Program focuses on training clinicians to work with veterans
A graduate training program at William James College is preparing clinicians to work more effectively with servicemembers, veterans, and their families, a population often described as having distinct cultural and clinical needs.
The Train Vets to Treat Vets (TVTV) program combines academic coursework, supervised clinical training, and mentorship for students, many of whom have military affiliations. The initiative is led by Jenny D’Olympia, Psy.D., director of the program and associate professor, in collaboration with Angela Taveira-Dick, Psy.D., who directs the Military and Veterans Psychology concentration.
“TVTV’s goal is to support servicemembers, veterans, and military family members who are pursuing careers in psychology, counseling, and leadership,” D’Olympia said, adding that the program helps participants translate military experience into careers in the mental health field while building clinical and leadership skills.
D’Olympia, a U.S. Air Force veteran, brings both military and clinical experience to the role, alongside faculty and consultants with backgrounds in veteran care. Taveira-Dick contributes a civilian clinical perspective, informed by her prior work with veterans in a Veterans Affairs hospital setting.
A central focus of the program is understanding how military culture shapes care. “Military culture is not just a background variable; it is part of identity, influences relationships, and help-seeking in fundamental ways,” D’Olympia said. Without that context, she said, some veterans may feel misunderstood and disengage from treatment.
Training goes beyond clinical methods to emphasize cultural awareness and interpersonal skills that support effective care. “There is no one ‘veteran experience,’” D’Olympia said. “Every servicemember and veteran is an individual, and clinicians must leave their assumptions at the door.”
Students complete supervised clinical placements working directly with veterans, applying evidence-based approaches while developing an understanding of military culture. The program also incorporates mentorship and professional development, including opportunities to strengthen leadership and advocacy skills.
Program data show that between April 2025 and February 2026, 45 military-affiliated students were enrolled, including four participants in the Health Professions Scholarship Program. During that period, students completed more than 24,000 hours of service, including approximately 7,300 hours of direct care for more than 700 veterans across 17 training sites nationwide.
In addition to clinical training, the program provided roughly 250 hours of mentorship and reached more than 700 clinicians, students, and community providers through trainings on military culture, suicide prevention, and veteran-specific mental health care.
D’Olympia also pointed to the transition from military to civilian life as an area that is frequently misunderstood. “Newly transitioning veterans are navigating systems, identities, and expectations in an ‘everything, all at once’ environment,” she said. These challenges, she explained, are not necessarily indicators of mental illness but can reflect the demands of major life changes, such as relocating, changing careers, and rebuilding support systems in a short period.
“It’s not always a psychological phenomenon,” she said, adding that some individuals may instead need support reconnecting with community resources or navigating systems of care.
The program highlights connection as a key factor in care. “One of the strongest protective factors we see…is not feeling alone,” D’Olympia said. Clinicians, she added, do not need to have military experience but should be willing to listen, learn, and engage with patients’ experiences over time.
That approach aligns with broader developments in New England, where growing demand for veteran-informed mental health care is helping drive programs like TVTV and a shift toward culturally responsive, population-specific clinical training.