VCU’s 'Mission Healthy Relationships' Expands Across Virginia

By Mike Porter

A Virginia Commonwealth University program launched nearly a year and a half ago to help veterans and their spouses improve their relationships is gaining popularity.

School of Social Work Assistant Professor Karen Smith Rotabi created “Mission Healthy Relationships” to deal with issues that are unique to military families, such as operational combat stress, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.  

The program is based on the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s marriage enrichment program, which helps couples cope with the challenges of the chronic, often disabling disease.

“Mission Health Relationships” aims to improve relationships by teaching new communication and conflict resolution skills to military couples, who face added challenges of combat stress, extended separations, social isolation and physical injuries.

In June 2010, Rotabi tested the curriculum in a pilot program, which incorporated lectures, videos and breakout sessions that allowed veterans and their spouses to practice the new skills they’d learned.

To facilitate the weekend retreat, she teamed up with the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, established by the Commonwealth of Virginia to support veterans suffering from stress-related issues or traumatic brain injuries.

That first weekend retreat attracted 12 military couples. The format allowed older couples with more experience in the military, to mentor younger ones.

Rotabi has been developing an evaluation component to the program, which will help to determine how many of the participants have made positive changes. 

She’s also worked with the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program to expand the geographic reach of “Mission Healthy Relationships.” Additional workshops have been held in Richmond and Fredericksburg with more planned in Emporia, Port Royal, Woodbridge and Lynchburg in 2012.