07/07/2025
Friends and followers - please take the time to read the statement below and to sign the petition. Thank you.
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Like many combat veterans, I struggled to access mental health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). And when I finally did, the VA put me into a treatment that not only failed to help — it made my PTSD symptoms worse.
Within two sessions, my assigned therapist pushed me to relive my traumatic experiences in a way that brought me back to the Gulf War. The treatment essentially retraumatized me.
At first, I thought psychotherapy wasn’t the answer to my condition. But later, I discovered that therapy is one of the most powerful tools for healing from PTSD — when it’s the right kind for the patient.
Everything changed once my therapist gave me the space and time that I needed to open up. After building trust with him, I’ve been able to foster new relationships and stay present. My PTSD improved.
But my therapy was cut short. After a few months of care, the VA told me that I had reached a session limit and therapy had to end. I later learned that veterans nationwide are experiencing the same thing – therapy ending prematurely.
The truth is the VA has a hidden policy: It denies veterans’ access to psychotherapy that exceeds 20 sessions. Ask other veterans — the VA rarely allows us to see the same therapist consistently and on an ongoing basis, the way civilians can.
I’m sorry, but I find this policy to be useless and offensive. After serving in the Army for 14 years, including 11 months in the Gulf War, how is it fair — or effective — to force me to treat my PTSD under a mandated deadline? Veterans should be allowed to build a strong relationship with their therapist, and yes, that will likely take longer than 20 sessions.
That’s why I’m asking for your support. Join me in urging the federal government to end the 20 session limit for psychotherapy.
Sign the petition today and help veterans get the mental health care they need and deserve.
The VA’s focus on limiting sessions is part of the reason why it favors treatments such as Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which aims to treat PTSD in 12 sessions. Of course, “completing” a therapy protocol is not the same as healing, but that matters less to government officials who are more interested in checking boxes than helping people.
In fact, my initial experience with VA therapy, where I was retraumatized, was actually CPT. To be clear, CPT may be helpful for some of my fellow veterans. It just didn’t work for me — and I’m not alone. Others often report similar negative experiences, reliving their post-traumatic events, leading them to drop out of treatment and deal with their trauma on their own.
But this petition isn’t about comparing different practices of psychotherapy. It’s about recognizing that veterans’ needs and preferences are different, and the VA should adapt to providing the treatment that veterans want and need.
The VA’s one-size-fits-all approach to psychotherapy isn’t just unscientific, it’s harmful. Research consistently demonstrates that a patient's relationship with their therapist is the strongest treatment-related predictor of positive outcomes. And positive outcomes are essential for veterans. For many of us, therapy is a lifeline that prevents addiction, which in turn can lead to homelessness, or worst of all, su***de.
Tell the federal government: End the VA’s 20 session limit on psychotherapy. Give veterans a real choice over their care and a chance at healing. Sign the petition below.
Thank you,
John Diaz (aka Cpt D)
Former U.S. Army Reserve Captain
14 years of service, including 11 months in the Gulf War
Favorite quote: "It matters less that you can fight, but what you fight for is the real task." — John McCain
Give Veterans a Real Choice in Their Mental Health Care
