How Solutions Counseling Treats Combat and Occupational Trauma: The Toolkit and What to Expect

Last updated: September, 2026 | Reviewed by: Ryanne Stellingwerf, LCPC, CCTP

You've always been able to get it together. That's part of what made you good at your job, whether it was a deployment, a shift in the ER, or a call most people would never sign up for. But something's different now: you can't sleep, you're on alert even when the immediate danger is over, and pushing through has stopped working.

This guide is for women in high-stakes, trauma-exposed careers, veterans, first responders, and ER professionals dealing with the weight of what the job has asked of them. You'll learn about the tools I use to treat combat and occupational trauma, including EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and what an actual session can look like so you're not walking in blind. I developed this approach through my clinical work, informed by seven years living and working alongside military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan before I became a therapist.

What's actually in the toolkit?

No single technique addresses the effects of work that required you to stay ready, so this isn't a one-tool practice. Sessions may draw from EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to help your body shift out of high alert when that level of readiness is no longer needed; personalized recovery planning to identify what actually helps you rest and reset; post-shift transition practices to help close the gap between work and home; and perspective work and neural net training to help you shift attention away from threat when the situation no longer requires it.

We may also work with identity, particularly when the job has become such a large part of your life that it's difficult to know who you are when you're off duty or after you leave the profession. Which tools show up in your sessions depends on what's actually going on for you, rather than a fixed program everyone receives.

What is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)?

EFT is a therapy method that combines tapping on specific points on your body with talking through what's actually bothering you, which is why it's sometimes simply called “tapping.” You tap on points on your face, hands, and chest while naming the issue out loud. It can sound strange until you've actually done it, and skepticism is perfectly welcome in my office.

There is clinical research behind EFT, including randomized controlled trials involving military veterans with PTSD and multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of EFT for PTSD. Research has found reductions in PTSD and related symptoms, including in veteran populations, although researchers continue to study the strength of the evidence and how EFT produces its effects. I use EFT as one tool within a broader trauma-treatment approach rather than as a cure-all. The basic tapping sequence is also straightforward to learn, giving you something you can use outside therapy when it's helpful.

How does EFT actually work on trauma?

EFT pairs focused attention on something distressing with tapping while you stay connected to what you're experiencing. Research suggests that this process can reduce physiological arousal and distress, although researchers are still studying exactly why EFT works and which parts of the process are responsible for the effect.

That matters with combat and occupational trauma because understanding something intellectually doesn't necessarily change your body's response to it. A nervous system that became very good at keeping you ready for danger may continue responding that way even when you logically know you're safe. EFT gives us a way to work with the distress while it's happening rather than relying only on talking about it afterward. In my own clinical practice, the large majority of clients I've used EFT with have experienced some relief, sometimes during the session itself, including clients who had already spent considerable time talking through the issue.

Why this combination of tools, not just talk therapy?

Understanding why you respond a certain way can be valuable, but insight doesn't always change the response itself. That's especially true when months or years in a high-threat environment have taught you to notice potential danger, react quickly, compartmentalize, and stay ready. Those responses can be useful when the environment requires them. The difficulty comes when the deployment, shift, or career ends and they continue showing up in places where you no longer need them.

That's why I don't rely on one technique. I combine talk therapy with tools that address what you're experiencing in the moment and help you develop more control over when those responses switch on and off. Before becoming a therapist, I spent seven years living and working as a civilian contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan, where rockets, bunkers, loss, and the realities of living in a combat zone were part of my own experience. I wasn't military, and I won't pretend that my experience was the same as yours. But my understanding of what sustained threat can ask of a person didn't begin in a textbook. That experience, combined with my clinical training, shaped the way I approach combat and occupational trauma today.

What does an EFT session actually look like?

You'll name the specific issue you want to work on and rate how intense it feels, usually on a scale from 0 to 10. From there, you'll tap through a sequence of points on your hand, face, and chest while using a short phrase related to what you're working on. We'll periodically check the intensity again so we can see whether anything is changing and adjust as we go.

