Features assignments and exercises to meet the changing needsof mental health professionals

The Veterans and Active Duty Military Psychotherapy Homework Planner provides you with an array of ready-to-use, between-session assignments designed to fit virtually every therapeutic mode. This easy-to-use sourcebook features:

78 ready-to-copy exercises covering the most common issues encountered by veterans and active duty soldiers in therapy, such as anger management, substance abuse and dependence, bereavement, pre-deployment stress, and chronic pain after injuryA quick-reference format—the interactive assignments are grouped by behavioral problems including combat and operational stress reactions, postdeployment reintegration, survivor's guilt, anxiety, parenting problems related to deployment, and posttraumatic stress disorderExpert guidance on how and when to make the most efficient use of the exercisesAssignments are cross-referenced to The Veterans and Active Duty Military Psychotherapy Treatment Planner—so you can quickly identify the right exercise for a given situation or problemA CD-ROM that contains all the exercises in a word-processing format—allowing you to customize them to suit you and your clients' unique styles and needs

JAMES R. FINLEY, MA, LMHC, is a psychotherapist with experience as a clinical supervisor and program manager in a variety of military, community, and correctional settings. He is a retired Marine and disabled veteran.

BRET A. MOORE, PsyD, ABPP, is a clinical psychologist in San Antonio, Texas, coauthor of dozens of journal articles, book chapters, and books on military psychology issues, and founder of Military Psychology Consulting, which provides guidance on military issues to various organizations. In 2008, he left active duty service in the U.S. Army, where he served as a captain and a clinical psychologist with the 85th Combat Stress Control (CSC) unit based in Fort Hood, Texas. He has extensive experience treating veterans, including two tours of duty in Iraq.

PracticePlanners® Series Preface xv

Preface xvii

SECTION IAdjustment to Killing 1

Exercise I.A Normal Reactions to Killing 2

Exercise I.B When Killing Is Necessary 6

SECTION IIAdjustment to the Military Culture 8

Exercise II.A How Did I Imagine My Life in the Military? 9

Exercise II.B All for One and One for All 12

SECTION IIIAmputation, Loss of Mobility, Disfigurement 14

Exercise III.A Mourning and Acceptance 15

Exercise III.B What Makes Me Who I Am? 19

SECTION IVAnger Management and Domestic Violence 21

Exercise IV.A Anger as a Drug 22

Exercise IV.B Being Who I Want to Be 25

SECTION VAntisocial Behavior in the Military 28

Exercise V.A What Was I Thinking? 29

Exercise V.B Mentorship and Respect 32

SECTION VIAnxiety 34

Exercise VI.A Action, Coping Skills, and Acceptance 35

Exercise VI.B Getting Away from Catastrophizing 39

SECTION VIIAttention and Concentration Deficits 41

Exercise VII.A Staying Focused 42

Exercise VII.B Structuring My Life 46

SECTION VIIIBereavement Due to the Loss of a Comrade 49

Exercise VIII.A Commemorating Lost Friends and Family 50

Exercise VIII.B How Do I Want to Be Remembered? 54

SECTION IXBorderline Personality 57

Exercise IX.A Am I Comparing My Insides with Other Peoples Outsides? 58

Exercise IX.B I Cant Believe Everything I Think 61

SECTION XBrief Reactive Psychotic Episode 64

Exercise X.A Staying in Touch with Reality 65

Exercise X.B Reality Checks 69

SECTION XIChronic Pain after Injury 72

Exercise XI.A Alternative Methods for Managing Pain 73

Exercise XI.B Coping with Addiction and Chronic Pain 77

Exercise XI.C Helping Myself by Helping Others 81

SECTION XIICombat and Operational Stress Reaction 84

Exercise XII.A Normal Reactions in Extreme Situations 85

Exercise XII.B Healthy Ways to Handle Stress Fast 89

SECTION XIIIConflict with Comrades 92

Exercise XIII.A Communication and Conflict Management Skills 93

Exercise XIII.B Understanding Sources of Conflict 98

SECTION XIVDepression 101

Exercise XIV.A Challenging Depressive Illusions 102

Exercise XIV.B From Acceptance to Appreciation 106

SECTION XVDiversity Acceptance 109

Exercise XV.A Different People, Different Strengths 110

Exercise XV.B Were More Alike than We Look:

Seeing Past the Surface 114

SECTION XVIFinancial Difficulties 117

Exercise XVI.A Money Management Skills 118

Exercise XVI.B Spending as a Drug 122

SECTION XVIIHomesickness/Loneliness 125

Exercise XVII.A Making the Best of Wherever I Am 126

Exercise XVII.B This, Too, Shall Pass: Taking It One Day at a Time 130

SECTION XVIIIInsomnia 133

Exercise XVIII.A Why Cant I Sleep? 134

Exercise XVIII.B Sleep Management 138

SECTION XIXMild Traumatic Brain Injury 140

Exercise XIX.A Adapting to a Brain Injury 141

Exercise XIX.B Helping My Family and Friends Help Me 144

SECTION XXNightmares 147

Exercise XX.A What Are My Dreams Telling Me?

