PTSD Program
- Thread starter Tomcat98
- Start date
Dear Tomcat98:
In my area, the VA has an in-house location at their Mental Health Building that offers a once-per-week, 90 minutes per week, 12 week Cognitive Therapy Program for PTSD Vets. They are seperayed by gender - all male or all female vets in your group therapy.
I understand there is a 30-day treatment program, all day - every day treatment cycle, too. In my area, you need to be approved for this and then you are put on a wait list. When your name comes up, you are flown to California for 30 days (I'm in Portland, Oregon).
Not every VA hospital has the 30-day program, and from the conversation I had with one VET, it was reported to me that it is intensive treatment. As good as it gets for the VA.
That's all I know about this.
Keep us posted about this treatment care in your area.
v/r,
nwlivewire
In my area, the VA has an in-house location at their Mental Health Building that offers a once-per-week, 90 minutes per week, 12 week Cognitive Therapy Program for PTSD Vets. They are seperayed by gender - all male or all female vets in your group therapy.
I understand there is a 30-day treatment program, all day - every day treatment cycle, too. In my area, you need to be approved for this and then you are put on a wait list. When your name comes up, you are flown to California for 30 days (I'm in Portland, Oregon).
Not every VA hospital has the 30-day program, and from the conversation I had with one VET, it was reported to me that it is intensive treatment. As good as it gets for the VA.
That's all I know about this.
Keep us posted about this treatment care in your area.
v/r,
nwlivewire
Dear one and all:
I began the 12-week, weekly meeting for group Cognitive Therapy Program (CPT) at the VA WHILE on Active Duty. There is a VA hospital in my area, so I requested permision, got approved, and began to see them for this special program.
NO. You DO NOT sit around in a circle and compare "horror stories". That's not therapy at all. Doing something like that is the antithisis of what Cognitive Therapy is all about. In fact, they will gently shut you down if you persist in telling the group your "stories". The focus is not on the stories, but rather, the focus is on how to eliminate or reduce the triggers in your daily living that are a result of how you think about the experiences that your stories are made of. It's kind like it not's where you have been, but how you think about where you've been. Coginitive Therapy helps you with the thinking part of yourself - the rational vs. the irrational part of yourself.
You are given homework and instructions on how to do your homework using the Cognitive Therapy approach and the training you are given in this psychiatric approach is by a trained and educated VA psychologist/psychiatrist.
The homework is not easy and your answers and responses will be different than others in your group. You do NOT talk about the triggers in detailed specificity, but rather, you are given basic skills on how to utilize Coginitve Therapy tools that help you deal with your own personal PTSD triggers. You begin to learn that irrational thoughts or ways of thinking can bring about irrational results and irrational responses, and you try to find out what your triggers are that are irrational and try to work on them so you can begin to reduce their debilitating effect in your life/lifestyle. Or at least, try to learn how to catch yourself before you go too far down that irrational road you keep going down all the time.
I did NOT get to finish my 12-week program because the Army demanded I have my cervical fusion right in the middle of my CTP program (WAY TO GO ARMY! grrrrr)
However, I now am going to get another chance to start up again. I just pray to God that the Army will let me finish it this time and stop !@#$ing with my psych treatments. Especially since I'm trying so hard to get better! It's almost like the Army seems hypocritical when they espouse to the press and everyone else on how important the Soldiers mental health is - And then, when the Soldier FINALLY gets into the treatment program (begging and pleading the entire time), they pull the rug out from underneath them half-way through for some physical surgery that could have easily been postponed for one more month.
However, in spite of the Army's screw-up, I got half-way through the program and got quite a bit of useful tools out of it. I still have plenty of issues, and who knows, they may never go away completely, but ANY improvement is better than where I was.
PTSD is kinda like a variation of a type of paralysis - and, in a mental health way, just being able to even wiggle your "big toe" is a start to recovering and getting some part of your life back.
I just wish the Army would "walk their talk" and genuinely value a Soldier's mental health treatment program as much as they profess to all the world that they do. I sometimes wonder who is in need of greater treatment - me, a Soldier with PTSD, or, the bean-counting decision-makers, whose decisions sometimes tends towards some form of institutional psychopathology. (IMHO. Their conscience is in serious need of an awakening).
I began the 12-week, weekly meeting for group Cognitive Therapy Program (CPT) at the VA WHILE on Active Duty. There is a VA hospital in my area, so I requested permision, got approved, and began to see them for this special program.
