Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and veteran Ashley Howell shares insights on military mental health and her transition to civilian life post-discharge.
Ashley Howell is a board-certified family psychiatric nurse practitioner with over a decade of experience in mental health and critical care. Ashley is an Armed Service veteran, which gives her unique insight and understanding into veteran and military mental health issues.
Ashley is passionate about working with patients who are going through a transition phase in life, such as high school students, college students, military members, and postpartum women. She is an LGBTQ+ ally and provider.
If you're interested in seeking mental health support, schedule a consultation with Ashley by clicking on the button below.
Please note that this blog does not constitute medical advice. If you're a veteran in crisis, please contact the Veteran Crisis Line or the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
I didn't develop an interest in mental health care in the military. I initially started out in the medical side of healthcare and bounced around to different specialties, Goldielocks style. But despite my best efforts, none of the specialties I worked in “felt right.” One day, as I was working in the float pool, I got sent to the inpatient psychiatric floor. It was nerve-wracking as I didn’t have a lot of exposure to psychiatric patients at the time. After that shift, I started to explore the options and realized I enjoyed helping people improve their mental health.
In the spring and summer, I like to dig around in the dirt and *attempt* to grow vegetables. Colorado is tricky for gardening (my poor tomatoes did not survive last year's hailstorms), but I have really enjoyed it. In the winter, I like to read! I tend to enjoy thrillers but have been trying to get more into the fantasy genre. I love to travel outside of the country, as well as around the US. I am working on visiting all of Colorado’s 43 state parks!
Military mental health was not a priority after my service. It's different now thanks to the Brandon Act, which makes it possible for anyone in the military to get a mental health evaluation just by asking their supervisor. Nowadays, military mental health resources are easily accessible.
When I got discharged from the military, I was only 22 and kind of lost in life. There wasn't a lot of information about mental health issues in the military. I jumped into college because that’s “what I was supposed to do.” Looking back, I was dealing with a great deal of anxiety and PTSD from my service, and this is really common for veterans. It took me several years to label those symptoms. Therapy, supplements, and adjusting my lifestyle have helped me tremendously. My struggles allow me to have a deeper level of empathy for those struggling with military mental health challenges. I encourage all of my patients whether they are in the military or not to consider making lifestyle changes. We discuss supplement options and with our in-house therapists and our referral network, I can help them find a therapist that is a good fit for them.
The relationship between hormone cycles, mental health, and oral contraceptives is well documented. I am often surprised that despite the research done in this area, there still seems to be a shortage of effective solutions.
As much as I believe in the connection between emotional and physical health, I am well known for a daily “emotional support diet coke.” One can a day, because you know, balance.
Everything they say about sobriety is true! The effects of alcohol on our mental health are not a secret. I think as a society, we’re all a little too obsessed with alcohol. Giving it up has been completely freeing and has helped me with “hang-xiety.”
The answer is "exercise". I am not saying you have to be an Olympic-level athlete (I once broke my ankle walking on flat land, so I am not one to lecture on athleticism), but moving our bodies intentionally has so many benefits for depression, anxiety and PTSD.
Absolutely. As a capitalistic society, we’re always wanting the “next thing.” It's like the old-school cartoon of a dog running on a treadmill with the bone dangling in front of them. I think this causes us to lack the ability to be content with what we have achieved. I think this is also a great contribution to our mood, major depressive disorder, burnout, etc.
“If you feel like you hate everyone, eat something. If you feel like everyone hates you, go to sleep. If you feel like you hate yourself, have a shower. “
This won't “cure” depression, but it can be a small difference that helps you along the way. Also, check out our pages on Spravato, TMS, and Ketamine if you'd like to explore better treatments for depression than just daily pills.
Gardening, breadmaking, baking. I recently started taking drum lessons and am excited about that! I think introducing novelty is important to mental health, and that's one of the reasons that we invest in our social prescribing program at Axis Integrated Mental Health.
Outside of the ones I use for work, I'd say the NYT Games. I am a fierce Wordle Warrior 😊. I'm also a big fan of Libby (Library app- free audio and e-books).
Read or listen to Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, a book by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. and Amelia Nagoski, D.M.A.
It's written by twin sisters - both who have experienced burnout and subsequent anxiety/depression from their lifestyle and learned behaviors.
