Many Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) find themselves at a crossroads. Traditional treatment pathways often begin with medication, and while pharmaceuticals can play an important role in managing symptoms, some Veterans don’t think it provides a complete solution. For some, medication brings unwanted side effects or simply doesn't address the root cause(s) of their struggle.
This is why some Veterans, like Nick, have sought alternative treatments for PTSD. "From 2007 to about a year ago now, I dealt with that stuff on my own with a lot of medication from the VA and a lot of alcohol,” said Nick. “That's how I dealt with it, which isn't healthy. During that time I lost my job because of the PTSD symptoms I was suffering from…So I started going back to the VA for help, and a lot of them wanted them to put me back on medication. And I was like, 'I don't want medication, medication isn't it.'"
Fortunately, Veterans have other options when it comes to treating PTSD. In this article, we’ll explore other paths to healing, like psychotherapy and professionally trained service dogs from Northwest Battle Buddies (NWBB).
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, three specific trauma-focused psychotherapies are recommended for PTSD: Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). These treatments have stronger evidence of effectiveness than medications alone and generally have fewer side effects.
PE involves gradually confronting trauma-related memories and situations in a safe, controlled manner. CPT helps Veterans challenge and modify negative beliefs related to their trauma. EMDR combines elements of exposure therapy with guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories.
While clinical practice guidelines recommend these individual trauma-focused psychotherapies, therapy alone may not be enough, and it’s worth exploring all your options. PTSD treatment is not one-size-fits-all, and what works for someone else might not work for you.
One of the most promising alternative treatments for PTSD is partnership with service dogs, like the professionally trained PTSD service dogs at NWBB. These animals are so much more than just pets or emotional support animals — they're trained companions that can help Veterans navigate triggering situations and provide emotional support during difficult moments.
According to research published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, service dogs can significantly reduce PTSD symptom severity. In a large nationwide study comparing service dog partnerships to usual care alone, participants who received service dogs reported lower PTSD symptom severity, reduced anxiety and depression, less social isolation, and higher companionship than those waiting to receive a service dog. Another study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that Veterans and first responders with PTSD who had a service dog experienced less PTSD related symptoms, had better sleep quality, and overall better well being than those with a companion dog.
The science behind service dogs is compelling. Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks that help mitigate PTSD symptoms, such as creating space in crowded environments, providing calming pressure during anxiety attacks, and waking Veterans during nightmares. Beyond these specific tasks, the bond formed between Veteran and dog creates a therapeutic relationship.
Nick discovered this life-changing option through a counselor: "I finally got into one counselor and she asked, 'Well, have you heard of service dogs?'"
And while PTSD service dogs are expensive, NWBB provides them for Veterans free of charge, thanks to generous donations from our supporters.
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Help Provide Service Dogs to Veterans With a monthly payment as low as $22 a month, you can support our mission to provide professionally trained service to Veterans who need them.
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Other promising complementary and integrative health (CIH) practices for Veterans with PTSD include:
These complementary approaches offer Veterans options beyond medication alone, potentially addressing both the psychological and physiological aspects of PTSD.
What makes alternative treatments particularly valuable is their tendency to address the whole person rather than simply targeting symptoms. While medication may help manage certain aspects of PTSD, complementary approaches can help Veterans reconnect with themselves and others.
Nick explains this profound difference regarding working with his PTSD service dog, Jazz: "It's not just masking symptoms like medication sometimes does, it's actually making you open up and be vulnerable."
This distinction is crucial. Some Veterans who reached out to Northwest Battle Buddies have reported that medication helped them function, but didn't necessarily help them heal or grow. Alternative treatments often focus on developing coping skills, building resilience, and fostering meaningful connections — all essential components of long-term recovery.
Each Veteran's experience with PTSD is unique, and finding the right treatment approach often involves trying different options. What works for one person may not work for another, which is why having multiple treatment pathways is so important. The Department of Veterans Affairs has recognized this trend, with 96% of specialized PTSD treatment programs now offering some form of complementary and integrative health practices.
For Nick, the partnership with a service dog proved transformational: "For anybody that's thinking about it, I highly recommend it. It's better than any medication I've ever been on, better than any amount of alcohol I ever drank."
Organizations like Northwest Battle Buddies are dedicated to connecting Veterans with specially trained service dogs, providing an alternative treatment option that addresses both the visible and invisible wounds.
If you're a Veteran interested in exploring alternative treatments for PTSD, consider reaching out to Northwest Battle Buddies or your local VA facility to learn more about available options. You can even see if you qualify and apply for a professionally trained PTSD service dog from NWBB if that’s the right next step for you.
If you’d like to support Veterans like Nick with the cost of a PTSD service dog, you can pledge a monthly donation to Northwest Battle Buddies with Operation Never Quit. Together, we can help American Heroes battling PTSD find their path to healing and recovery.