Soldiers often learn how to deal with stressful situations during their deployments that can help them cope better when they return home. One such strategy is relational resilience, which involves strengthening relationships with family members, friends, and community members who provide support and understanding. This can be particularly important for soldiers returning from combat zones where they may have experienced traumatic events or witnessed violence and death. Relational resilience strategies can help soldiers reintegrate into civilian life by providing them with a sense of belonging and connection to others.
Some specific relational resilience strategies include sharing feelings openly, being honest about experiences, listening actively to loved ones' perspectives, expressing gratitude, engaging in physical activity together, setting boundaries, and seeking professional counseling as needed. These strategies can help build trust between soldiers and their families and allow for open communication about difficult topics like PTSD or other mental health issues.
It can also be challenging for soldiers to translate these strategies into domestic settings.
A soldier may feel hesitant to share personal details about deployment experiences with their spouse out of fear of burdening them.
Some veterans may find it difficult to relate to civilians who do not understand military culture or experiences.
To overcome these challenges, soldiers can practice relational resilience skills outside of deployment contexts by engaging in regular social activities, joining support groups for veterans, attending therapy sessions, and participating in community service projects. By building strong relationships within their communities, soldiers can create a support system that can provide ongoing assistance throughout their lives.
Relational resilience is an essential skill for soldiers to develop during deployments that can benefit them long after they return home. By applying this strategy in both military and civilian contexts, soldiers can maintain healthy relationships and improve their overall well-being.
How do soldiers integrate relational resilience strategies learned from deployment into civilian and domestic contexts?
Relational resilience is a type of social and behavioral flexibility that enables individuals to adjust their relationships with others according to changing circumstances (e. g. , deployment, reintegration) and maintain strong connections despite stressful situations. Soldiers who develop this skill during deployment are likely to apply these strategies to other interpersonal situations as well, such as those involving family members, friends, colleagues, and romantic partners.