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The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education
What to know about

Veterans and Military Support Groups

These groups bring together people who have served in the armed forces to share experiences and build community with others who understand military culture and identity from the inside: combat exposure, moral injury, the structured life of service, and the transition back to civilian life. They come in several forms. Peer support groups offer camaraderie and shared experience without a clinical curriculum. Clinician-led therapy groups apply evidence-based treatments for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance use, including Group Cognitive Processing Therapy, group Prolonged Exposure, and mindfulness-based approaches delivered extensively through the VA.

Who it's for, and who it's not

A fit for anyone who served and wants peer community or structured treatment.
Trauma-focused groups suit those ready to engage with structured PTSD work.
In acute crisis? Call the Veterans Crisis Line: 988, then press 1.

What it's for

Veterans at any stage, from recently separated to managing late-life challenges.
For PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use, TBI, grief, and moral injury.
Groups may be era-specific or mixed; many also serve active duty and family.
What to expect
1Peer groups meet weekly or biweekly, 60 to 90 minutes, often with social time.
2Group CPT runs 12 sessions as a closed cohort, with written homework.
3VA groups are free to eligible veterans; many nonprofits are free too.

Group treatment for veterans is well-supported across formats.

A review of 13 studies found MBSR produced medium-effect reductions in depression and PTSD in veterans, comparable to CBT.1
A review of 22 trials found group psychotherapy produced large reductions in PTSD symptoms, including combat trauma.2
Making the most of it
No translation needed. Here, the culture is understood without explaining it.
Belonging is the point. A group can restore the unit cohesion service left behind.
The VA is one door. Wounded Warrior, Team RWB, and the VFW are others.
Questions to ask before you join
1Is this peer support or a clinician-led treatment group?
2Is it trauma-focused (CPT, PE) or a present-centered alternative?
3Is it era-specific, and is it run through the VA or a community group?

Ready to find a group?

Browse 2,000+ therapy and support groups in all 50 states.

Free to browse  ·  No account needed  ·  thegroupguide.com

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact. Sources on page 2.

The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education

Sources

Veterans and Military Support Groups · references keyed to the numbers on page 1.

1Li, W. W., Nannestad, J., Leow, T., & Heward, C. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on depression, PTSD, and mindfulness among military veterans: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychology Open (2024), 11, Article 20551029241302969.

2Schwartze, D., Barkowski, S., Strauss, B., Knaevelsrud, C., & Rosendahl, J. Efficacy of group psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychotherapy Research (2019), 29(4), 415–431.

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact.