Photo By Sgt. 1st Class David Edge | The Military and Family Life Counseling (MFLC) program provides non-medical counseling...... read more read more
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The military lifestyle is unique. Balancing multiple PCSes, deployments and long separations with the challenges of everyday life is stressful for Soldiers and their families.
The 2d Theater Signal Brigade leadership, recognizing that Soldiers and their families sometimes need more than the care of friends and family to help pull through a difficult stretch, has teamed up with the USAG Wiesbaden’s Military and Family Life Counseling program to offer its members a dedicated Military and Family Life Counselor.
Marcia Toyohara has been an MFLC for 15 years, and an ‘Adult Community’ MFLC at USAG Wiesbaden since June 2022. She delivers valuable face-to-face counseling services, as well as by phone and video.
“All service members, and family members and dependents of service members are eligible for MFLC services,” Toyohara said. “In addition to providing non-medical, confidential with no written records counseling services to all service members and their dependents, I provide classes on various psycho-social subjects ranging from communication and relationship skills, parenting, grief and loss to stress management.”
MFLCs also provide in-depth briefings on the program and support organizational programs and events.
Providing counseling support, even non-medical counseling, is challenging. Toyohara, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, operated a private practice for 20 years before becoming an MFLC.
“I wanted a change and had heard about this program from a colleague,” she said. “It sounded so interesting. This is a rewarding career, and I’m so happy that I made the switch. Not only has it cultivated a deep appreciation for all branches of the military, but it is rewarding to know that the MFLC program has made a positive difference in Soldiers’ lives.”
Toyohara's association with the 2d Theater Signal Bde began after she and a co-worker provided a ‘Wellness Check’ arranged by brigade leadership.
“I also supported a Family Advocacy Program event, providing a class on stress management while the FAP staff provided a painting class to brigade members,” she said. “From those two events, leadership saw not only me, but the program in action!
From there, brigade leadership and the brigade’s Behavioral Health team requested to have Mrs. Toyohara embedded with the brigade to ensure members know there is a dedicated MFLC they can turn to for support.
Her favorite part about being a Military & Family Life Counselor is the variety of duties the program offers.
“If I’m not providing counseling services, I can ‘walk the footprint’ and support Soldiers and providers in a casual manner, in addition to providing briefings and classes, which I can collaborate with other community agencies.”
Being a Military & Family Life Counselor has helped enhance her level of compassion and resilience.
“I have learned to be more resilient just by being around soldiers and their family members,” she said. “It’s not an easy lifestyle for Army Soldiers and their family members - a high operations tempo, going to the field for training, deployments and TDYs, takes its toll on every member of the family.”
The Military and Family Life Counseling Program provides non-medical counseling, consultation and outreach services aimed at preventing the development or exacerbation of mental health conditions that may detract from military and family readiness.
All non-medical counselors are master’s- or doctorate-level professionals with experience in a mental health-related field, and have a license or certification to practice independently, according to a fact sheet on the program available at www.militaryonesource.mil. All counselors have undergone background checks, and have focused training on military culture and military life.
For more information about the Military and Family Life Counseling program, visit www.militaryonesource.mil.
The 2d Theater Signal Brigade delivers integrated and interoperable theater communications and cyber capabilities to enable decision dominance across all levels and phases of war in support of combat forces and mission partners in Europe and Africa.
- Visit www.2sigbde.army.mil for more on the 2d Theater Signal Brigade
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| Date Taken: | 07.20.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.20.2023 03:58 |
| Story ID: | 449599 |
| Location: | WIESBADEN, HE, DE |
| Hometown: | SAN JOSE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 164 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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