Mental Health Care for Veterans and Military Families
Evaluation, counseling and medication management for adults, in person in West Ashley or by secure video, with coordination with your VA providers when you want it.
What We Can Help With
Our providers evaluate and treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, prolonged grief and related conditions in adults. Care can include individual counseling, medication management or both, and medication, when indicated, is decided jointly with you.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) names combat veterans among the people who can develop PTSD, along with people who have lived through or witnessed assault, accidents, disasters or other serious events. It notes that anyone can develop PTSD at any age, and that about 6 in 100 people will have it at some point in their lives.
When Symptoms Show Up
NIMH explains that PTSD symptoms usually begin within 3 months of a traumatic event but sometimes appear later. For a diagnosis, symptoms have to last more than a month and get in the way of daily life, such as work or relationships. A qualified clinician makes the diagnosis using the DSM-5-TR.
The VA says it is never too late to get help, no matter when you served. If memories, sleep problems, a short temper or low mood have been building since your service, that is worth raising with a clinician.
Counseling and Medication Management
NIMH says PTSD is mainly treated with talk therapy, medication or both, and that talk therapy usually lasts 6 to 12 weeks but can take longer. It describes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which can include exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring, as a common approach.
Our individual counseling uses trauma-informed care, CBT with exposure elements and other exposure-based CBT, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), behavioral activation and CBT-I techniques for sleep. When cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure, EMDR or a dedicated veterans program would suit you better, your provider can coordinate a referral.
Working Alongside the VA
We are not part of the VA. With your permission, we coordinate with your VA providers so the two plans support each other rather than overlap. You can also see us without any VA involvement.
If you want care through the VA, its PTSD page says the first step is applying for VA health care. If you already have a VA primary care provider, the VA suggests starting with them, since they can help work out whether you have PTSD and arrange treatment. The VA's general information line is 800-827-1000, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern.
The VA also says mental health care is available no matter your discharge status, service history or eligibility for VA health care, and that you do not have to be enrolled to walk into or call a VA medical center or use a Vet Center. Vet Centers, about 300 community locations, offer free private counseling to veterans who served in a combat zone.
For Families and Caregivers
NIMH suggests encouraging your loved one to stay with their treatment plan, talking with their provider if symptoms have not improved after 6 to 8 weeks, offering patience and emotional support, learning about PTSD and doing positive activities together.
The VA runs Coaching into Care at 888-823-7458, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, where families can get advice on mental health services and on starting a conversation about treatment. Its Caregiver Support Line is 855-260-3274. Adult family members can also make an appointment with us for care of their own.
If You Are in Crisis
The Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential and open around the clock: call 988 and press 1, or text 838255. TTY users can call 711 and then 988. Anyone can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The VA notes that you can also go to a VA medical center. Hope Behavioral Medicine is not an emergency service.
Insurance and Scheduling
We accept Medicare, most major commercial plans, and all South Carolina Medicaid managed care plans except Select Health (First Choice). No referral is needed for most insurance plans. Some HMO plans may require one. Call us with your insurance details and we will verify before scheduling.
Getting Care in the Charleston Area
Charleston County has about one mental health provider for every 214 residents, compared with one for every 437 across South Carolina. Our office is on Gardner Road in West Ashley, and we also see adults anywhere in South Carolina by secure video, so you do not have to wait for a local opening or take time off to drive.
We accept Medicare, most major commercial plans, and all South Carolina Medicaid managed care plans except Select Health (First Choice). New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment.
Sources
The facts on this page come from: National Institute of Mental Health, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (revised 2023); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD Treatment (updated February 2022); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Mental Health Care (updated October 2026); CMS National Provider Identification file, 2024, via County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2025.
Treatment Options
Read More
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Hope Behavioral Medicine is a private practice. With your permission, we coordinate with your VA providers, and you can also see us without any VA involvement.
Yes. Once you give permission, we share information with your VA team so the two plans support each other.
Our counseling uses trauma-informed care and CBT with exposure elements. When cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure or EMDR fits you better, your provider can coordinate a referral.
Yes. We see adults 18 and older, so spouses, partners and adult children can make an appointment of their own.
Call 988 and press 1, or text 838255. It is free, confidential and available 24/7. In immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.