Abstract

Former Marine Michael Henderson tells associate professor Sara Kintzle in an interview about difficulties transitioning into civilian life “It would have been nice to have a course on what real life is like on the outside…Life is going to be hard and you are going to have to work just as hard if not harder”. There are few studies that focus on the transition of veterans back into the civilian lifestyle and the difficulties that they face. Although many are successful in re-adapting into old routines, there are those who struggle with transitioning and do not know where or how to receive the help they need. Following the wise intervention framework, the aim of this project is to help Vets who are struggling with the transition. By becoming aware of the processes and pressure points in the Self-Memory- System, we can help Vets focus on changing meaning making. To help someone change their behaviors we must understand their motives and use them to redirect meanings in an effective way (Walton & Wilson, 2018). This allows for accessibility to broaden and can be individualized to each person. The Self-Memory-System is the cognitive means by which memories are used to inform identity and future-focused goal setting (Conway & Pleydell-Pearce, 2000). This is important to note as recalling a lifestyle previous to the military is challenging but crucial in creating motivational goals and starting a new life after getting discharged. For these veterans, starting a new life means making new connections and finding a new community that understands the struggles they face. In this case, it is beneficial to learn how to speak to close family and friends about goals they plan to reach and find ways of explaining their needs through the power of language. I have created a downloadable workbook with activities that focus on motivation, memory, and behavioral and emotional skills. These activities help veterans find motivation to set schedules and remember life before the military to point out differences that impacted the transition. Each activity influences well-being by engaging in creative thinking and applying motivation to enhance their behavior and emotion to everyday tasks that are no longer familiar to them. This helps the transition by being organized and allowing them to reflect on their actions, behaviors, and emotions.