There are over 2.6 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, many of whom have suffered a great deal as a result of their military service. A variety of initiatives and resources are in place for treating many of the visible and invisible wounds of war, such as amputations, burns, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but a large deficit remains. Specifically, the bio-medical model that underlies the U.S. military and V.A. healthcare systems fails to provide access to holistic care for sexual wellness and intimate relationships, where it's most needed.
Mental, behavioral, emotional, and physical consequences of injury, disability, and the excessive stresses of everyday military life can have significant effects on an individual's sexuality and personal relationships. When a person feels unable address these concerns, feelings of frustration, shame, guilt, and other toxic emotions can wreak havoc on personal resilience and erode the supportive structure of relationships.
The Warrior Intimacy Insitute exists to support and empower the countless servicemembers, veterans, and partners who struggle with feeling disconnected or out of touch; those who are passionate about wanting to feel passionate again; and those whose connective energy has been drained by production-centered rather than person-centered care. We are dedicated to providing wounded warriors and their partners access to practical information, classes, workshops, and experiential programs for improving life skills and sexual relationships. We value an integrative approach to wellness that includes fostering authentic self-expression, communication skills, personal growth, and holistic, sex-positive approaches to improving sexuality and intimacy.
Our Mission:
Helping wounded veterans and their partners create and sustain fulfilling intimate and sexual relationships.
Road to Recovery Conference
"There's this gap where the doctors know that it's an issue, but don't feel they're prepared or if it's appropriate to ask about it... Patients, it's on their mind but they're not talking about it. They're afraid."
- Dr. Mitchell Tepper
Practical Application of Intimate
Relationship Skills (PAIRS)
"Serving in the military requires learning very specific behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs to help you succeed and survive. While some of those skills can help strengthen love and intimacy with a spouse, partner and children, others can make it more difficult to restore and enhance intimacy - a very different mission. It's important to appreciate the skills that got you through difficult challenges, but also to be intentional about learning and using what are often very different skills to succeed with family and relationships at home."
"If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got."
-W.L. Bateman