When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home How All of Us Can Help Veterans

Why are those devastated by war or other military experiences called mentally ill? The standard treatment of therapy and drugs can actually be harmful, and huge numbers of suffering veterans from earlier eras demonstrate its inadequacy.
 
Most of us are both war-illiterate and military-illiterate. Caplan proposes that we welcome veterans back into our communities and listen to their experiences, one-on-one. Beginning a long overdue national discussion about the realities of war and the military will help us bridge the dangerous chasms between veterans and nonveterans.
 

Paula J. Caplan is an award-winning nonfiction author, playwright, and filmmaker; advocate for veterans, women, and psychiatric survivors; activist for various social justice issues; and affiliate of Harvard University’s DuBois Institute in the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. She created Welcome Johnny and Jane Home, which pairs any veteran with a nonveteran simply to listen to what the veteran wants to say. Visit listen2veterans.org for more information. She produced the award-winning documentary film, “Is Anybody Listening?” about the divide between veterans and nonveterans and what can be done about it (isanybodylisteningmovie.org). She blogs at paulajcaplan.net, whenjohnnyandjanecomemarching.weebly.com, and on psychologytoday.com.