KILLEEN, Texas — Military families face unique challenges and even the children make sacrifices. From being separated from their families to having to pack up and move and adjust, those sacrifices can lead to struggles with mental health.
35% of active duty service members have children. Parents are now left wondering how they can help.
"When there's disruption to the family unit, it has a ripple effect," Katherine Martin, Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors in Killeen Clinic Director, said.
The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic serves thousands of military families. They understand some of the battles that children are fighting.
"With various relocations, lack of consistent support and just even the process of going to school and starting a school over," Martin said.
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Kisha Vallejo is a clinician and knows just how hard deployments can be.
"I've done it before as a child," Vallejo said.
Bottling up and staying quiet is what many resort to.
Some children will have uncommon changes in their mood or behavior, development regression, sleep problems, excessive worry, anger, no interest in their favorite activities and risk-taking behaviors.
If your child is showing any of these signs, play therapy could help.
"Play is the language of a child," Vallejo said. "It's going to help them express themselves, learning what their emotions are. A lot of times, children do not know and can't put a name to what's going on, so it comes out in play."
"It just lets kids be kids," Martin added.
There's therapy for the entire family too. Veterans and active duty typically utilize sand tray therapy, which the Killeen clinic offers. It's a way to express feelings without words.
"We never know what's going to show up in the trays," Vallejo said. "It's such a beautiful process to watch."
The process at the clinic starts as young as five years old.
"It's imperative to start early," Martin said.
Any military family can walk in and ask for help.
"Whether it's the dependents or the military member themselves or you know, the veteran after the fact just trying to process, we're here for you," Martin said.
You can learn more about the clinic here.
The clinic is hosting a free event on Saturday, April 27. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kids will be able to make birdhouses, tie-dye bags and can enjoy snacks. It's all designed with the military child in mind.
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