Licensed clinical therapist, social worker and veteran Maurica Nelsen had to regroup when her behavioral health job with the Army was on the chopping block during military cutbacks last fall. 

“I joined the National Guard when I was 17 years old," Nelsen said. "I did basic — then went straight to Iraq — came home two weeks before my 21st birthday — was home for a little bit — and went back to Iraq,” Nelsen said.

Still in the active reserves, she had figured out how to transition into business for herself. Using her communications call sign, Bluebird, from her deployments with the Army National Guard, she opened Bluebird Therapy in Post Falls.

“I just want to keep helping vets — and if that means doing it all on my own — I’ll do that," Nelsen said. "With everything I went through — I feel like I’m a better therapist,” Nelsen said. 

Her maiden name is Bradbury. Fellow soldiers nicknamed her Blueberry while training with the 116th Cavalry. After a man at Fort Bliss distractedly walked headfirst into a pole while looking at her, she got another nickname, Pretty Bird. 

Then the two merged into what became her call sign, Bluebird.  

Helping other veterans reconnect to civilian life comes from a place of understanding for Nelsen as she approaches her 23rd year with the National Guard. 

“Some of them feel more open to talk to me,” Nelsen said.  

There were separate rules for men and women on the front lines. 

“When I went to war in ‘04 it was messy for women with things like having to bring vehicles up from Kuwait to Kirkuk,” Nelsen recalled. 

While en route, the men could relieve themselves in water bottles because regular stops weren’t part of the plan. She wound up having to learn how to use something akin to a travel catheter. 

“Some of the rules were from a long time ago, but it felt like I was always a problem,” Nelsen said. 

Even though their reasons for joining were similar, she felt bothered during deployments until some common-sense adaptations began to make things a little easier to coexist as women in the field. 

“I’ve done a lot, and I’m still in. You can just serve the community,” Nelsen said. 

She still does National Guard practice each month. There have been occasions when she winds up training during the day and seeing higher-need clients at night.

“Managing expectations upfront is huge. There are definitely times when I might be gone but when I’m playing Army, I’m going to stay in contact with you, I’ll make sure that you’ve got the crisis line number,” Nelsen said.  

Much of her business is telehealth sessions for ages 14 and up. Still, she’s found clients from Bonners Ferry to Troy, Idaho. Her client breakdown is half veterans and half civilians.

With the veteran population, suicide continues to be a major issue. But small, pressing economic concerns can exert a lot of pressure without relief, Nelsen noted, like trying to get veterans to share a $1,300-a-month, two-bedroom apartment is a huge challenge if they’re not immediately able to find a job.  

“Financial hardships are big in this area when the work doesn’t come,” Nelsen said. 

Trying to teach them how to do a basic budget for themselves can alleviate some of the stresses.

“I was the same way, I had fought in a war and never paid a water bill,” Nelsen said.