Military and Family Life Counseling: There for Your Service Member

Military families face unique challenges. Deployments can be hard on relationships. Frequent moves may cause stress. The Military and Family Life Counseling Program can help.

As a friend or family member, you are an important source of support, whether it’s pitching in with packing or simply being there to listen. But some issues require the help of a professional. Military and family life counselors are among the benefits available to help service members overcome challenges and thrive in their military lives.

What is the MFLC Program?

The Military and Family Life Counseling Program provides free, short-term, confidential non-medical counseling to service members and their families. Licensed, master’s- or doctorate-level counselors are available for one-on-one, couple or group sessions to help your service member with:

• Managing stress
• Adjusting to deployment
• Preparing to move or getting settled after a move
• Strengthening relationships
• Managing problems at work
• Grieving the death of a loved one or colleague

Military and family life counseling is also available for children and youth ages 6-17, with parental consent. The service includes help with issues such as family relationships, school issues, adjustment to deployment or separation, and grief and loss. A parent must attend each session for military children ages 6 to 12, but only the first session for youths ages 13 to 17.

How military and family life counselors can help

In addition to being available by appointment for individual or couple counseling, military and family life counselors help in other ways. The program is an important tool for leaders, who may request a unit briefing and grief counseling for its members if the unit experiences a loss or other difficult event. Leaders may also call upon the MFLC program for briefings and presentations on topics including:

• Anger management
• Assertiveness training
• Deployment survival
• Grief and loss
• Building healthy marriages
• Reintegration
• Stress management

Connecting with a non-medical counselor

If your service member feels overwhelmed or is facing a difficult challenge, remind them that the MFLC program is standing by, ready to help. There are several ways your service member can find a non-medical counselor:

• Contact their installation’s Military and Family Support Center.
• Call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 for contact information and a warm handoff.
• Search the MFLC Locator to find a counselor nearby.

If your loved one is outside the continental United States, they can view Military OneSource calling options here.