You do not have to narrate the full story of what happened for EFT to be useful. Some clients want to share the details and some don't; both approaches are fine. In my practice, the large majority of clients I've used EFT with have experienced significant reduction in distress, and sometimes that shift is significant within a single session. Individual responses vary, so we follow what is actually happening for you rather than expecting a particular result.

How many sessions before I start feeling like myself again?

There isn't an honest number I can give you. Some clients experience relief quickly, while others need considerably more time. It depends on what you're dealing with, how long it's been affecting you, what else is happening in your life, and how you respond to the tools we're using.

What I can promise is that we won't keep doing the same thing simply because it's the treatment plan. We'll pay attention to what's changing, what's helping, and what's not. If an approach isn't useful for you, we adjust. The goal is effective therapy, not keeping you in therapy.

Is this private pay, or is it covered by insurance?

Both options are available. If you choose private pay, no claim is submitted to your health insurance, so an insurance company isn't requiring a diagnosis for reimbursement or receiving information through the claims process. You and I can focus on the treatment that's useful for you without making decisions around what an insurance plan requires for payment.

I also have a limited number of insurance slots available. If you're deciding between insurance and private pay, call 406-272-4545 and I'll give you a straight answer about your options, not a runaround.

Is what I say in session actually confidential, even with my clearance or job?

Yes. Your therapy is confidential whether you use insurance or pay privately, subject to the specific legal and ethical exceptions that apply to therapy in Montana. I don't notify your employer, command, or anyone else that you're in therapy simply because you're receiving treatment.

If you choose private pay, I don't submit a claim or diagnosis to your health insurance. Your therapy records are still maintained as required for your care and my professional obligations. If your job, clearance, insurance records, or privacy are concerns, you can read more about confidentiality, private pay, and security clearances here.

Do I have to have “real” trauma for this to help?

No. You don't need a single dramatic incident to justify getting help. Years of responding to emergencies, staying ready for danger, witnessing what happens to other people, or carrying responsibility for other people's safety can have a cumulative effect even when you can't point to one event and say, “That's what did it.”

It's easy to dismiss that because you've handled difficult things before and you're still functioning. The question isn't whether what happened was dramatic enough to count as “real trauma.” The question is whether what you've experienced is affecting your sleep, relationships, ability to relax, or the life you want to have when you're not doing the job. If it is, that's enough reason to address it.

FAQ

Do you use the same treatment approach with everyone?
No. The toolkit gives us options, not a predetermined program. What we use depends on what you're dealing with, what you're trying to change, and how you respond to different approaches. EFT is one of those options, but many clients rarely use it or never use it at all.

Do I have to talk through everything that happened?
No. There may be times when talking about an experience is useful, but therapy doesn't require you to give me a detailed account of everything you've seen or lived through. We'll work with what is actually affecting you and use the level of detail that's useful for the work we're doing.

Are you going to try to get rid of the skills that make me good at my job?
No. Staying alert, reading people quickly, compartmentalizing, reacting fast, and remaining calm when other people aren't can be valuable skills. We're interested in whether you have control over those responses and whether they're costing you something when you don't need them. The goal is more control over the toolkit you already carry, not making you less capable at your job.

What if I've already tried therapy and it didn't help?
Then we look at what didn't work. The approach may not have been right for you, the provider may not have understood your work or culture, or you may need something different now than you needed then. We won't assume that one unsuccessful experience with therapy means nothing else can help.

How will I know whether therapy is actually working?
We'll look for changes in the parts of your life that brought you in. That might mean sleeping better, reacting differently at home, being able to relax when you're off duty, feeling more connected to people you care about, or having more control over responses that previously seemed automatic. What improvement looks like depends on what you want to change.

Can we do this over telehealth?
Yes. I currently offer secure telehealth throughout Montana as well as in-person sessions in Great Falls. The tools we use will be adapted to the setting and to what works for you.

Ready to see if we're a good fit?

If what you've read sounds like the kind of help you're looking for, call 406-272-4545 or fill out the contact form. We can talk about what you're dealing with, what you're hoping will change, and whether working together makes sense.

Related questions