BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Military life entails various, unavoidable stressors. Whether it’s work, deployment, medical, financial, relationship or family concerns.
Have you ever felt any of these stressors? Have you been too scared to reach out for help? Are you concerned seeking aid will affect your career?
There are many programs that are offered to reduce stress for Airmen, but some are over looked or they are avoided due to the concern of it being brought up to their leadership. If only there were somewhere you could go to talk with a licensed professional that keeps your discussion confidential.
Fortunately there is such a place, and it’s the Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC). The consultants are master or Ph.D. level professionals who are experienced social workers, psychologists and marriage and family therapists.
“MFLCs are licensed professional counselors, which maintain an active license in at least one state and provide short term non-medical counseling. They do not give diagnosis, however they have the professional training to determine when longer term services may be useful,” said Elizabeth Kim, Beale’s Airman and Family Readiness Center chief. “The services are confidential. They provide an informed consent at the beginning of each session and if there is any safety concerns of harm to self or others, the MFLC is required to make a warm handoff to either Mental Health, Family Advocacy or Chapel Corps.”
The MFLC runs two programs here; one supports service members and their families and the other supports children and youth.
“The MFLC program provides free brief counseling services to active duty airmen and their loved ones,” Kim said. “The counseling services may be for an individual, marital counseling, family counseling and or group counseling. A few of the topics address communication, stress management, conflict resolution skills, and many other subjects for the purpose of skill building.”
Appointments can be scheduled the same day or within a twenty-four hour period of time. The program also has a library developed under the guidance of Department of Defense and can provide presentations to squadrons or any group.
If interested in the MFLC program, you can scheduling an appointment at 530-708-0844 or via email at mflcbeale@gmail.com.