Rob AndersonLead Coach/ Principle Owner, Stand Sure Coaching · Spending time in collaborative conversations with clients

Rebuild Veteran Trust: Consistency, Patience, Acknowledge Their Past

1 May 2025 · 1 min

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1:00

In this short instructional monologue, the speaker outlines a three‑step approach to rebuilding trust with a veteran who is wary after previous hurt. First, they stress the importance of consistency—demonstrating reliability through everyday actions and keeping promises, no matter how small. Second, they advise patience, allowing the veteran to open up at their own pace and creating a judgment‑free environment. Third, they recommend explicitly acknowledging the veteran’s past experiences and any prior breaches of trust, communicating understanding and a commitment not to repeat past failures. When words align with actions, the speaker asserts that the veteran’s defensive walls can gradually come down, but only if the caregiver has truly earned that trust.

Chapters

Rebuilding trust with a veteran who's in a once bitten, twice shy mindset takes time, and you have to be intentional. The first step is to be consistent. Don't just say that you're there for them, show it. Follow through on your promises no matter how small they seem. Trust from them isn't built in big moments, it's in the day-to-day actions that are going to prove that you're reliable. Second, be patient. They may not open up right away. And that's okay. Respect their pace and don't push. Instead, create a safe judgment-free space where they feel comfortable sharing. And then last, acknowledge their experiences. If trust was broken before, let them know that you understand. You want to be there for them and understand that it is hard and make sure they know that you are not going to let them down. When they see that your words match your actions, The walls will start to come down, but only if you've earned it.