Bellingham Vet Center
Serving Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island counties, we offer confidential help for Veterans, service members, and their families at no cost in a non-medical setting. Our services include counseling for needs such as depression, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma (MST). We can also connect you with more support in VA and your community.
Our commitment
- We offer a range of services, from talk therapy to recreational activities. Our team will work with you to identify your goals and make a plan to meet them. We'll help you and your family build meaningful connections to improve your quality of life.
- Our counseling is confidential. We won’t share any information about you or the services you receive without your permission—except in a life-threatening situation. Our records can't be accessed by other VA offices, the Defense Department, military units, or community providers.
- We encourage you to contact us, even if you're not sure you're eligible. We'll find a way to connect you with the help you need.
Locations and contact information
Main Location
Direct line
Hours
- Mon. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tue. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Wed. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Thu. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sat. Closed
- Sun. Closed
Other locations
Vet Centers are community based to be more accessible in areas where you live.
We also have non-traditional hours that change periodically given our community’s needs. Please call us to find out more.
Need help after hours?
Our call center is available 24/7. Call us anytime at 877-927-8387.
Prepare for your visit
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Making an Appointment
After contacting us initially, a counselor will be notified to call you for an appointment time. You can expect a return call within 1-2 business days and we should be able to schedule your first appointment within 2-14 business days, depending on counselor availabilities.
Contacting Us
You can call us anytime during our posted hours of operation. If you need to call outside of those times, on weekends, or holidays, the Vet Center call center is available 24/7: 877-927-8387.
Cancelling or Rescheduling an Appointment
If you know you will miss an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment and make that time available for another Veteran.
You do not need to be registered for care at VA, rated for a service connected disability, or receiving any other form of VA benefits. On your first visit, we will look for one or more of the following:
- Discharge documents (such as a DD214)
- Receipt of certain awards
- Deployment orders
- Other documents that show qualifying military service
Request your military service records online.
If you don’t have these documents on-hand, come in and we can work with you to establish your eligibility and also answer any questions you might have.
Free parking on premises.
Located in the Lincoln Professional Center, we are easily accessible for a variety of transportation methods.
Driving
Heading North on I-5: Exit 252 and merge onto Samish Way. At light, Samish Way continues onto Lincoln St. Stay on Lincoln St. and then turn right onto Byron Ave. Turn right into Lincoln Professional Center.
Heading South on I-5: Exit 252 to Samish Way. Turn left onto Samish Way. Turn left onto Lincoln St. Turn right onto Byron Ave. Turn right into Lincoln Professional Center.
Walk, bike, public transit
We are a short walk up the hill from the Whatcom Transit Authority (WTA) Lincoln Creek Park & Ride, next to the Lincoln Street & Byron Avenue intersection.
In the spotlight
New Vet Centers and Satellite Locations Announced
To improve access to counseling, we are adding three Vet Centers and six satellite locations across the US and its territories. We will continue to expand our program to meet Veteran demand and provide local support to those who served.
Northwest Hearts United: Warrior Wednesdays
Open to Military Service Members, Veterans, and First Responders.
Hang out with Horses.
Enjoy meeting others with similar interests.
Nourish your mind and body.
Learn skills for a healthy more relaxed life.
Currently Available Groups
- Vietnam Support Group
- OEF/OIF/Persian Gulf Support Group
- Mindfulness Group
- Writing Group
- Art Group
- Anacortes Group
Please contact the Vet Center if you have questions about joining a group.
Counseling services
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We offer couples and family counseling to support you as you work toward meeting your goals.
To help you and your loved ones identify steps to create a healthy and supportive environment at home, we offer family counseling for free and without limitation.
If someone close to you has died or you’re adjusting to a difficult life change, we’re here to support you.
Get in touch with us and we can provide support or referrals.
If you're a Veteran who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, or a related identity, we can help you find counseling, support, and referral services to meet your specific needs.
We keep in touch with LGBTQ+ service providers at VA Puget Sound and can make a direct referral for you. Mental health counseling or case management is also available if you meet eligibility criteria.
If you’re struggling with issues like PTSD, depression, grief, anger, or trauma, we offer counseling and other support. We’ll work with you to help you achieve your personal goals.
Our specialized care includes:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Group Psychotherapy
We also collaborate with community agencies on occasion to offer additional outdoor therapy and community events to our clients.
If you experienced sexual assault or harassment during military service, we can help you get the counseling you need. Any Veteran or service member, including members of the National Guard and Reserve forces, who experienced military sexual trauma is eligible to receive counseling. This applies to people of all genders from any service era.
