Resources

Wellness, Arts, and the Military (WAM) is part of the ArtsWA Community of Care Initiative. WAM supports the growth of artists and arts organizations who have arts and wellness programs for military connected communities. WAM began in 2017 as a Community Connections Project supported by the NEA Creative Forces Military Healing Arts Network. Through summits, convenings, and key partnerships, the WAM program has grown to include arts programming grants, training, funding, and outreach.

Welcome!

We are here to support your transition into higher learning by:

• Providing a peer connection for veterans new to higher education.

• Helping the college to meet the needs of student veterans.

• Providing veterans with connections to federal, state or local veterans resources.

Centralia College is an approved institution for the education and training of veterans, reservists and the children and spouses of deceased or 100% "total and permanently" (with no further exams pending) disabled veterans.

Services Available:

• Assistance with the college application and registration process
• Assistance throughout the education benefit application process
• Notification of enrollment and enrollment changes to the VA
• Help in interpreting, explaining and implementing VA policies and college regulations

Heather Gebhardt, PhD, ABPP is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 15 years experience working with the veteran, active duty, and military family communities. She completed her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of California, San Diego/San Diego State University, and completed both her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the Seattle Division of the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System. Since that time, she has worked in both VA and veteran/military-serving non-profit settings.

Her experience and connection with the military is not only professional, but personal as well. She is the proud spouse of an Air Force Veteran, who retired after a 20-year military career in 2021.  

Dr. Gebhardt is Board Certified in Behavioral & Cognitive Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, and specializes in working with adults who are facing a variety of military-related concerns including anxiety, depression, PTSD, anger, or other post-trauma reactions. The treatment approaches she utilizes are evidence-based, meaning they have been found to be effective based on scientific research. 

For more information on Dr. Gebhardt and her approach to therapy, please visit her website!

The CPTC Veterans Resource Center is a place for veterans and their family members to connect with other veterans and non-veterans to create and learn about community resources within the college and surrounding communities. In addition, the center provides services specifically designed for veterans.  It is not just an office, but rather a place where veterans can find and build their community within the college. 

In addition to the CPTC Vet Corp Veterans Navigator, Peer Navigators are available to assist current and prospective military-connected students with accessing benefits as well as providing referrals to a number of campus and community resources with the goal of helping veterans balance their academic and personal demands. Specific services include:  

• Tutoring 
• Support for veterans' student group 
• Activities for veteran and military students and their families 
• Public presentations and speakers 
• Workshops for veteran and military students 
• Faculty and staff training 
• Food pantry 
  
  The Veterans Resource Center is located in Building 2, Room 109 on the Lakewood Campus. 

Lower Columbia College is committed to ensuring that all veterans, active duty personnel, reservists, and their families have access to the educational benefits and resources entitled to them.