Veterans, Military Spouses & Families: The Mental Health Support You Deserve – But Aren’t Told About!
Created on 17 Feb 2025
•
Updated on 18 Feb 2025
Military life comes with many challenges, both for service members, their families and veterans which can often take its toll on your mental health. However, the support available might surprise you. Many members of the Armed Forces community don’t realise the wealth of resources at their fingertips, simply because no one is shouting about them loud enough.
The Silent Battle: Why Mental Health Support is Critical
The transition from military to civilian life isn’t just about a career shift – it’s an emotional and psychological adjustment that can impact you and your entire family. PTSD, anxiety, depression, and relationship struggles are more common than you think, yet so many veterans, military spouses, and their loved ones suffer in silence.
Military spouses, in particular, face unique challenges and are often forgotten about. Frequent relocations, career disruptions, and the emotional strain of deployments can have a huge impact on mental well-being. Many spouses also put their own mental health on the back burner while supporting their partner’s transition or service.
The good news? Help is out there. You don’t have to go through this alone.
Free & Confidential Support You Can Access Today
Many organisations offer free and confidential mental health services tailored specifically for veterans, military spouses, and military families. There are many organisations available to help, here are just a few:
Combat Stress
Combat Stress offers specialised mental health support for veterans, including PTSD treatment and therapy. Their peer support service is led by veterans for veterans. It brings former servicemen and women together to share their experiences of mental health issues and receive support and understanding from others who’ve walked a similar path. The service is run by veterans who have all received treatment from Combat Stress.
Op COURAGE (NHS)
Op Courage is a dedicated NHS service providing mental health support for ex-service personnel and their families.
Help for Heroes
Alongside their counselling and peer support, Help for Heroes’ mental health therapy service, Hidden Wounds offers support for veterans, their families and those who have worked alongside the UK Armed Forces. They can also help if you’re having money troubles, or need support with housing or applying for benefits.
Walking With The Wounded
Whether mentally, physically or socially wounded Walking With The Wounded support ex-service personnel and their families most in need. They offer personalised employment support, mental health and wellbeing support, and support care coordination to help veterans who are struggling after military service.
Their Head Start programme is dedicated to providing 1-2-1 private therapy for ex-service personnel who may be dealing with mild to moderately severe mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or adjustment disorder. They understand that transitioning from military service to civilian life can bring its own set of challenges, and their goal is to offer the support you need.
SSAFA
Do you want to talk to someone who will let you know that you are not fighting problems on your own? SSAFA can put you in touch with someone in the first instance. Their network of volunteer caseworkers, specialised services, and associated organisations will look to get you the support and care that you need.
Alongside this, SSAFA offers a mentoring programme to help motivate, support, build resilience and empower service leavers - to fulfil their potential in their new lives outside the military. Their mentors provide long-term, one-to-one, face-to-face support during transition and, for up to two years, post-discharge. We work alongside the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army, the Royal Air Force and other key partners to provide this service.
The Royal British Legion
As well as financial and social support, recovery services and care homes, the Royal British Legion are also there to you with your physical and mental health for the Armed Forces Community. From expert recovery and rehabilitation, to much-needed support, we're here to help.
Whether a condition is a consequence of service or unrelated to it, RBL can provide support and assist in accessing services. We’re here to support people with a wide range of health issues from those on a recovery journey to those managing long term health conditions.
AndysManClub
A men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. AndysManClub wants to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation.
They have over 200 free support groups nationwide, running every Monday from 7pm except bank holidays. In these groups, men can open up about the storms affecting their lives in a safe, judgement-free and non-clinical environment. The clubs are designed to be free of pressure, there is no obligation for men to speak, they can simply listen if they wish.
Veterans Community Network
VCN is there to support Veterans, Reservists and their families in accessing the treatment and support services to help cope, adjust and manage situations such as mental health, housing, benefits and social isolation. They do this through their network of trained Veteran Peer Mentors and a monthly drop-in Hub.
Healthier Heroes CIC
Healthier Heroes CIC provides support to ex-service personnel, their families and carers who are struggling with an array of complex requirements and support. As well as housing, education, employment, tackling isolation and health and wellbeing support, Healthier Heroes CIC offers a Peer Mentoring Programme. This is a valuable initiative designed to support veterans who have had involvement with the criminal justice system.
Phoenix Heroes
Phoenix Heroes is committed to helping veterans overcome the challenges they face when transitioning from military to civilian life. This includes mental health support for veterans who are finding the transition on leaving the Armed Forces a challenge. They achieve this by providing opportunities for veterans to come together and build a sense of community and belonging. Their activities such as Carp Angeling are designed to promote physical and mental well-being, helping veterans to reconnect with nature and find a sense of purpose and fulfilment.
The First Step: Reaching Out
Asking for help can feel like the hardest part—but you don’t have to do it alone. You’ve spent years supporting others, and now it’s time to let others support you. Whether it’s one-on-one therapy, peer support, or simply a conversation with someone who truly understands, there are trained professionals, fellow veterans, and military spouses ready to listen.
You’re Not Alone – Support Is Here
Mental health struggles should never be a battle fought in silence. Whether you’re a veteran, a military spouse, or a family member, there are people who get it and are ready to help. Share this with someone who might need it—and take that first step today.