Every Veterans Day we honor the men and women who have fought and sacrificed for our country.
In this week’s Mindful Headlines podcast, KING 5 Anchor Jessica Janner Castro spoke to Jeremy Grisham, the interim counseling and wellness director at the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.
Grisham is now a licensed mental health counselor, but he was once a patient. Grisham is a medically retired U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman and combat veteran who served his enlistment attached to a Marine Corps unit during the Iraq War. He was once diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and was homeless before getting help from the VA system. He now holds an executive role in the very system that lifted him out of despair.
“One thing that the state is doing with the Vet Corp program, in particular, is to have a group of veterans dispersed across the state with the direct purpose of connecting with veterans and helping them make sense of everything,” Grisham said. “We’ve been widely successful with that since 2009. We piloted the national model.”
Grisham said the pandemic has been difficult for many elderly veterans.
“A veteran I spoke to yesterday, for example, does not have access to Zoom, doesn’t understand today’s modern approach to connecting, and it’s confusing,” Grisham said. “So, I think in that regard, it’s created a disconnect where it promotes a sense of isolation.”
Grisham suggested a meaningful way to honor veterans is to make authentic connections with them; he said sparking conversations with veterans, especially the older generation, can help them feel less isolated.
This year’s Veterans Day may take on new meaning since the end of the war in Afghanistan. Some veterans are feeling hurt, angry and confused since the end of the war.
“With the pullout the way it happened, it felt like a betrayal.” said Grisham. “It’s frustrating for a lot of folks to come to terms with.”
Grisham said if you’re a veteran that is suffering silently or even simply curious about mental health resources, you should not hesitate to reach out to the VA system. Grisham said it was his connection to the VA and the variety of programs it offers that helped him recover from depression and regain his sense of self-worth.
Resources
Veterans crisis line: 1-800-273-8255, press 1 or text 838255
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"Mindful Headlines" is a news podcast about the Pacific Northwest that explores how our psychology intersects with current events.
The way we interact with our world is influenced by the way we perceive the world. In turn, our collective minds shape the issues that make headlines in our local communities and nationwide.