Love Our Vets: Restoring Hope for Families of Veterans with PTSD { A Book Review}

**I received a copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Chances are that if your loved one has seen war, he or she has Post-traumatic Stress Disorder at some level, and you who love your veteran will also be deeply and profoundly affected. Finally, the cries and needs of the loved ones have been addressed in this comprehensive, practical book, now newly updated in its 2nd Edition! Love Our Vets answers more than 60 heartfelt questions, providing down-to-earth wisdom and much-needed tips for taking care of yourself. 

Sharing as a counselor and from her personal experience of living with a 100% disabled veteran with PTSD, Welby O'Brien gives hope, encouragement, and practical help for families and loved ones who are caught in the wake of the trauma. This book addresses a broad spectrum of issues and concerns and offers realistic wisdom from a wide variety of individuals who share from real hearts and lives. Now newly revised and updated with additional material, the 2nd Edition of Love Our Vets continues to be enthusiastically welcomed by VA and other counselors. This is not just another book about PTSD; rather, it is a tremendous resource for families and loved ones who struggle heroically along with their vets to face the day-to-day challenges.

Welby O’Brien holds a Master’s Degree in counseling from Portland State University and a teaching degree from Biola University. Drawing from her own personal experiences she has authored:

Goodbye for Now (grief support)

Formerly A Wife (divorce support)

LOVE OUR VETS: Restoring Hope for Families of Veterans with PTSD.

She is also a contributing author to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Divorce and Recovery, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Spirit of America, as well as Shepherding Women in Pain.  Actively involved in leadership and teaching for over 30 years, Welby has also been a welcomed guest on radio and television, as well as featured in video productions.

Welby initiated and facilitates the national support network called Love Our Vets – PTSD Family Support, LLC (www.loveourvets.org), and has been reaching thousands with her timely book LOVE OUR VETS: Restoring Hope for Families of Veterans with PTSD . She was also honored as Woman of the Month by Oregon Women’s Report.

She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon.

As I am certain any military spouse can tell you, war changes a person. The person that we fell in love with and married is not always the same person we see day to day after our service member has returned home. And it makes sense, doesn't it? Everyone changes over time, but the experiences that men and women in the military can make those more profound. PTSD is a very real and very common issue that SO many military families face.

Though we often think of how it can affect the service member, the reality is PTSD affects every member of the family. It changes everything, and we have to learn to deal with our new normal and try to understand how to be supportive. But where do we turn for the answers to those questions? This book is a fantastic resource that every military spouse absolutely needs to read.

The first section of the book takes a look at 64 relevant questions that we need to know. These aren't just questions about what PTSD IS... we all know the medical explanations. Rather, this takes a look at what it means in our day to day life and how it affects us as a family. I loved this. It had so much great information that I feel like I hadn't really seen elsewhere. It spoke of PTSD and accompanying issues in a way that was respectful and easy to understand. Section two is all about taking care of ourselves, something that is so often neglected when dealing with a loved one with PTSD. I love that it is not written as a lecture, but rather just as a reminder on ways we can replenish for us. The third part offers words of wisdom from those who have been there and their experiences. These can be so beneficial to helping us ralize that we are not alone in this fight. All three sections work together beautifully to create a fantastic resource for the military family, perhaps one of the best I've seen. If you have a loved one dealing with PTSD, this book is a MUST.