Veterans and PTSD

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Permalink Reply by Antonia Nelson on June 20, 2010 at 4:11pm

Hi Salvatore, I worked at a Veterans center for a year, using Myofascial Release and Way of the Heart Integrations as well as active listening, coaching. The Vets loved the work, made wonderful shifts and digested a lot of old trauma. What a wonderful thing that you as a Veteran would like to serve other Vets!! The biggest thing they said across the board was that they felt listened to, felt that they were genuinely cared for, and experiencing something that was helping that was not more drugs that they received open handed through the VA. I wish you all the best and what I do know is that I got so much working with these wonderful people!! I wish the same for you

Antonia Nelson

Permalink Reply by Dustin Fox on June 21, 2010 at 10:24am

Hello Salvatore, As a VET myself, I have some experience working with VETS. I haven't heard of Trauma Touch Therapy as a tool, but use Reiki, my own Integrative Massage Technique and counseling to facilitate a release of the trauma that is being held in their celular memory bank. The normal outcome has been very positive in two ways. One they realize that they are not the only one with this issue and it opens them up to communicating deep seated feelings about the experiences. If their condition is diagnosed as PTSD or is believed to be PTSD I have found that PTSD is normally not the only issue that I have to work with. They also present with symtoms of Accumulated Emotionally Reactive Stress Syndrome, which also requires attention. Unconditional loving touch provided by whatever technique and supported by facilitative counseling with another VET or trained VA mental health provider has proven to be the most effective with those I have worked with. I discourage the use of medications that are provided without proper & current medical supervision, The truth is often ignored or unable to come forth when masked by the effects of drugs. When a VET can face his/her trauma and develop the empowerment to overcome their fears there is progress. You may find that it is very difficult to break into the established mental health community because massage therapy has not been accepted as a valid form of treatment for any mental health issue or most other issues judged to be "medical". Basically, we are not, as a profession, perceived to be "qualified' to treat people with these issues. I get most of my VETS by word of mouth that comes from the VETS that I have already had some level of success with. I did approach the VA Hospital locally but was politely rebuffed and even encouraged to make an appointment to deal with my own trauma, which is no longer an issue. Giving unconditionally has allowed me to make the biggest step of self forgiveness and then universal forgiveness of all the contributing factors that placed me in the experiences that led to the trauma. That is how I moved through and beyond it and it is the way that I encourage the VETS I work with to look at their own bigger picture of life. Best of luck to you in your endeavors to facilitate for this fine group of human beings that just give it all for us. Please keep us posted on your progress. We are all learning from eachother all the time....

Namaste,
Dustin

Permalink Reply by Jeff Sims on June 21, 2010 at 12:52pm

for what it's worth, Savatore, the local VA health center supports the annual "everybody needs a massage" week where i offer veterans free 30 minute treatments, including orthopedic massage and craniosacral therapy. on this island with thousands of vets i am able to serve a dozen or so each year.

Permalink Reply by Sue Heldenbrand on June 29, 2010 at 12:37pm

After hurricanes Katrina and Rita I did energetic work with disaster relief workers with Volunteers of America, which included the National Guard. Although there were counselors that were available to talk to the members of the National Guard, they chose to experience the energy based technique as they did not have to talk about their experiences or relive any of the trauma..the body just lets it go. I have had private clients as well as working with people with PTSD, trauma, abuse or chronic stress with great success. I use a technique that works with the amygdala that is in the emotional brain or limbic brain and is responsible for the flight, flight or freeze syndrome. This releases with ease those stored emotions by repatterning the messages that the brain continues to ignite. I am approved to provide ce for this technique to La. massage therapists. LAPO#146. For more information and articles about trauma and the role of energy healing, please visit my website
http://www.synergisticcenter.com/roleofenergyinhealingtrauma.html.

Permalink Reply by Carol Jean Springer on January 21, 2011 at 1:11pm

Hi Salvatore,
I used to teach Trauma Touch Therapy at CSHA. Are you a TTTherapist?
I, too, am interested in using TTT with vets and their families, but vet services are a long way from where I currently live in NE CT. I plan to teach a 4 day intro, Return to Your Senses in March. It will introduce people to trauma touch basics.
I plan to move to Los Angeles soon, and expect there will be more opportunity to work with vets there. I'd love to hear about your experiences - or anyone's vet experiences -  including what helped you to introduce the work. Did you go through the VA?