How would you finish the sentence: “Today I am…?” Would you say you’re happy, patient, alone, healing, sad or something else? Ideally, how would you like to end that sentence?

During Mental Health Month in May, VA is featuring several Veterans who describe how their lives and perspectives have improved since receiving professional mental health care. Each story completes the thought “Today I am…” and includes information about the treatments that helped each Veteran process their past and map out their future.

Today, Mike is part of something

After serving in the Marines, Mike tried to handle the effects of his trauma alone. Eventually he realized that drinking a lot, hiding his feelings and ignoring his thoughts of suicide weren’t helping. With the support of his wife, Mike found mental health care that brought him real relief. Mike’s experiences in therapy spurred him to get a master’s degree in social work so he could help other Veterans who feel like he once did.

“There’s a lot of us out here who’ve been through this and… gotten to the other side,” he said.

Today, Laura is proud of herself

When her husband suggested she talk to a therapist, Laura knew he was right. Her history of disordered eating, substance use disorder and military sexual trauma ultimately led the Navy Veteran to an intensive therapy session for women. That group session and the one-on-one therapy sessions that followed have helped Laura gain a clearer perspective, one in which she can process her trauma in healthy ways. 

“My sobriety today means the world to me. It means I can wake up with a clear head, that I can be proud of myself, that I can stop hating myself for a lot of things that weren’t necessarily my fault,” she said.

How are you today?

This May, Veterans and their supporters are encouraged to think about how they would like to finish the thought, “Today I am…” and find inspiration in stories from real Veterans like Mike and Laura.

Visit the Make the Connection website to learn more about how mental health support at VA has helped these Veterans and could help you, too.

To read more stories on mental health, visit VA News and Information.

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Mental Health

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3 Comments

  1. Carl D. Mervyn May 7, 2023 at 08:45

    VA mental health support is to farm you out to a community care program or have unlicensed interns work with you. The Veteran has no patient doctor confidentiality. The veteran gets no face to face meetings with a mental health provider. The VA needs to scrape their mental health department and start all over.

  2. CLINTON ELBERT May 4, 2023 at 19:35

    THIS IS CLINTON ELBERT HOW CAN I GET THIS KIT IN MAIL FOR A TEST ON COLON CANCER
    IN MAIL. YOU CAN SEND ME A EMAIL
    I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS KIT TO TEST FOR COLON CANCER.

  3. David May 4, 2023 at 12:09

    Good Afternoon. I have Been hit with PTSD & Ihad everything I worked for all my life Taken from me. After coming home.

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