St. Cloud V.A. Offering Violent Partner Assistance

The St. Cloud V.A. offers numerous mental health and relationship assistance programs.  On today's Voices for Veterans segment on WJON I was joined by Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program Coordinator Voni Hovland, Local Recovery Coordinator and Psychologist Kristen Jurek and Public Affairs Officer Barry Venable from the St. Cloud V.A.

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Hovland says the V.A. offers many interventions to veterans and their intimate partners.   She says this could include working with the couple or working individually with the veteran.  Hovland explains a lot of work can be done individually with the veteran if the spouse or partner isn't willing to come in for assistance.  She says there are a couple of different levels of interventions which includes prevention of intimate partner violence or unhealthy relationships.  Hovland indicates the St. Cloud V.A. has been selected as a pilot site the program called "Healthy Relationship Behaviors".  She explains this is one of the programs where they would work with the veteran individually.  Hovland says they would discuss support and conflict resolution in the relationship.  She indicates they work with the veteran to enhance their relationships.

Hovland says another program option is when they work with couples called "Strength at Home".  They help couples understand the impact either their childhood, life experience or military traumatic experiences has had on them.  She says they also examine their common reactions to this and how it impacts their relationship.  Hovland indicates if there is verbal, psychological or physical abuse already going on in the relationship it is counterproductive to have the veteran and the partner together for counseling.

If you'd like to learn more about Intimate Partner Violence Assistance and the other mental health offerings from the St. Cloud V.A., you can listen to my conversation with Voni, Kristen and Barry below.