The Effects of War: PTSD and the Interventions that Help Veterans
- The Effects of War: PTSD and the Interventions that Help Veterans Phyllis Ayman, MS/SLP, CDP, CADDCT, CDCM, CMDCP 52:41
After leaving military service, former Marine Corp Lt. Col. Ted Blickwedel became a social worker who worked with veterans living with PTSD. We met Blickwedel last week as he described stepping out of his role as a social worker into one he never expected: one of a whistleblower. In his book, Broken Promises, he described counselors being pressured for increased productivity resulting in their own Stress and Burnout, while the ramifications reduced quality of care received by veterans at the VA.
In this episode, Blickwedel’s expertise as a counselor is on display. It’s clear there’s a range of evidenced based treatment interventions that can be effective for veterans experiencing symptoms associated with PTSD. Not only do these techniques go a long way in ameliorating the symptoms associated with PTSD, improvements could impact improved personal Relationships, whether they be friend or familial, as well as improve overall functioning. Beyond veterans, it’s brought to light that these techniques are universally accepted for improving symptoms associated with many of the emotional and psychological challenges in people’s lives.
Jerry Strayve, co-author of ‘Broken Promises’ brings a perspective more aligned with those of us who do not have up close and personal experience with veterans who have experienced PTSD. Strayve was open, and indeed displayed his own vulnerability, when describing the impact of these interviews on him personally. His impressions of veterans who have successfully completed programs addressing their PTSD punctuates the point that quality of care for veterans, and especially those with PTSD, is a moral imperative.