We have counselors trained specifically in this area to help you meet your goals.
If you have symptoms of PTSD after a traumatic event, we can help. We offer assessment and support through private counseling and group therapy. We can also refer you to VA or community counseling for treatment and therapy resources.
This is our specialty and all of our Readjustment Counseling Therapists are experts in this area.
If you’re returning from military service, we’ll help you transition to civilian life. We can connect you with educational and career counseling, mental health services, and other programs and benefits that will support your transition.
Get in touch with us and we can walk you through your available options.
Referral services
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We can help you overcome substance use problems, from unhealthy alcohol use to life-threatening addiction. We'll connect you to services for your specific needs.
At the Bellingham Vet Center, we provide long-term support to help Veterans and service members overcome underlying issues.
We refer Veterans and service members struggling with addiction to the Puget Sound VA Healthcare System and other community partners to detox and gain stability.
If you’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you connect with resources in your community.
We know the resources and can point you in the right direction.
Call our Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1 to get support anytime day or night. This service is private, free, and available 24/7. Our Vet Center can also connect you with ongoing counseling and services.
The best suicide prevention is active treatment, so if you struggle with any mental health issues get in touch with us!
We can help connect you to VA and community resources that will support you in achieving your goals.
If you are looking to connect with other Veterans, we can provide referrals and we work with community partners to create opportunities for our Veterans and service members.
Other services
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We provide private organizations and community agencies education on our Veteran community and military culture. Together, we build referral networks to expand support for Veterans, service members, and their families.
We appreciate our community stakeholders and stay up-to-date on what's happening so we can align community opportunities with your goals.
We offer secure and confidential individual and group counseling through telehealth. You can schedule a phone or video appointment for Vet Center services.
This service is especially valuable if you live in eastern Skagit or Whatcom County, Island, or San Juan Counties. Give us call to confirm eligibility and get started!
How Vet Centers are different than a medical clinic
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Vet Centers are small, non-medical, counseling centers conveniently located in your community. They’re staffed by highly trained counselors and team members dedicated to seeing you through the challenges that come with managing life during and after the military.
Whether you come in for one-on-one counseling or to participate in a group session, at Vet Centers you can form social connections, try new things, and build a support system with people who understand you and want to help you succeed.
You may be eligible for Vet Center services no matter your discharge status or eligibility for VA health care. And we encourage you to contact us, even if you’re not sure if you’re eligible. If we can’t help you, we’ll find someone who can.
If you’re a Veteran or service member (including National Guard and Reserves), you’re eligible if you meet any of these service requirements:
- You served on active duty in any combat theater or area of hostility, or
- You provided mortuary services or direct emergency medical care to treat the casualties of war while on active duty, or
- You were a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat theater or area of hostility, or
- You served on active duty in response to a national emergency or major disaster declared by the president, or under orders of the governor or chief executive of a state in response to a disaster or civil disorder, or
- You’re a current or former member of the Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction operation, or
- You’re a current member of the Reserve Component assigned to a military command in a drill status, including active Reserves, and you need to address a behavioral health condition or psychological trauma that is related to your military service
If you’re a Veteran or service member (including National Guard and Reserves), you’re also eligible for Vet Center services if any of these descriptions is true for you:
- You’re a Vietnam Era Veteran who used Vet Center services before January 2, 2013, or
- You experienced military sexual trauma (no matter your gender or service era), or
- You currently use any covered VA educational assistance benefits
What are the covered educational assistance benefits?
- Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty
- Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
- Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Remember: You don’t need to be enrolled in VA health care to be eligible for Vet Center services. You don’t need to have a service-connected disability. And you can have any character of discharge.
You can use our counseling and other support services when your participation would support the growth and goals of the Veteran or service member in your family. If the Veteran or service member considers you family, so do we.
You can also use our bereavement services if any of these descriptions is true for your family:
-
The Veteran or service member died while serving on active duty, or
-
The Veteran was using Vet Center services at the time of their death, or
-
The Veteran or service member died by suicide
No. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care or have a service-connected disability.
Safe and confidential. Our records can’t be accessed by other VA offices, the DoD, military units, or other community networks and providers without your permission or unless required to avert a life-threatening situation. Here, you can be as open as you want—there’s absolutely no judgment.
Call us at
Our confidential call center is staffed by combat Veterans from several eras and family members of Veterans.
You can talk to us about your military experience, issues around transitioning out of military service, or trauma. We’ll help connect you to resources and support at a Vet Center near you.