For Many Therapists, The Gun Culture So Important To Vets They Treat Is Unfamiliar Territory
Veterans and other advocates are trying to get therapists more comfortable talking to their patients about guns.
KQED:
Talking Is Easy For Therapists, Except When It’s About Guns. Veterans Want To Teach Them How.
[Jay] Zimmerman is a peer counselor at the Mountain Home VA Medical Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. He also travels to conferences all over the country, sharing his story with therapists and with other vets. He tries to set an example that it’s okay to ask for help. Even today, if he’s not doing well, he disassembles his guns and stores them separately from ammunition, so he can’t make any rash decisions. If things get really bad, Zimmerman has a special arrangement with a few friends. (Dembosky, 2/1)