Ederis Martinez-Cunion, MS, LPC, NCC of Your Path Counseling Center
Your Path Counseling announced today that they will be launching their Empowering Women: Veterans' Support Group. This is made possible by a grant from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. The grant dollars provided by the state will enable female veterans or active duty members to participate in six months of free Group Therapy services utilizing the Seeking Safety curriculum, as well as financial literacy training. Seeking Safety is an evidence-based group therapy curriculum shown to help individuals with PTSD and other mental health disorders build the coping skills necessary to manage a range of topics, such as coping skills, healthy relationships, setting boundaries, and self-care. Participants will have the option to participate in daytime or evening in-person group sessions held at local libraries in Hanover County.
Affirming decor at Your Path Counseling Center
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 22% of all suicide deaths in the U.S. are Veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has ranked suicide prevention as one of its top priorities. In an effort to reduce suicide and opioid addiction, the Virginia Department of Veterans Services solicited applications for community-based grants to collaborate with state, local, community organizations, public and private institutions, and other service providers to develop programs to prevent suicide among service members, veterans, and families. Organizations were asked to develop programming to address the specific needs of Women Veterans, Homeless Veterans, Justice Involved, Caregiver Support or Financial Stability/literacy.
After reviewing the current programming provided by the VA and other organizations participating in the SOS program, Your Path Counseling Center decided to pursue a grant to fund an in-person mental health group for female veterans in Hanover County and surrounding areas. Virginia is home to over 110,000 women veterans, with an increasing number living in Hanover or the surrounding counties. 47% of veterans report the transition from military to civilian life as “some what”, or “very difficult”. It is common for transitioning veterans to struggle with feeling disconnected from friends and family, paying bills, accessing health care, finding a job, and adjusting to the lack of structure that comes from civilian life. Research shows that the Seeking Safety (SS) group that Your Path Counseling Center will be offering is effective in reducing the symptoms related to PTSD by helping veterans become present-focused while building additional coping skills to enhance distress tolerance and affect management. Your Path will also incorporate a financial literacy component into the program due to the strong correlation between mental and financial wellness.
Active duty and retired female veterans can sign up to participate in the program by visiting www.yourpathcounselingcenter.com or calling 804-798-5327 ext. 0. They will have access to weekly Seeking Safety group sessions designed to help them improve their mental health, coping skills and financial literacy. If additional services are needed, Your Path is able to provide individual, couples or family counseling as well.
Group Details
Empowering Women: Veterans’ Support Group
Starts Oct 3, 2025
Tuesday from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at 7527 Library Dr. Hanover, VA, 23069A
Thursday from Noon to 1:30 pm at 201 S. Railroad Ave, Ashland, VA 23005
About Your Path Counseling Center
Founded in 2019, Your Path Counseling Center is a mental health practice based in Ashland, Virginia. It currently has two locations and provides traditional talk and expressive mental health services to children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Your Path Counseling Center is a racially and culturally affirming as well as an LGBTQ+ affirming practice. For more information visit www.yourpathcounselingcenter.com