Recovering from a traumatic experience isn't easy and shouldn't be done alone.

During the Family Symposium at the USO Warrior and Family Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Nov. 15, Sailors and their family members shared their recovery stories and how Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor helped them during a difficult time in their lives.

"You don't have to go through it by yourself," said Naval District Washington Chief of Staff Capt. Roy Undersander during the event. "That's my main message for you today. That's what our staff is here for. That's what this program is for - to help you through and become a part of a community."

Guest speaker Aileen Kohl, a former Navy lieutenant, spoke of her experience caring for her husband, Army 1st Lt. Jonathan Kohl, who was injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in March 2013.

"You have a major trauma that happens in your life and now everything's changed and nothing is the way it was before and you have to figure out how that fits into your own life," Aileen said.

She recounted her husband's injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, multiple spinal fractures, hip fractures, ankle fractures and rib fractures.

"He broke pretty much everything but his arms," she said.

He received care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center until he was stable enough to be transferred to a polytrauma center in Richmond, Virginia. While there, she said she fought for him to be admitted into NeuroRestorative, a civilian provider specializing in post-acute brain injury rehabilitation.

"That's where the bulk of our recovery happened," she said. "That's where Jon made the biggest strides. This allowed me to return to work because I was still on temporary duty orders from my squadron - luckily they kept extending them. I had a great command."

Aileen was assigned to Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor-Naval District Washington and said working there helped her learn a lot about the recovery process and how to help other caregivers.

She said she still receives support from her former coworkers. Nonprofit programs, such as Help Our Military Heroes and Operation Flying Heroes, have allowed them to get out in the community.

"The community support comes from the people you surround yourself with," Aileen said.

Accepting that her husband's disability would be with them throughout their lifetime was difficult.

"I had my fair share of 'I'm going to go in my room right now and cry for a while,'" she said. "That's OK. You need to realize that and allow yourself to feel these negative things, but don't sit there and dwell on it. Sit there and say 'What can I do to make this better?'"

Another caregiver once told her how she hated a phrase frequently said when dealing with traumatic brain injuries.

"Everyone tells you brain injury takes years to recover from and that it's a marathon and not a sprint," Aileen said. "In brain injury, it's not a marathon. A marathon means you're going to cross the finish line; there's going to be an end. But really when you talk about brain injury or any other invisible illness, there's really no ending point."

The program included a panel of six Sailors and one caregiver who shared their experiences with Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor. Realizing wounded warrior didn't just mean combat-related injuries was an eye-opener for some panelists as they realized that any wounded, ill or injured Sailor could benefit from the program.

"I didn't want to get involved in this program because 'wounded warrior' to me has always been combat-related," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Carlos Valerio, who has gastric cancer. "Last year when I went to the [Warrior] Games, I didn't want to participate. I didn't see myself as a wounded warrior."

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Renee Carranza shared a similar story. He said he learned of Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor when he googled 'wounded warrior for Navy' and the program was among the top search results.

"At first I didn't feel like I was even worthy of it, because wounded warrior is somebody with a missing leg," said Carranza, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder from war and military sexual trauma. "But after talking to them, they explained to me it's not just those kind of patients; its people with invisible wounds as well, which is myself."

April Ziegler, a retired Navy mass communication specialist, said she didn't know how strong her support system actually was until after she received her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

"People who stood by me and dropped everything when something went wrong was completely humbling," Ziegler said.

She said her illness has limited her in ways, but has also opened doors as she's worked with the Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor program. One such opportunity was an internship working in the U.S. Senate.

"[Safe Harbor] helped me to realize that I can be strong and break through and make it through my hard times," Ziegler said.

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