For Dr. Chris Ivany, psychiatry isn’t just a career—it’s a calling shaped by personal experience and a lifelong bond with military life. Growing up as the son of an Army tanker, Chris experienced firsthand the unique challenges military families face. Frequent moves with his three siblings meant adapting to new schools, making new friends and immersing himself in new cultures every one to three years.
That early experience came full circle when Chris followed a similar path, serving 20 years in the military while raising his own family. Moving across the globe with his wife, Buffy, and their three children, he saw those same challenges through the lens of a parent. He gained a deeper understanding of the barriers military families encounter.
Building better systems for military families
“I still remember the difficulties my parents experienced as they tried to find outpatient mental health care for one of my siblings,” he recalled. “There simply weren’t enough resources to help. It was frustrating.”
Years later, when one of his children needed support, Chris had a hard time finding the right care. “It was a challenge to find people you trusted and knew what they were doing,” he said. “It became my goal to try and build better systems of outpatient mental health care, so military families don’t have to struggle.”
Understanding the challenges military children face
Military-connected students, especially those with active-duty parents, usually move six to nine times between kindergarten and high school graduation—about three times more often than civilian children. These frequent moves usually span long distances, sometimes crossing state or national boundaries, and present unique challenges inside and outside the classroom.
“Frequent moves disrupt friendships and social connections,” Chris explained. “Outside of the home, school is the most important environment for kids. When your child switches schools, they often lose the chance to grow up with friends.” This instability can create challenges that affect a child’s emotional resilience and ability to adapt to new environments.
He went on to say, “While younger children’s mental well-being is closely tied to the parent at home, older children need their own social circle. They need to connect with friends, stay engaged with their community, and avoid becoming isolated from activities and peers.”
In addition to social challenges, military students also face educational challenges. When they transition to a new school, their curriculums are often mismatched. Students deal with varying cultures, standards, course offerings and graduation requirements. This can result in retaking classes or missing out on important lessons, leading to frustration and disruption in learning.
Partnering with the Military Child Education Coalition to strengthen support
Through individualized therapy, Family Care Center helps military children build resilience, manage stress, and navigate the emotional complexities of adapting to new environments. But there’s more to do to support these children through challenges.
That’s why Family Care Center collaborates with organizations like the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), which provides much-needed student resources during moves and transitions. By addressing the social and academic challenges military-connected children encounter, this partnership ensures that these children receive holistic care—supporting their growth both inside and outside the classroom.
MCEC has skilled trainers with experience in youth development, education, counseling and social work who help educators learn the latest and most effective ways to support children from military families. They also offer a variety of programs and resources to empower families with the tools needed for students to succeed, from kindergarten to graduation and beyond.
“MCEC trains teachers to understand the military lifestyle, supports students facing academic disruptions and fosters peer mentorship,” Chris shared. “This allows staff to be ready and provide the right support as the child starts at the new school. It helps to provide smooth transitions for military children and their families.”
A vision of hope
For Chris, seeing the passion and dedication of organizations like MCEC inspires hope.
“MCEC is an organization that takes energy, empathy and talent and channels it into programs that truly make a difference,” he shared. “Their work complements our mission and the work we do at Family Care Center. When we’re treating military members, kids and spouses, having organizations like MCEC addressing academic and social challenges makes our mental health care so much more effective. It’s a powerful partnership.”
To learn more about MCEC’s work and resources, visit https://militarychild.org/.
