Couple-Based Interventions for Military and Veteran Families

Douglas K. Snyder, PhD, LMFT, is Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University, where he also served as Director of Clinical Training for 20 years. Dr. Snyder has engaged in clinical practice and training of couple therapists since the 1970s, and is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). He is coauthor or coeditor of several books for mental health professionals and general readers. Dr. Snyder has served as editor of the Clinician’s Research Digest and as associate editor of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology and the Journal of Family Psychology. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Contribution to Research in Family Therapy Award from AAMFT, the Distinguished Contribution to Family Psychology Award from Division 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Distinguished Psychologist Award from Division 29 (Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy) of APA.Candice M. Monson, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A Fellow of the American and Canadian Psychological Associations and the Royal Society of Canada, she is a recipient of the Traumatic Stress Psychologist of the Year Award from the Canadian Psychological Association and the Distinguished Mentorship Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Monson is well known for her research on interpersonal factors in traumatization and the development, testing, and dissemination of treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including cognitive processing therapy and cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD.

"This volume is a 'must have' for the bookshelf of anyone who works with military couples (or who is interested in working with them). Top scholars in the field focus on practical applications of evidence-based treatments for veterans and their significant others."--Andrew Christensen, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles"Finally--this is the book we psychotherapists have been waiting for. Snyder and Monson, and their star-studded cast of contributors, provide us with the most effective couple and family interventions for common problems of active duty military personnel and veterans. Both partners in a military marriage sacrifice for their country, both partners deserve our respect, and both deserve the support and guidance that enhances their resilience--individually, as a couple, and for their family."--Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, Dr. Laurie Sands Distinguished Professor of Families and Health, and Director, Institute for the Family, University of Rochester Medical Center"Perhaps the greatest tragedy of our time is the enduring psychological consequences of combat for millions of military personnel around the world. Unfortunately, most of the evidence-based treatments that are being disseminated ignore the family and social contexts where problems play out. Snyder and Monson have made a crucial contribution with this much-needed treatment resource, which not only presents state-of-the-art couple-based interventions for service members and veterans, but also 'socializes' the therapist to the military milieu."--David H. Barlow, PhD, ABPP, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry and Founder, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Boston University"Snyder and Monson have assembled some of the world’s leading authorities on couple-based interventions to target an area of growing importance. This book is a much-needed first of its kind, offering not only a coherent theoretical foundation, but also practical, evidence-based interventions for frequently encountered clinical problems. The seamless integration of theory, empirical support, and practice recommendations makes this an ideal resource and training tool for the full spectrum of mental health professionals who work with active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. I thank and congratulate the editors for providing leadership in this essential area of clinical practice."--M. David Rudd, PhD, ABPP, President and Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, University of Memphis"Clinical practice with military personnel and veterans transitioning from war to home has advanced significantly since I published my first empirically based paper on PTSD 30 years ago. The editors and contributors to this remarkable book are among those who have helped us go beyond treating symptoms to nurture and improve family relationships. They do a superb job of presenting theory and research and showing its everyday relevance for treating war- and combat-related problems. The book is exceptionally well planned and consistently organized. I highly recommend it for use in graduate school and postdoctoral training, and especially for practicing clinicians who care for those who have borne the battle. Truly a gift to the field."--Walter E. Penk, PhD, ABPP, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Texas A&M College of Medicine-

• I. Empirical and Conceptual Foundations 1. Couple-Based Interventions for Military and Veteran Families: Evidence and Rationale, Candice M. Monson and Douglas K. Snyder 2. Understanding the Effects of Military Life and Deployment on Couples and Families, James A. Martin and Michelle D. Sherman 3. A Framework for Accessing Resources for Military and Veteran Couples and Families, Laurie B. Slone, Matthew J. Friedman, and Barbara Thompson 4. Transitioning to and from Deployment, Kevin S. Beasley, Shelley M. MacDermid Wadsworth, and June Behn WattsII. Evidence-Based Interventions 5. Enhancing Parenting in Military and Veteran Families, Ellen R. DeVoe, Ruth Paris, and Abigail Ross 6. Infidelity and Other Relationship Betrayals, Douglas K. Snyder, Donald H. Baucom, Kristina Coop Gordon, and Brian D. Doss 7. Intimate Partner Violence, Richard E. Heyman, Casey T. Taft, Jamie M. Howard, Alexandra Macdonald, and Pamela S. Collins 8. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Its Comorbidities, Candice M. Monson, Steffany J. Fredman, and David S. Riggs 9. Depression, Mark A. Whisman and Steven L. Sayers 10. Substance Use Disorders, Jeremiah A. Schumm and Timothy J. O’Farrell 11. Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury, Shirley M. Glynn 12. Grief and Loss, David M. Scheider, Lance Sneath, and Thomas C. WaynickIII. Integration and Implications 13. Integration and Implications for Clinical Practice and Research, Douglas K. Snyder and Candice M. Monson APPENDICES, Philippe Shnaider, Valerie Vorstenbosch, and Sonya G. Wanklyn Appendix A. Resources for Military and Veteran Couples and Families Appendix B. United States Military Ranks Appendix C. Military Structure and Unit Sizes Appendix D. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Organizational Structure Appendix E. Common Terms and Abbreviations