Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Advancing Psychological Health and Resilience Through Trauma Research, Education, and Consultation
Courage to Care Collection
In its 6th year of continuous publication, the Courage to Care campaign draws from Uniformed Services University's and the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress expertise in military medicine and military unique health and mental health issues. In November 2010, the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress developed and disseminated two fact sheets that generated considerable interest and attention: "Asking for Help: Facilitating Important Behaviors for Health and Family Function" for providers, and "Asking for Help: Do you Know How?" for military families. Defense Media Activity, DoD's direct line of communication for news and information to U.S. forces worldwide, featured Courage to Care's "Asking for Help" fact sheets on its service member blog.
Evaluation and Treatment of Genital Injuries in Combat Warriors
This year’s annual Artiss Symposium, “The Evaluation and Treatment of Genital Injuries in Combat Warriors,” was sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Courage to Care: The Doctor-Patient Relationship
The doctor-patient relationship is the most important component of ongoing care. It is the basis of medical practice, sustaining care, providing comfort, relief of pain and the basis of the
Courage to Care: Tips for Caring for Your Newborn and Yourself
Military Children are our nation’s children. Congratulations on the birth of your Military Child who enters a special community of caring and courage. These are traditions and values that belong
Courage to Care: Traumatic Brain Injury (For Providers)
A significant number of U.S. troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) ranging from mild (mTBI) to moderate to severe. Estimates range from a
Courage to Care: Traumatic Brain Injury (For Families)
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a topic of interest and concern amongst military families, especially those with loved ones previously or currently deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Among the
Courage to Care: Sustaining Healthcare Continuity (For Providers)
Importantly, moving can disrupt individual and family healthcare routines. Military families move around the nation and around the globe. While relocation is a part of military life and military tradition,
Courage to Care: Suicide Facts (For Families)
Suicide has increased dramatically in the military since the start of the global war on terrorism. Family members and military leaders are all working together to address the needs of
Courage to Care: Suicide Facts for Primary Care Providers
Suicide of our military service members is the highest on record, rising for a fourth straight year and surpassing the suicide rate in the general population. In the Army, about
Courage to Care: Staying the Course
While we often look to our doctors and our healthcare system to take care of us, we have a most important role in this process. Our doctors may provide advice:
Courage to Care: Safety, Health, Preparedness (For Families – Archive)
This fall our nation observes the 5th anniversary of 9/11, the anthrax attacks, and the War on Terror. Service members and their families have played a vital role in our
Courage to Care: Reuniting With Your Loved One
In response to numerous inquiries from family and friends of loved ones returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) would like
Courage to Care: Reintegration Roadmap
Uniformed Services University applauds the educational efforts and programs our Department of Defense community is providing to assist troops and their families in the reintegration process post deployment. To enhance
Courage to Care: Public Health Emergencies (Family)
Public health emergencies, such as the swine flu epidemic, create a call to action for individuals and families to take responsibility for their health. The public is a key partner
Courage to Care: Public Health Emergencies (Provider)
Public health emergencies, such as those involving a potential global pandemic, create numerous opportunities and challenges around public health communication, preparedness, and response. Healthcare providers play a significant role in
Courage to Care: Psychological First Aid
As a healthcare provider, first responder, leader or manager of disaster operations, this fact sheet describes an evidenced-based approach for helping victims cope in the immediate aftermath of a disaster
Courage to Care: Military Families on the Move
Moving, one of the most stressful life events, can be especially difficult for families when service members are deploying or returning from deployment. Part of your checklist before and after
Courage to Care: Invisible Injuires of War (For Provider)
The invisible injuries of service members resulting from our nation’s war on terrorism pose complex challenges for military families, especially military children. With injuries such as post traumatic stress disorder
Courage to Care: The Impact of Invisible Injuries (For Families)
The injuries of war change the lives of service members, families and children. Invisible injuries such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can be
Courage to Care: Helping National Guard and Reserve to Re-Enter Workplace
This fact sheet explains the emotional and psychological issues that reservists may experience transitioning from active duty into their former job or workplace. It is written for both the military
Courage to Care: Health Literacy (For Provider)
There is increasing recognition that a patient’s lack of preparedness for self-care is most often due to lack of knowledge and understanding of the health care system — that is
Courage to Care: The Health Consequences of Disasters and Evacuation
This installment of Courage to Care is designed to facilitate doctor-patient dialogue around the health implications of exposure to disasters, especially those that require the need for evacuation. The talking
Courage to Care: Fostering Safety, Health, and Preparedness (Archive)
Military medical providers will play an important role this fall as the nation observes the 5th anniversary of 9/11, the anthrax attacks, and the War on Terror. Disaster anniversary events
Courage to Care: Primary Care Strategies to Foster Male Health Care Seeking
Gender roles and socialization may partially explain why help seeking patterns in men are historically lower than in women, especially related to emotional problems and depressive symptoms. Primary care providers
Courage to Care: How Can I Get Him to Seek Help?
Women play a key role in encouraging men to seek help for health problems. It is often a wife or important female (girlfriend, mother, sister or aunt) who is the
Courage to Care: Flu Season, A Teachable Moment
We hope this fact sheet, and the attached fact sheet for patients will enhance your communication with service members and their families during the flu season. Flu season is a
Courage to Care: Family Planning for Disasters
Major events such as Hurricane Katrina make us think about the impact of such disasters on our family and loved ones, and how prepared we would be. Whether we live
Courage to Care: Depression in Primary Care
Due to concerns around stigma and one’s career, primary care is often the setting of choice for service members and families to address mental health issues. Our nation’s war on
Courage to Care: What Military Families Should Know About Depression
Depression is one of the most common and treatable mental disorders. Service members and their families experience unique emotional challenges. Deployment and redeployment, single parenting and long absences of loved
Courage to Care: Helping Children Cope During Deployment
This fact sheet contains useful information for you — parents and family caregivers — to help children cope during a parents’ deployment. Experts in military medicine and family trauma who
Courage to Care: Caring Your Family During Flu Season
If you are a military mom or dad, grandparent or caregiver, here are some important things you should know about the flu, and caring for children during the flu season.
Courage to Care: Alcohol and Your Health
Deployments, family separations, single parenting, and reintegration stressors can make service members, their spouses, and even their adolescent children vulnerable to alcohol misuse, abuse, or dependence. Most people who drink
Courage to Care: Becoming A Couple Again
Coming together as a couple after war deployment isn’t always easy or something that happens naturally. It requires effort, and an understanding that each person has grown and changed during
Courage to Care: Advancing the Health of the Family Left Behind
This Courage to Care focuses on the anxieties and concerns of families, especially children, of deployed soldiers. We draw upon the expertise of leaders in military medicine and family trauma
Courage to Care: Adherence Addressing A Range of Patient Health Behaviors
Patient adherence challenges health care providers and our healthcare system. Adherence encompasses a wide range of health behaviors related to routine preventative healthcare (e.g., annual mammogram, yearly physical, cholesterol check),
Courage to Care: Addressing Alcohol Misuse (Provider sheet)
In our current climate of multiple deployments, family separations, single parenting and reintegration challenges, it is reasonable to screen for problem drinking in the military community. Problem drinking is a
Courage to Care: Asking for Help (Family)
Not asking for help, or asking too late, can turn a manageable situation into something more serious. For many people, ‘asking for help’ is not as easy as it sounds.
Courage to Care: Asking for Help (Provider Sheet)
Professionals in healthcare and family support frequently encounter individuals who need, but do not know how to ask for help. When people have difficulty asking for help, manageable issues can