This is not a short video. This is my version of a "family meeting", a Tricare 2.0 video. Whether you are being affected by the TRICARE TriWest Healthcare Alliance Defense Health Agency contract debacle in the West region or not, naming the ruptures in our relationship with the institution are critical to your next decision. Our relationship with the DOD is very different than the relationship the institution has with us. While I'm frustrated to have to say words that the institution is responsible for, I want you to know that you are seen, you are valuable and worthy of repair. Unfortunately, this will impact retention... but, really, what isn't right now?
Listen to Curt Thompson’s Podcast Episode on Rupture and Repair
Action Steps:
1. For Immediate Medical Needs:
Seek urgent care if necessary. Your health is critical, and financial consequences can be addressed later. This is particularly important for those in emergency situations or with time-sensitive needs like prenatal care or ABA therapy.
2. Engage in Repair:
Reflect on your emotions and ask yourself: What is the deeper need behind this frustration? What are the unmet longings that amplify your reaction (e.g., feeling unseen, unvalued)?
Start a conversation with your spouse, family, or community about your feelings and needs. Vulnerability, as Curt Thompson emphasizes, is key to strengthening connections.
3. Advocate for Yourself:
Monitor updates from Tricare and TriWest through official channels like emails and social media.
4. Strengthen Local Connections:
If you're facing a crisis, reach out to neighbors, FRG leaders, or local community groups. Ask for help or simply share your story—it creates an opportunity for shared support.
5. Evaluate Relationships:
Consider your family's relationship with the military institution. Reflect on the values and reasons you joined and weigh whether they still hold meaning for you.
Understand that you have the agency to decide how to navigate ruptures that persist without repair, whether with the military system or in personal relationships.
6. Focus on Repair in Personal Relationships:
Use language about rupture and repair to frame conflicts as opportunities for deeper connection. Acknowledge hurts and pursue reconciliation with intentionality. When you cannot repair the relationship, grieve that.
7. Practice Patience and Hope:
Remember that transitions, even broken ones, often stabilize over time. Hold on knowing that systemic fixes may come with time but don’t hesitate to seek personal solutions in the meantime.
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