There are multiple treatment options open to affected families. Of course, if your husband is getting help and improving, this will benefit everyone in the family. But you can also involve your children in family therapy – individually, all together or both. If your husband is getting some coaching on how to be more supportive of the children during family therapy sessions, the times will be more productive. Young children can be involved in art or play therapy. Older children and teens can engage in supportive talk therapy. The main objective: provide a place where each child can have a voice in expressing what he or she needs.

Because so much is being learned about how strongly PTSD can affect families, Veterans Affairs PTSD programs (www.va.gov/) and Vet Centers (www.va.gov/rcs) across the country are beginning to offer group, couples and individual counseling programs for the families of veterans.