This program is for adults, but it was originally designed for Service members and veterans.

Moving Forward: A Problem Solving Approach to Achieving Life's Goals (Moving Forward) is an online or classroom-directed course that is designed to teach participants problem-solving skills that can help reduce emotional distress and build resilience. Moving Forward is based on the Emotion-Centered Problem-Solving Therapy (EC-PST)* program.

*A separate Fact Sheet is available for this program.

One pretest/posttest study conducted among veterans found statistical and clinical improvements in social problem-solving, resilience, and overall distress levels in participants.

Moving Forward is designed to strengthen a person's resilience and coping abilities and enhance his or her recovery from the negative effects of stressful life events. Moving Forward has been adapted for use with Service members and veterans and endeavors to help participants navigate a variety of problems, including becoming a new parent, handling painful or difficult emotions, being recently deployed, reintegrating into civilian life, dealing with relationship issues, finding a job or choosing a new career, coping with financial problems, handling physical injuries, balancing school and family, or managing stress.

Participants learn the following three sets of skills:

• Problem-solving multitasking - Learn to manage cognitive overload when dealing with stressful situations by practicing skills of externalization, simplification, and visualization;
• Stop, Slow Down, Think, and Act (SSTA) method of emotional regulation - Develop emotional mindfulness and strengthen one's ability to handle problems when facing negative feelings and negative thinking; and
• Planful Problem-Solving - Practice the Thinking and Acting steps of the SSTA method by defining the problem, setting realistic goals, formulating alternative solutions, making a final decision, carrying out the plan, monitoring and evaluating consequences, and deciding whether the process has been successful.

This program can be implemented in a classroom setting, or it can be accessed online by visiting the first website listed in the Source section. In addition, a CD version of the program is available. Please use the email address in the Contact section to request a copy.

Moving Forward was collaboratively developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) and has undergone pilot testing in the VA healthcare system from 2010 to 2012 at 75 sites across the continental United States.

Information on training was not available. Please use details in the Contact section to learn more.

Considerations for implementing this program include recruiting facilitators if the program is implemented as a classroom course, acquiring participant buy-in, and ensuring participants who want to participate in the online program have access to a computer or mobile device with internet capabilities.

The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

If you are interested in implementing Moving Forward, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

This program consists of eight modules and is self-paced.

Information on implementation costs was not located.

To move Moving Forward to the Promising category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one evaluation with a strong study design including a control group should be performed demonstrating positive effects lasting at least one year from the beginning of the program or at least six months from program completion.

The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals.  Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu

You may also contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by visiting https://www.va.gov/contact-us/

https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/MovingForward/, https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/movingforward/media/MovingForward_user_guide_508.pdf, and Tenhula et al. (2014).

Tenhula, W. N., Nezu, A. M., Nezu, C. M., Stewart, M. O., Miller, S. A., Steele, J., & Karlin, B. E. (2014). Moving Forward: A problem-solving training program to foster veteran resilience. Professional Psychology, Research and Practice, 45(6), 416-424. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037150