“Keep Your Chin Up”: Treating Male Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder From an Integrative Feminist Theoretical Perspective

There continues to be increasing evidence of the prevalence and growing impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among United States male veterans, as well as pressing concerns related to treatment engagement in mental health services for these individuals. As researchers have advocated for modifications to treatment approaches in the provision of mental health services among this unique population due to issues of traditional masculinity and mental health stigma, integration of feminist theoretical frameworks and therapy interventions are proposed as an avenue to aid in treatment engagement and, ultimately, connection to evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive processing therapy for PTSD. Specific feminist theoretical foundations and interventions will be explored, along with some case composites, to provide evidence of the utility of feminist therapy as an integration tool in trauma treatment.