Mental Health in Military Families
We offer support for military families, to help them manage mental health issues so they can thrive. Willow Springs Center is a major provider of military mental health services in Nevada. We use a variety of treatment methods to help you and your child or teen manage mental health challenges.
Mental Health Concerns in Military Children
Every child and family faces stressors in life. But growing up in a military family can add significant stress for children and adolescents. Unique aspects of military life can increase their risk of anxiety, depression, behavioral problems and other mental health disorders.
These factors include:
- Deployments and long-term separation of the family unit
- Frequent moves and changes to schools, friends and extracurricular activities
- Parental mental health disorders resulting from combat, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or aggressive behaviors in the home
- Trouble accessing or maintaining continuity of care
- Uncertainty regarding when the next move or separation may occur, which can affect interpersonal relationships and social connections
- Unstable finances, which may include food shortages or housing instability
The Purple Star School Designation
Willow Springs has received The Purple Star School Designation. It is granted by the Department of Education and aimed at honoring schools that have shown significant dedication to serving military families, including students who frequently relocate due to their parents’ military service. This designation helps ensure that military-connected children receive the support they need to transition smoothly into new educational environments.
Mental Health in Military Families: Why Choose Us?
Military families who choose Willow Springs Center for their loved ones’ mental health needs find:
- Family-centered care: Military families often need a family approach to mental health. Our psychologists and therapists assess all members to understand the family dynamic and develop a customized approach to care. Treatment may include individual services for the child or teen, family therapy, referrals to services for parents and support groups for both children and families.
- Extensive experience with military kids: Our psychologists, nurses, therapists and teachers are specially trained to understand the unique challenges facing military children. We have extensive experience interacting with military families and understand their needs.
- TRICARE® in-network: Willow Springs Center is a TRICARE®in-network medical facility. This means we meet stringent licensing and certification requirements and can accept this military health insurance.
- Multiple levels of care: We have programs to treat various levels of severity in mental illness. We offer inpatient residential treatment, a partial hospitalization (day program) and on-site school to help kids transition smoothly.
- Comprehensive medical model: We are a licensed hospital with trained nursing staff. We are equipped to manage individuals’ other medical conditions during their stay, such as diabetes and disabilities.
DBT Skills and Tools
Caregivers at Willow Springs Center are extensively trained in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). This method can help people manage challenging mental health disorders. Read more about DBT and our approach to teenage mental health.
In military families, our therapists use DBT to teach skills and tools to:
- Cope with deployment and separation in healthy ways
- Establish boundaries with other family members, such as removing oneself from conflicts and confrontations at home
- Improve interpersonal skills and communication to enhance family relationships
- Lessen feelings of depression, anxiety and stress
- Recognize, accept and manage intense emotions and negative thoughts
- Use strategies to reduce impulsive and self-harming behaviors, such as going for a run or taking a cold shower
Individualized, Family-Centered Care for Military Families
Every military family has different challenges and needs. We listen to your concerns so we can design a program that fits your situation. This often involves services to help parents address their own mental health.
Your family-centered program may include:
- Family therapy, where the family unit works together
- Individual therapy, where they can discuss their concerns privately
- Group therapy to help children connect with others who can relate
- Weekly support group for military parents, where they learn to regulate their behavior and connect with other military parents
- Referral to treatment centers for parents who need mental health care
- Medication management for teens
- Weekly assignments to work on specific skills and weekly check-in calls to discuss progress
We understand the importance of being flexible, particularly when family members are deployed. Willow Springs offers audio and video conferencing with family members who cannot be on-site.
We also understand concerns regarding mental health in the military and offer sensitive, discreet help.
In addition, your family has access to an on-call therapist on weekends (10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday) and weekday evenings (5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday). Teens and parents can text or call the therapist for extra support when they encounter challenges at home.
Get Help Now
Contact us to discover how Willow Springs Center can help your military family cope with mental health disorders.
If you believe your child is experiencing a mental health crisis, CALL 988 or seek the nearest emergency room.
TRICARE® is a registered trademark of the Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency. All rights reserved.