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Lt. Sarah Brower, USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) command psychologist, who earned a doctorate in clinical psychology, says there are many ways to improve and even repair your mental health.
“Things Sailors can improve or start to repair their mental health are things like eating well, keeping good sleeping patterns, exercising and going out and having fun doing things you love to do,” said Brower.
When it comes to approaching someone for help with our mental issues, she also says it is always better to talk to someone sooner rather than later.
“If they’re already at the point where they’re thinking about asking for help, they’re probably already past it. Once things start to feel not quite normal. When you’re starting to feel things you’re experiencing are impacting your normal life, and you can’t pull out of it yourself, it’s time to get help,” said Brower.
Brower’s responsibilities include providing individual therapy and diagnostic assessments, leading the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program, and consulting the chain of command on issues concerning patient fitness and suitability for duty.
She explains that from a clinical standpoint, her job is to do whatever is best for the patient. As a lieutenant in the Navy, however, she must also ensure the organization runs as efficiently as possible.
“My goal is keep Sailors at sea and to keep them functioning in their workcenter,” said Brower.
Medical isn’t the only one looking after the well-being of Sailors onboard Ford. Chaplains in the Command Religious Ministries Department (CRMD) are available to provide a multitude of services. Lt. Jamal Scarlett, the divisional officer of CRMD, says the chaplain corps is given four core responsibilities: providing services to their own faith group, facilitating the free exercise of religion for others, the general mental and spiritual care of all souls on the ship, and to advise the chain of command on all ethical and moral issues that affect the crew.
Scarlett says that as a chaplain he loves the unique ability he has to walk the deckplates and listen to what Sailors are truly going through and help in any way he can.
“We want Sailors who are emotionally resilient, who are whole, and who are prepared to go out and do the mission that they’re called to do, and at the same time we need to make sure that we are providing all of the resources that they need in the event they run into challenges,” said Scarlett.
“Emotional fortitude is paramount in Navy life,” said Scarlett. “You’re going to deal with a lot of ups and downs. Part of that fortitude is being able to ride that wave and there has to be some level of emotional stability that says ‘I’m going to keep moving forward despite the challenges that I’m going through.’ Sometimes people don’t have the tools and resources to do that. Sometimes they don’t have the healthy habits that create or make for a strong emotional life. So a lot of what we do is direct them to places like the ship’s psych or other outlets to decompress.”
When a Sailor is faced with the question of whether or not to seek help, Scarlett believes in the “check-up” approach. Like maintenance on a car, he believes we should maintain our mental health with the people we trust on a more consistent basis.
“The first people that come to mind are mentors,” said Scarlett. “A mentor is someone who has been through things and know what it feels like to go through certain things.”
Whether you’re seeking help for the first time, checking in, or even if nothing is wrong, Lt. Scarlett believes everyone has the ability to improve their mental health and gain the courage to seek help if needed.
“Being able to lean on and draw from this reservoir of wisdom and experience, we draw on our faith to give us the courage to go through some of those challenges,” said Scarlett, “I think the human spirit is incredible but I think the human spirit, rightly ordered, is even greater.”
If Sailors feel like things are tough and they have no where else to turn, they can go to medical’s sick call hours line and ask to see the ship’s psych. Sailors can also approach a chaplain and ask to have a conversation.
“Mental health is one of the biggest things that can impact someone’s performance, motivation and attitude,” says Brower. “Your mental health and your emotional health can really affect your entire ability to function.”
Fleet and Family Support Center and Military One Source are other resources available to Sailors who have questions about mental health services, and wish to remain anonymous.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2017 10:30 |
| Story ID: | 255077 |
| Location: | AT SEA |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Mental Health: What you can do for help, by CPO Ruben Reed, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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