Title: An Exploration to Inform Clinical Practice: Examining Mental Health Care Experiences of Trans Service Members and Veterans

Authors: Megan J. Doughty Shaine, Deanna N. Cor, Andrew J. Campbell, and Abbey L. McAlister

Description: Mental Health Care Experiences of Trans Service Members and Veterans: A Mixed-Methods Study (Shane et al., 2021) explores the mental health care experiences of trans service members for the purpose of identifying training and practice recommendations for mental health providers. This study examines experiences with military and nonmilitary providers with a focus on stigma and barriers to care. Stigmatization significantly contributes to psychological distress for trans service members and veterans. Furthermore, trans service members and veterans experience high rates of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, suicide, and military sexual trauma. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 10 participants. This CE provides professional counselors with information to better understand the lived experiences of trans service members and veterans and research findings to inform how to better serve these individuals.