It's a reflection of why approaching veterans to talk about their war experiences needs to be done with sensitivity, mental health professionals say. James Garrett, clinical psychologist for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Albany, said he and his colleagues at the center were encouraging family members to ask veterans about the war but to do so with care. Those are lead questions to start a conversation. Give them the opportunity to tell you. Keep in mind that everyone experiences traumatic events such as war differently, Garrett said.
Nobody can go to war and be changed in the same way.
They see and do things that most people have no concept of. Dr. Stephen Jankowski, a clinical social worker and director of the Mental Health Clinic at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Albany, said it was important to not probe or pressure an unwilling veteran into talking. Sometimes they may just want to share what the customs or politics were like in a country. That's a way to initiate the conversation, rather than asking a more emotional question. Rosemary Duncan, clinical manager of community-based veterans clinics for the veterans hospital in Albany, said most people who have never been in a war don't have a clue of what one is asked to do in battle.