Military Couples and Traumatic Stress
Military life is marked by high levels of occupational hazards such as combat experiences, which may cause traumatic events to occur. This can have a negative impact on both individuals and their relationships, leading to increased rates of divorce among military couples compared to civilian counterparts.
There are several ways that military couples can integrate these shared trauma and operational stress into relational resilience and growth.
Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness
One way that military couples can overcome this challenge is through developing emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Both partners should be able to recognize their own feelings and those of their partner, and work together to identify how they are affected by traumatic events. They must also understand the unique challenges faced by each other in their respective roles and how those might contribute to relationship difficulties. By being more aware of each other's needs and perspectives, they can develop empathy and compassion for one another, which can strengthen their bond.
Healthy Communication
Another key factor is healthy communication. Military couples must learn to communicate effectively about difficult topics like trauma and stress without blaming or criticizing each other. They need to establish ground rules for discussing sensitive issues, such as setting aside time for conversations and creating a safe space where both parties feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. Active listening skills are essential to ensure understanding and avoid misunderstandings.
Seeking Professional Help
Seeking professional help from counselors or therapists who specialize in military families can also be beneficial. These professionals can provide valuable insight into common challenges faced by military couples and offer strategies for managing them. Couples may benefit from individual or group therapy sessions where they can discuss their experiences and gain support from others who have gone through similar situations.
Some organizations offer family programs that address specific aspects of life in the military, including relationships.
Building Trust and Mutual Support
Building trust and mutual support between partners is critical for overcoming shared trauma and operational stress. This involves developing a sense of trustworthiness in each other, being accountable for actions and words, and providing emotional and practical support when needed. It means recognizing each other's strengths and weaknesses, celebrating successes together, and working towards shared goals. By doing so, couples create a strong foundation on which to build resilience and growth.
Integrating shared trauma and operational stress into relational resilience and growth requires military couples to develop emotional intelligence and self-awareness, engage in healthy communication, seek professional help if necessary, and build trust and mutual support. With these strategies, military couples can maintain a strong bond despite the challenges of military life and emerge stronger than ever before.
How do military couples integrate shared trauma and operational stress into relational resilience and growth?
Military spouses have a hard time integrating their partner's traumatic experiences into their relationship because it can be difficult for them to understand what they went through. This is especially true if the couple has never discussed it beforehand. The impact of the trauma on the individual may also lead to changes in personality that are hard for the spouse to adjust to.