life-threatening.
Car accidents, natural disasters, violent crimes, sexual assault – trauma comes in many forms.
Our veterans are different because they signed up to put themselves in danger for the rest of us.
When they come home carrying these invisible wounds, we owe them our full support.
One network is actually making a difference
Cohen Veterans Network opened its doors in 2016 and has been busy ever since.
They’ve helped more than 85,000 clients get the care they needed.
The organization has delivered over 770,000 therapy sessions to veterans, active duty folks, and their families.
About 21% of their veteran and active duty clients get treatment for PTSD.
But they handle much more than just PTSD.
Depression, anxiety, anger problems, relationship issues, kids’ behavioral challenges – they tackle it all.
The network runs 22 clinics in 20 states.
Clients can get help in person or through video therapy sessions.
That’s huge for veterans living in rural areas who might be hours away from the nearest clinic.
Helping families understand what they’re dealing with
Part of this new campaign focuses on something that often gets overlooked – how PTSD affects entire families.
They’ve put together advice called “Explaining PTSD to Kids: Four Steps for Parents.”
This gives parents practical ways to talk with their children about trauma and PTSD.
That’s important because kids know when something’s wrong with mom or dad.
They need age-appropriate explanations that help them understand without scaring them.
The campaign also tackles how people throw around the term “PTSD” too casually.
When someone says they have “PTSD” about a bad meeting at work, it minimizes what people with actual PTSD go through.
Words matter, especially when it comes to medical conditions.
A businessman who put his money where his mouth is
Steven A. Cohen founded this network in 2016 and committed $275 million of his own money to make it happen.
This is how real change gets made – someone with resources decides to solve a problem instead of waiting for the government to do it.
Cohen’s connection to the issue is personal.
His son deployed to Afghanistan, so he understands what military families go through.
The organization specifically focuses on post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members, and their families.
That targeted approach lets them understand the unique challenges facing today’s generation of warriors.
Breaking down the barriers that keep veterans from getting help
Military culture has always prized toughness and self-reliance.
For too long, that meant seeking mental health treatment was seen as weakness.
That attitude has cost lives.
Getting help for PTSD isn’t weakness – it’s smart.
It takes guts to admit you’re struggling and even more guts to do something about it.
Cohen Veterans Network’s campaign puts real therapists on camera to explain how trauma works.
They make it clear that developing PTSD after trauma doesn’t mean someone is broken or weak.
People process traumatic experiences differently based on their history, their support system, and their individual brain chemistry.
There’s no shame in needing help to work through it.
What this means for America’s veterans
This awareness campaign comes at a crucial time.
Too many veterans are suffering in silence because they don’t understand PTSD or they’re afraid to seek treatment.
By putting accurate information out there from people who actually treat PTSD, Cohen Veterans Network is helping to change that.
The focus on education over politics is refreshing.
This beats empty campaign promises any day of the week.
Since 2016, they’ve logged more than 770,000 therapy sessions. That’s proof that good treatment works when you have skilled professionals who actually care about getting results.
You can find the campaign’s videos and other materials at cohenveteransnetwork.org/ptsd.
We made a deal with our service members.
We told them we’d take care of them when they came home.
Organizations like Cohen Veterans Network are keeping that promise.
When our veterans are dealing with invisible wounds from their service, we have a responsibility to make sure they get the help they need.
The good news is that PTSD is treatable.
Recovery is possible.
Support is available.
Veterans just need to know where to find it.
