Veterans Day: Honoring Service and Taking Care of Ourselves
- Melanie Sivley, LCSW
- Nov 11, 2025
- 4 min read
As an Army Veteran and former Military Police Sergeant, Veterans Day always brings up a lot of feelings for me. It’s a time to honor everyone who’s served — the early mornings, the long shifts, the sense of purpose, and the camaraderie that only comes from military life.
I’ll never forget being stationed in Germany and those quiet, chilly mornings when we raised the flag. I’d stand there, filled with homesickness and pride, listening to Reveille echo across the base. Even now, that sound still hits me right in the chest.
I was fortunate to have left the Army less than a year before 9/11. I remember the conflict I felt. Part of me wanted to rejoin my platoon and stand beside my brothers and sisters again. But another part of me was deeply grateful that I didn’t have to see combat and experience the toll it takes.
Every year around this time, I think about my friends who did go to war and the ones who are still serving today. Some of them have carried things most people will never understand. And honestly, it’s frustrating — even infuriating — to see how often they’ve been called up or put in harm’s way for reasons that seem more political than purposeful. Watching good service members get activated or deployed under leaders who treat their sacrifice like a talking point, especially now, is painful. Our troops deserve respect, stability, and clear purpose — not to be used as props or pawns in someone’s agenda. (Can we say illegal photo op at Arlington Cemetery?)
The Stuff We Don’t Always Talk About
Even without combat experience, military service changes you. You’re trained to stay sharp, handle pressure, and be the one people can count on. Those skills serve you well in uniform — but they can make life after the military challenging. Slowing down, asking for help, or admitting that something’s off doesn’t always come naturally.
There’s so much stigma around mental health for veterans. Many of us were taught to “suck it up and drive on” but that doesn’t always work in real life. Taking care of your mental health isn’t weakness — it’s strength. It’s how we stay ready for the rest of what life throws at us. Taking care of your mental health isn’t weakness — it’s maintenance. It’s just another form of readiness.
Seeing It Up Close
When I was interning as part of my master’s program, I started a group for veterans struggling with PTSD. Sitting in that room, listening to those stories — it really hit me how unfair it is that veterans have to fight so hard for care after already giving so much. These were people who had served their country with everything they had, yet they felt invisible once they came home. (Or ridicule if they’re still in the military.)
That experience changed me. It reminded me that healing shouldn’t depend on luck or persistence — it should be accessible, respectful, and stigma-free. Veterans shouldn’t have to struggle alone or feel like asking for help is another battle to win.
How Therapy Can Help Veterans
Therapy isn’t about reliving the past — it’s about understanding it and finding your footing again. It’s a space where you can be honest, decompress, and rebuild at your own pace.
Here’s how therapy can help:
Healing from combat PTSD
Manage stress and anxiety that build up over time
Improve sleep and focus
Handle anger or frustration that sneaks up unexpectedly
Strengthen relationships with family, friends, and yourself
Even if you’re not in crisis, getting help can make all the difference.
Why EMDR Works So Well for Combat PTSD
One of the most effective treatments for trauma — especially combat-related PTSD — is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). It’s a specialized therapy that helps the brain reprocess painful memories so they lose their emotional intensity. You don’t forget what happened — you just stop reliving it over and over.
There’s a ton of research showing that EMDR works. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense both recognize it as one of the most effective, evidence-based treatments for PTSD. Many veterans who’ve tried everything else finally start to find relief through EMDR. It’s structured, it’s safe, and it helps the brain do what it naturally wants to do: heal.
A Message to My Fellow Veterans
We’ve already proven our strength in more ways than most people will ever know. Reaching out for help doesn’t take away from that — it adds to it. Whether you served four years or twenty, deployed or not, your experiences matter. And if you’re feeling frustrated or disheartened about how things have gone in recent years, you’re not alone. Many of us share that mix of pride, grief, and anger — but we can turn it into something healing and honest.
We’re Here for You
At Bodhi Counseling, we understand what it’s like to navigate life after the military. Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, or just trying to find your place again, we’re here to help.
Contact us today to set up a session or learn more about how therapy can support your next chapter. You’ve taken care of your country — now it’s time to take care of yourself. You’ve earned that peace.
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