Veterans Ministry Resources

THE WOUNDS OF WAR
The Church as a Healing Community for Veterans and Their Families
Sponsored by
Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area – Disability Concerns Task Force

Selected Resources

 

Pastoral and psychological counseling specialized to the needs of veterans in the Twin Cities Area

 

Vaughn Jefferson, PSYD. MDiv, LP, LLC,  LtCol USAF Ret.  (Shoreview)   651-483-1333

vjefferson@comcast.net

Sheila Laughton,. MA in Theology, MA Counseling, Masters Certificate in Spiritual Direction. LtCol

USAF Ret.    Welcome Home program/ Loyola Spirituality Center 651-641-0008  ext 13

Rev John Manz, Lutheran Social Services C.O.R.E. program for military members past and present

and their families  888-881-8261

Organizational resources/support: Twin Cities Area

 

Coming Home Collaborative …………is an open and growing Twin Cities area association of people of faith, including veterans and those who care for them. Their mission includes raising awareness of the suffering of veterans and their families, and promoting healing pathways, especially within communities of faith.  Amy Blumenshine, ELCA Diaconal Minister, convenes a Vets Ministry Roundtable every other month to facilitate networking and best practices in ministry. Contact ListenToVets@comcast.net or phone 612-871-2967 to get announcements or visit www.listentovets.org

Loyola  Welcome Home Ministry………..Most returning veterans will reintegrate into their families and communities with minimal problems given enough time. This ministry is designed to shorten that time by providing a confidential, safe setting to talk about experiences or problems that are affecting one’s ability to reintegrate into civilian life- particularly questions of meaning and faith.  This Listening Ministry is free of charge for service members and their families.  For information or to schedule a meeting call Loyola 651-641-0008 X 13 or learn more at www.loyolaspiritualitycenter.com

Base Camp Hope………..is a multifunctional therapeutic 501 © faith based organization dedicated to helping Veterans and their families deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  In the current start up phase, help is given in getting benefits, providing group meetings for management of PTSD (classes on topics such as anger management, sleep habits, drug and alcohol counseling, 1:1 or group or family counseling, physical and work therapy, writing art and music therapy). A facility is planned that will house up to 200 people with trained counselors and therapy staff. Tiers of service will range from a 24/7 drop in program – 24 mo.   www.basecamphope.org 651-283-8459

Lutheran Social Services C.O.R.E. program . (Case management, Outreach, Referral to other services, and Education). Pastoral staff and congregations involved in ministry with veterans and their families now can refer to Lutheran Social Services of MN (LSS) for no cost care.  MN veterans of any era, active duty, reserve military and immediate families are eligible for a range of LSS services thanks to partnership with the MN Dept Of Veterans Affairs and state funding.  The scope of services includes individual and family counseling, financial counseling, debt management, addiction assessments and referral, disability services and in-home counseling.  Intake line: 612-5320/ask for the C.O.R.E. program.

Vet Center. (Brooklyn Park 763-503-2220, New Brighton 651-644-4022, Duluth 218-7228654) Free and Confidential Readjustment Counseling Services. Many Vet Center counselors are veterans themselves delivering post-trauma and readjustment services since 1979.  Counseling services includes sexual trauma and harassment counseling and bereavement counseling offered to parents, spouses and children of military personnel who died in service to their country. Other services include individual and group free re-adjustment counseling, benefits assistance, marital and family counseling, substance abuse information and counseling.  651-644-4022   www.vetcenter.va.gov

Organizational resources/support:  Nationwide

 

Hearts Toward Home International: a non-profit providing support, counseling, classes, and materials, reintegration workshops/for military personnel (active duty and returning) and their families www.heartstowardhome.com

Presbyterian Military Chaplains/Pastoral Ministries:…Ed Brogen, Director. www.pccmp.org 202-244-4177

… Presbyterians for Disability Concerns : Disability Access/Inclusion Sunday Materials (free download).  The Wounds of War: The Church As A Healing Community

Caring Connections Online and Minneapolis ELCA support….An Inter-Lutheran Online Journal for practitioners and teachers of pastoral care and counseling www.caringconnectionsonline.org and www.mpls-synod.org/programs/vets/resources

 

Military One Source:…info and referrals to support active duty service members and their families. Free/private 24/7 1-800-342-9647 www.militaryonesource.com

Children/Youth Support:

Operation Military Kids: www.operationmilitarykids.org and www.militarychild.org

 

 

Selected Books/DVD Resources

 

Sippola, John, Chaplain LTC Ret. M Div, Amy Blumenshine, MSW, MA, Donald Tubesing, Phd, MDiv, Valerie Yancey. Phd. RN  Welcome Them Home, Help Them Heal..Pastoral care and ministry with service members returning from war (2009) Order from www.welcomethemhomebook.com

 

Matsakis, Aphrodite, I Can’t Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors (2^nd Ed), Oakland, New Harbinger Press,1966. (For survivors and family members). www.matsakis.com

 

Meagher, Ilona, Moving a Nation to Care: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and America’s Returning Troops, New York, Ig Publishing, 2007. http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com

 

Sherman, Michelle and Sherman, DeAnne, Finding My Way: A Teen’s Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma, Edina, Beaver’s Pond Press, 2005.

Cantrell, Bridget Phd and Chuck Dean, Down Range to Iraq and Back, 2005, Once A Warrior Wired for Life, 2007, Cantrell, Souls Under Siege-Effects of Multiple Deployments and How to Weather the Storm , 2008.  www.heartstowardhome.com

 

Pavlicin, Karen M., Surviving Deployment…A Guide for Military Families, 2003,  Life After Deployment…Military Families Share Reunion Stories and Advice, 2007. Available  from www.MilitaryFamilyBooks.com

 

Thompson, David and Darlene Wetterstrom. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. 2009. Abingdon Press.

 

Scurfield, Raymond Monsousr. War Trauma: Lessons Unlearned from Viet Nam to Iraq.  NY, Algora Publishing, 2006  http://www.usm.edu/socialwork/scurfield

 

Coming Home: Supporting Your Soldier (DVD or VHS). Dec 2007. Produced by Twin Cities Public Television and NAMI Minnesota  (National Alliance on Mental Illness- MN).  Order from   http://www.namihelps.org or 651-645-2948.

 

 

(For a digital copy of these selected resources contact:  clynncox@msn.com )

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