NO. You DO NOT sit around in a circle and compare "horror stories". That's not therapy at all. Doing something like that is the antithisis of what Cognitive Therapy is all about. In fact, they will gently shut you down if you persist in telling the group your "stories". The focus is not on the stories, but rather, the focus is on how to eliminate or reduce the triggers in your daily living that are a result of how you think about the experiences that your stories are made of. It's kind like it not's where you have been, but how you think about where you've been. Coginitive Therapy helps you with the thinking part of yourself - the rational vs. the irrational part of yourself.
You are given homework and instructions on how to do your homework using the Cognitive Therapy approach and the training you are given in this psychiatric approach is by a trained and educated VA psychologist/psychiatrist.
The homework is not easy and your answers and responses will be different than others in your group. You do NOT talk about the triggers in detailed specificity, but rather, you are given basic skills on how to utilize Coginitve Therapy tools that help you deal with your own personal PTSD triggers. You begin to learn that irrational thoughts or ways of thinking can bring about irrational results and irrational responses, and you try to find out what your triggers are that are irrational and try to work on them so you can begin to reduce their debilitating effect in your life/lifestyle. Or at least, try to learn how to catch yourself before you go too far down that irrational road you keep going down all the time.
I did NOT get to finish my 12-week program because the Army demanded I have my cervical fusion right in the middle of my CTP program (WAY TO GO ARMY! grrrrr)
However, I now am going to get another chance to start up again. I just pray to God that the Army will let me finish it this time and stop !@#$ing with my psych treatments. Especially since I'm trying so hard to get better! It's almost like the Army seems hypocritical when they espouse to the press and everyone else on how important the Soldiers mental health is - And then, when the Soldier FINALLY gets into the treatment program (begging and pleading the entire time), they pull the rug out from underneath them half-way through for some physical surgery that could have easily been postponed for one more month.
However, in spite of the Army's screw-up, I got half-way through the program and got quite a bit of useful tools out of it. I still have plenty of issues, and who knows, they may never go away completely, but ANY improvement is better than where I was.
PTSD is kinda like a variation of a type of paralysis - and, in a mental health way, just being able to even wiggle your "big toe" is a start to recovering and getting some part of your life back.
I just wish the Army would "walk their talk" and genuinely value a Soldier's mental health treatment program as much as they profess to all the world that they do. I sometimes wonder who is in need of greater treatment - me, a Soldier with PTSD, or, the bean-counting decision-makers, whose decisions sometimes tends towards some form of institutional psychopathology. (IMHO. Their conscience is in serious need of an awakening).
militarynurse
PEB Forum Regular Member
There are a number of VA's that have a 7 week outpatient PTSD program, gender specific. I know there is one at the Ft Thomas, KY VA and there is one somewhere in Florida and California. The focus is on Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Both men and women's programs generally have a wait list but the facilities are good about getting folks in. At the Ft Gordon, KY facility the participants stay and eat their meals at the VA. Laundry facilities are on site and the local YMCA offers a "membership" for $5. Check with the mental health department at local VA centers, attendance to program must be co-ordinated with a therapist.
Update on PTSD Program.
I have been home for about a month now after completing a 7 wk residence program with the VA I was one of 4 AD guys there. It was amazing that we all had very similar symptoms even though our traumas were a little different. I met some of the bravest and honorable men I have even know from the Vietnam era to todays conflicts. I am so glad I went. I was hoping it would make the PTSD go away however it really focuses on giving you tools to help cope. I will say it really put the spotlight on what is going on which at times is hard. Minimal trauma stories.
I think the service has the last info they need to go ahead with the MEB. I really think I got an unbiased evaluation on where I stand. If you are thinking about going to a program, my advise is go! For me this is a first step in a long recovery. I have to stay busy and stay + because it can really get to me.
Tomcat98
I have been home for about a month now after completing a 7 wk residence program with the VA I was one of 4 AD guys there. It was amazing that we all had very similar symptoms even though our traumas were a little different. I met some of the bravest and honorable men I have even know from the Vietnam era to todays conflicts. I am so glad I went. I was hoping it would make the PTSD go away however it really focuses on giving you tools to help cope. I will say it really put the spotlight on what is going on which at times is hard. Minimal trauma stories.
I think the service has the last info they need to go ahead with the MEB. I really think I got an unbiased evaluation on where I stand. If you are thinking about going to a program, my advise is go! For me this is a first step in a long recovery. I have to stay busy and stay + because it can really get to me.
Tomcat98