The Veteran Spiritual Struggle

Although a considerable body of literature has been devoted to examining the physical, psychological, and social needs of veterans after their return from deployment, relatively little is known about the spiritual struggles some veterans face. In this article, we review what we know about this spiritual struggle, highlight the relevance of spirituality in clinical practice, and show examples of how a veteran's spiritual struggle may simultaneously present alongside different suicide risk factors. Suggestions for handling this spiritual struggle are then made.