Veteran & Military Therapy in St. Louis, MO
You have given so much. Your time, your energy, your sense of safety, and in many cases, parts of yourself that are hard to put into words. You showed up when it mattered most, and now it is time for someone to show up for you.
At Healing Spaces in Clayton, St. Louis, we offer therapy specifically designed for veterans, active duty service members, and military families.
Our featured therapist, Shonda Howard, LMSW, is an Army combat veteran herself, which means you will never have to explain the culture, the sacrifice, or the complexity of what you have been through. She already understands. And she is here to help you carry what you have been carrying alone for too long.
Why veteran-specific therapy matters
At Healing Spaces, our veteran therapy is led by someone who has lived it. Shonda Howard, LMSW is an Army combat veteran and trauma-informed therapist who brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to every session. She does not just know the research on military mental health, she knows what it means to serve, to sacrifice, and to find your way back to yourself after both.
You deserve a therapist who gets it. Here, you will find one.
Veterans & Military Therapy at Healing Spaces is for:
We serve veterans of all branches and eras, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, military spouses and partners navigating the emotional demands of a military household, children and teens ages 12 and up in military families who are struggling with deployment, relocation, or the emotional impact of a parent's service, and family members supporting a veteran through PTSD, reintegration, or mental health challenges.
What we help with:
Common Reasons Veterans and Military Families Seek Therapy:
Military service touches every area of life, and so does healing from it.
Our therapists work with veterans and military families navigating:
PTSD and Trauma: The experiences of combat, military sexual trauma, or the cumulative stress of service can leave lasting marks. Trauma does not always look like what you see in the movies; it can show up as hypervigilance, emotional numbness, difficulty sleeping, relationship strain, or a persistent sense that you are not the same person you were before. Trauma-informed therapy gives you a safe, structured space to process what happened and begin to move forward.
Reintegration and Transition to Civilian Life: Coming home can feel like relief, but for many veterans, it brings its own set of challenges. The loss of structure, purpose, and camaraderie that military life provides can leave veterans feeling unmoored. Career transitions, identity shifts, and the difficulty of connecting with civilians who do not understand your experience are all things we take seriously and address directly in therapy.
Moral Injury: Not all wounds from service come from combat. Moral injury, the deep psychological distress that comes from acting against your own moral code, witnessing injustice, or feeling betrayed by leadership, is one of the most underrecognized challenges veterans face. Our therapists provide a space where you can speak honestly about what you experienced without judgment.
Depression and Anxiety: Many veterans experience depression, anxiety, or both, often compounded by the stigma around asking for help in military culture. You have been trained to push through. But pushing through only works for so long. Therapy gives you real tools to manage what you are feeling and build a life that feels worth living.
Relationship and Family Strain: Service affects the entire family. Deployments, extended absences, and the emotional aftermath of service can create distance in even the strongest relationships. We work with veterans and their families to rebuild communication, trust, and connection, and to help every member of the household feel seen and supported.
Support for Children and Teens in Military Families: Children in military families carry their own weight, the fear during deployment, the disruption of frequent moves, and the challenge of having a parent who came home different than they left. Shonda sees children and teens ages 12 and up in military families and provides age-appropriate, trauma-informed support to help young people process their experiences and build resilience.
Trauma-Informed Care That Honors Your Service
At Healing Spaces, we do not pathologize your service or treat your experiences as symptoms to be managed. We approach veteran therapy with deep respect for what you have been through and a genuine belief in your capacity to heal.
Our approach is trauma-informed, meaning we never push you further or faster than you are ready to go. Safety and trust come first. From there, we use evidence-based therapeutic approaches to help you process your experiences, identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and build the internal tools you need to move forward with confidence and clarity.
Shonda Howard, LMSW, brings trauma-informed frameworks to her work with veterans, always tailored to the individual in front of her, because no two service members carry the same story, and no two healing journeys look the same.
FAQs about Veteran Therapy in St. Louis.
Do I have to have a combat-related diagnosis to seek therapy? Nope! You do not need a diagnosis of PTSD or any other condition to benefit from therapy. Many veterans seek support for reintegration, relationship strain, depression, anxiety, or simply the desire to feel like themselves again. Whatever brings you in, you are welcome here.
Has this therapist served in the military? Yes, our featured therapist, Shonda, is an Army combat veteran and brings both lived experience and professional clinical training to her work with veterans and military families. Shared military experience can help create understanding and connection, and many clients appreciate not having to over-explain the nuances and culture of military life. Tiffany, while not a veteran, has worked with many military and veteran families!
Do you accept VA benefits or Tricare? At this time, Healing Spaces operates on a private pay basis and does not bill VA benefits or Tricare directly. We accept credit, debit, and health savings cards. Reduced fee options are available for those who qualify. We are happy to provide documentation you may need for out-of-network reimbursement.
Do you offer telehealth for veterans across Missouri? Yes. Our therapists offer both in-person sessions at our Clayton, St. Louis office and telehealth sessions for clients across Missouri.
My spouse or child is struggling because of my service. Can you help them, too? Yes. We work with military families holistically. Shonda sees children and teens ages 12 and up from military families, and we have additional therapists who work with adults navigating the emotional impact of a loved one's service.
I have never been to therapy before. Is that okay? More than okay! Many of our veteran clients come to us having never spoken to a mental health professional before. We start at the beginning, build trust at your pace, and never push you further than you are ready to go. Your first step is a free 20-minute consultation: no pressure, no commitment.