Harvard Veterans Alumni Organization

Mental Health Initiative

Evidence-Based Therapy Available for Veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs

“Evidence-based therapies (EBTs) have been shown to improve a variety of mental health conditions and overall well-being. These treatments are tailored to each Veteran’s needs, priorities, values, preferences, and goals for therapy. EBTs often work quickly and effectively, sometimes within a few weeks or months, depending on the nature or severity of your symptoms” (VA.gov, 2023).

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depression (ACT-D)

• Behavioral Activation (BA)

• Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT)

• Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders (CBT-SUD)

• Contingency Management (CM)

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing for PTSD (EMDR-PTSD)

• Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT)

• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

• Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)

• Problem-Solving Therapy (PST)

• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)

• Safety Planning (SP)

• Social Skills Training (SST)

• Written Exposure Therapy

Department of Veteran Affairs treatment options for trauma-focused intervention for PTSD (VA.gov, 2023).

Alternative Treatments Available for U.S. Military Veterans

Health Resources for Veterans

Educational Resources

What Is Neurofatigue and How Does It Relate to Brain Injury and PTSD?

Tools for Managing Stress and Worry

What are the symptoms of Gulf War syndrome?

Plasma biomarkers associated with deployment trauma and its consequences in post-9/11 era veterans: initial findings from the TRACTS longitudinal cohort

Inflammation and psychological symptoms may be related to blast exposure in post-9/11 Veterans

Gulf War Illness Linked to Brain Inflammation

Combat Veterans’ Brains Reveal Hidden Damage from IED Blasts

Repetitive blast mild traumatic brain injury increases ethanol sensitivity in male mice and risky drinking behavior in male combat veterans

“Holding Space”: A Phenomenological Exploration of Mindfulness-Based Practice With Veterans Who Have Experienced Trauma

Psychological Flexibility and Set-Shifting Among Veterans Participating in a Yoga Program: A Pilot Study

Benefits and Challenges of Using Service Dogs for Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Sleep disturbance in PTSD and other anxiety-related disorders: an updated review of clinical features, physiological characteristics, and psychological and neurobiological mechanisms

Psychedelic treatment linked to substantial reduction in alcohol misuse and PTSD symptoms in US Special Operations Forces Veterans

PTSD Biomarkers Found in Blood

What Alcohol does to your Body, Brain, and Health.

Intimate partner violence: Wounds are deeper

The Efficacy of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Managing Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A New Frontier?

Individual differences in the neuropsychopathology of addiction

Intimate Partner Violence

The Science and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Chronic sinus inflammation appears to alter brain activity

The Science and Process of Healing from Grief

Using Light (Sunlight, Blue Light, and Red Light) to Optimize Health

Dr. Matthew Walker: The Science and Practice of Perfecting your Sleep

Plants of the Gods: The Ethnobotany of Warfare.

Sebastian Junger: Seeking Freedom, Near-Death Experiences, and Reordering Yourself in the World.

Psychiatric Issues in Women Veterans

Perspectives on resilience for military readiness and preparedness: Report of an international military physiology roundtable

Sex Differences in the Neurobiology of Stress

What is intimate partner violence? It’s not just physical abuse

VA strengthens care for Veterans impacted by intimate partner violence and sexual assault

For more information about HVAO’s Veteran Mental Health Initiative please contact our Special Initiatives Officer, Melanie Boling at mentalhealth@harvardveterans.org.