Therapist Earns Doctorate to Improve Veteran Care

Jessica Sellers, DSW, Strives to Improve Mental Health Care for Veterans

At WellStone, we are proud to celebrate our frontline workers when they set—and achieve—big goals. 

That’s what we’re excited to recognize Jessica Sellers, one of two WellStone therapists specializing in veteran care. She graduated from the University of Kentucky, earning her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) with a concentration in Military Behavioral Health. Sellers, who is based in Cullman, already holds a BS in psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama. 

“My degree aligns closely with both my long-term career goals and WellStone’s mission of serving communities with compassion and evidence-based care,” said Sellers.  “Throughout my doctoral studies, I focused on increasing provider confidence and competence when working with veterans through the VA Community Care Network. This led to my development of the VALOR Model of Veteran Education Delivery, an educational framework designed to better prepare healthcare and behavioral health providers to serve veteran populations.”

A veteran herself, Sellers adds that the program strengthened her ability to integrate clinical practice, advocacy, research, education, and program development in ways that directly support WellStone’s commitment to accessible, high-quality mental health care.  

 

“The mental health of veterans is important to me because of both my personal experiences and my deep respect for those who have served our country. My military career ended earlier than expected due to injury, so this is how I continue serving.”   

Sellers’ goal is to continue advancing veteran behavioral health initiatives through trauma-informed, culturally responsive care while contributing to provider education, leadership development, and systems improvement across the behavioral health field.  

Thank you, Dr. Sellers, for your service!