There are a lot of reasons why veterans should see a counselor. Many times, a veteran may not realize a counselor can be helpful to them, even if they assume that their experiences aren't "bad enough" and they don't need one. The counselor may be able to educate them on some of the various things they can get out of counseling that may come as a bit of a surprise to them. Here are some of the different ways counselors for veterans can help.  

1. Give the veteran a place to speak freely

There may be a lot of things a veteran feels they can't talk about with those close to them. Whether there are things they feel ashamed of or they don't want to talk about certain things because they are worried hearing those things would upset those who are close to them, they may have a lot of things that they end up bottling up inside. This can cause them to feel a lot of stress because they are holding so much inside. When they have a counselor, they will have a safe place where they can freely talk about the things they want to get off their chest and not have to worry about judgment from others. 

2. Help the veteran learn coping skills

A counselor can help a veteran to learn coping skills that they can use when they are bothered by things like intrusive thoughts, feeling misunderstood, or mood swings, as these are a couple of examples that someone who has served can be left to deal with. The counselor may even give them "homework" that they should do on a regular basis that can help them to feel better throughout the day. 

3. Recognize more serious issues

A counselor also has the training and knowledge to spot more serious issues that someone such as a veteran may be dealing with that should be taken seriously. For example, a veteran may exhibit the signs of someone who is dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. If this is the case, the counselor will likely want them to also see a psychiatrist to make the diagnosis and prescribe medication to the veteran that will be able to help them. They will still be able to see a local counselor in order to continue taking advantage of the benefits counseling offers, while also undergoing the treatment with the psychiatrist.