Keeping a Dream Journal 148

Exercise XX.B Avoiding and Coping with Nightmares 151

SECTION XXIOpioid Dependence 154

Exercise XXI.A Near-Term and Long-Term Effects of Opioid

Dependence and Withdrawal 155

Exercise XXI.B Safe and Healthy Alternatives: Ways to Cope with Pain and Anxiety without Drugs 159

SECTION XXIIPanic/Agoraphobia 162

Exercise XXII.A Working with Fear 163

Exercise XXII.B Preventing Panic in Myself and Others 167

SECTION XXIIIParenting Problems Related to Deployment 170

Exercise XXIII.A How Will I Explain This Deployment to My Children? 171

Exercise XXIII.B How Will I Stay in Touch with My Children? 175

SECTION XXIVPerformance-Enhancing Supplement Use 178

Exercise XXIV.A Near-Term and Long-Term Effects of Stimulant Dependence and Withdrawal 179

Exercise XXIV.B Near-Term and Long-Term Effects of Anabolic Steroid Dependence and Withdrawal 183

SECTION XXVPhobia 186

Exercise XXV.A Useful and Useless Fear 187

Exercise XXV.B Understanding and Overcoming Phobias 191

SECTION XXVIPhysiological Stress ResponseAcute 194

Exercise XXVI.A Quick Strategies for Coping with Intense Stress Response 195

Exercise XXVI.B Safe and Peaceful Place Meditation 199

SECTION XXVIIPost-Deployment Reintegration Problems 202

Exercise XXVII.A Why Am I Having Trouble Now? 203

Exercise XXVII.B Whats Different and How Will I Adapt? 207

SECTION XXVIIIPosttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 209

Exercise XXVIII.A I Am a Survivor, Not a VictimPTSD as Lifesaving Adaptation 210

Exercise XXVIII.B Identifying and Avoiding or Coping with PTSD Triggers 214

SECTION XXIXPre-Deployment Stress 217

Exercise XXIX.A Am I Ready for Deployment? 218

Exercise XXIX.B Helping My Family Prepare for My Deployment 222

SECTION XXXSeparation and Divorce 232

Exercise XXX.A Getting Through the Loss of a Relationship 233

Exercise XXX.B Avoiding Rebounds, Replays, and Resentments: Identifying and Changing Patterns that Arent Working 237

SECTION XXXISexual Assault by Another Service Member 240

Exercise XXXI.A Taking Care of Myself Physically and Emotionally after a Sexual Assault 241

Exercise XXXI.B Healing and Claiming My Identity as a Survivor 245

SECTION XXXIIShift Work Sleep Disorder 248

Exercise XXXII.A Alternative Sleep Scheduling 249

Exercise XXXII.B Establishing a Shift Work Sleep Environment 253

SECTION XXXIIISocial Discomfort 255

Exercise XXXIII.A Getting More Comfortable in Social Situations 256

Exercise XXXIII.B Finding a Social Niche and Friendships 260

SECTION XXXIVSpiritual and Religious Issues 263

Exercise XXXIV.A Understanding Spirituality 264

Exercise XXXIV.B What Do I Believe In? 268

SECTION XXXVSubstance Abuse/Dependence 271

Exercise XXXV.A What Does Addiction Mean to Me? 272

Exercise XXXV.B Problem Identification 276

Exercise XXXV.C Personal Recovery Planning 279

SECTION XXXVISuicidal Ideation 284

Exercise XXXVI.A What Do I Have to Offer to Others? 285

Exercise XXXVI.B Finding Emotional Relief and Support 289

SECTION XXXVIISurvivors Guilt 292

Exercise XXXVII.A Corresponding with Fallen Friends 293

Exercise XXXVII.B Carrying the Legacy 297

SECTION XXXVIIITobacco Use 300

Exercise XXXVIII.A Avoiding Nicotine Relapse Triggers 301

Exercise XXXVIII.B Use of Affirmations for Change 304

Appendix : Additional Assignments for Presenting Problems 307

About the CD-ROM 316