Reading Room

Healing Stress in Military Families: Eight Steps to Wellness
By Lorie DeCarvalho, PhD, and Julia Whealin, PhD
Wiley
230 pgs; $55

When service members return, it's up to their families to try to soften their re-entry into civilian life. Healing Stress in Military Families offers practical help for military families coping with the myriad repercussions of their loved ones' duties, from their deployment to their return home.

Based on the latest scientific research and best practice guidelines—as well as the authors' experience treating veterans and their families—Healing Stress in Military Families offers answers for the stress that comes not only from war, but also from other related issues, including deployment and redeployment, relocation, and reunion.

The book provides the following:

• evidence-based advice for clinicians helping military families with adjustment problems by facilitating communication, reconnection, and growth;

• "Making It Real" exercises for clinicians to employ with families in sessions;

• "Talking Points" that explore how to guide the family in their healing process; and

• homework handouts and between-session "Taking Action" exercises for families that reinforce and build on skills and information introduced in sessions.