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STEP-Home

A reintegration group workshop.

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STEP-Home is an intervention developed at TRACTS, The Translational Center for Traumatic Brian Injury and Stress Disorders, at VA Boston. STEP-Home is an effective treatment to improve anger, impulse control, and adjustment to civilian life after military service for U.S. Veterans. This program addresses an important gap in transdiagnostic interventions to improve daily function in Veterans who suffer from multiple co-occurring health conditions common after serving in the U.S. military. Transdiagnostic interventions can alleviate symptoms and shorten treatment wait times, offering a cost-effective, efficient, and often more acceptable alternative to single modality treatment approaches.

How it works

Background

STEP-Home is a research-funded, evidence-based, transdiagnostic, video telehealth rehabilitation program specifically designed to address traumatic brain injury (TBI) and clinical comorbidity common to post 9/11 era Veterans during their reintegration back into civilian life. 

Targeted ways to improve outcomes

  • Emotion Regulation – Training of three-part strategy for emotional self-regulation in dealing with problems to assist with impulse control.
  • Problem Solving – Training of a five-step problem solving approach to tackle real world, everyday problems.
  • Attention Training – Generalized strategies to address attention/memory/concentration difficulties.
  • Individual Skill Building – One-on-one sessions occur throughout the workshop to practice implementation of core skills and to identify personal goals.

Content areas covered

  • Recent Reintegration
  • Community Reintegration
  • Impulse Control & Anger Management
  • Substance Misuse
  • Vocational Reintegration
  • Veteran-to-Veteran Support
  • Safety Planning
  • Suicide Risk Education

Why it works

  • STEP-Home supports cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, anger control, and social connection (belongingness).
  • STEP-Home content is focused on learning practical skills that can help with multiple challenges during reintegration back into the civilian world after service.
  • STEP-Home is delivered via telehealth and open to Veterans across the country.
  • STEP-Home serves as a gateway and has proven to increase Veterans’ access to VA care and community engagement.

Want to participate?

  • We are specifically focused on Veterans that have only been out of the military for 3 years or less.
  • 12-week program: You meet 1x/week, 90-minute session (same day/time each week)
  • Groups typically have 3-6 other Veterans in them (same Veterans each week)
  • Co-led by 2 STEP-Home therapists
  • Groups run virtually (online video) and can be done from your home or any private location

 

You’ll learn problem solving and emotional regulation skills that can help in many areas of your life: work/school, attention/memory, relationships, anger/irritability, risk management, etc.

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