When considering resources for military families dealing with post traumatic stress disorder, it's important to include avenues of help provided by the military.

Of course, any military family member can go to a military clinic at any time for a counseling referral. This may be with a military provider or civilian, through Tricare.

Sometimes with such private issues, families prefer more anonymous avenues. The military also offers more confidential options:

• Military and Family Life Consultants: This Department of Defense program offers free and anonymous counseling sessions with professional counselors. No records are kept, so none are entered on military medical files. The sessions can be either on or off-site. For information contact a family readiness/support center. Read more about it at the Army Reserve Family Programs, but the service is available to other branches as well.  Also see stories in Stars and Stripes about MFLC in Europe and the program in the Pacific.
• Another way to access civilian counselors is at MilitaryOnesource. Military and family members are eligible for six sessions, with no out of pocket costs. Again, these sessions are confidential and not added to military medical records.
• Military chaplains can also provide confidential aid to all military family members. Chaplains can provide counseling or direction and connections to other helpful resources. Read more about chaplain confidentiality at Military.com.