Choosing to Get Treatment - The "Big 2" Questions

This is Virginia with the Soldier's Guide to PTSD and I want to talk about choosing to get treatment for PTSD or moral injury. 

To help with this, I want to introduce you to the "Big 2" questions: (1) do I believe change is possible? and (2) do I want to change? 

These are the big two questions we need to ask and answer in a brutally honest way before we start our journey back from PTSD or Moral Injury. 

With question one we need to ask ourselves, do I believe that it is possible that I can recover from my PTSD symptoms and reclaim my life? We know that's what we want, but with Q1 we have to ask ourselves is this possible for me? 

The second question is a little more pesky because we have to ask ourselves (and honestly answer): do I want to recover from PTSD and am I willing to do the work that it's going to take? Am I willing to get out of my comfort zone and do something different because that's what it takes to get better?

These are difficult questions to answer, so let's not pretend they are easy. Choosing to go through treatment involves risk. It requires working with another person, a licensed treatment professional, and choosing to be authentic with them. This requires us to be vulnerable and expose our truth to another person. 

The reason we ask the big two questions is that no therapist, no research, no blog posts — no one and no thing outside of ourselves — can convince us something is true when we fundamentally believe it is not. 

This is a hard truth, but I'm not in the bullshit business. I am a therapist. The truth is that if we do not believe change is possible, we are absolutely correct. 

I recognize that it's far more likely you're on the fence about the Big 2, and you just don't know right now. Take it easy on yourself; it is 100% okay not to feel all in.

Instead I'll ask you this: is it possible that you're stronger than you think you are? 

Have you ever done something before that was hard or you felt was impossible at the time? Is it possible that your symptoms are undermining your attempts to make changes? Would you be willing to try tosee if you're stronger than you think you are?

As of this writing there are three evidence-based treatments for PTSD that are approved by the VA: prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, and EMDR. They work for most people most of the time. It's not easy, but it's not forever either. It's 8 to 12 sessions. This means that if you're working with a therapist every week that's 2 to 3 months.

Even if you're not sure if you're all in, I encourage you to learn more about your PTSD symptoms and available treatments. We've created a Free Workbook to help you identify your symptoms so that you can make an informed decision to reclaim your life from PTSD and Moral Injury.

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Meet our translator: Marine Veteran Juan A. Quiroz

BIG NEWS - The Soldier's Guide to PTSD is being translated into Spanish! Accessibility for mental health is important. How excited we are to welcome our newest team member, USMC Veteran Juan A. Quiroz. It took two months to find the right translator for our project, and we reviewed dozens of applicants. Juan gets it, and we can't WAIT to share his work with you. To introduce himself, here is a message from Juan to you:

"I'm Juan A. Quiroz, native of Tucson, AZ. After high school, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served 4 years as part of 1st Bn 5th Marines, an infantry unit out of Camp Pendleton, CA. When I got to my unit, it had only been a couple of weeks since they came back from Afghanistan, Sangin Province. I witnessed the struggles these men faced upon their return and the issues associated with them. I had the honor and privilege to serve alongside some of the best men this country has to offer. After my enlistment, I enrolled in and attended the University of Arizona, graduating with degrees in Marketing, Communications and Spanish. I'm now working as part of the Communications Department in Pima County, AZ. - Make Peace or Die!

"I jumped at the opportunity to work on this project because of the lack of effective help available to all veterans and service members, especially from marginalized communities. I have friends who are part of the 22 a Day, other friends who to this day still struggle with their demons, this is for them. Coming from a town an hour away from the border with Mexico, there is a huge Hispanic community here, and like myself, many ended up joining the U.S. military. I did a podcast project in college about a Marine with multiple combat deployments, he was also part of the First Battle of Fallujah, a total badass this guy is. As part of the project, I interviewed his mother, she didn't speak English, therefore she is not familiar with any programs and services offered to help her son. A book like this one that Virginia wrote is a great tool, not only for minority service members and veterans, but also for their family members who before this, had no way of helping their loved one's suffering from PTSD."

We welcome Joan to the team and will let you know when our Spanish translation is available in print and audiobook. #ptsd #suicideprevention #nevergiveup

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Spreading the Word: Moral Injury & PTSD

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Ben Killoy on the Military Veteran Dad Podcast, and we spoke at length about Moral Injury.

When I first came upon research on Moral Injury by Brett Litz and his team, I was floored. I thought, how is it that no one is talking about this? That included other psychotherapists like me.

Ben and I spoke at length about how the difference between PTSD and Moral Injury. PTSD is rooted in fear—our brain performs mental acrobatics in order to keep us alive. Moral Injury, however, feels more nefarious because it is rooted in shame—it stems from events that violated our own deeply rooted expectations of ourselves and others. 

Moral Injury is born in the “should”—how someone “should be” treated or how things “should work”—in war and in life. These are the things we (or others) did or didn’t do—the things we can’t unfuck.

Research on Moral Injury tidily puts these into three categories: combat loss, perpetration, and leadership betrayal. We spoke at length about these three categories and what Evidence-Based Treatments help.

After the podcast, both Ben and I heard from several of his listeners. They expressed their surprise that Moral Injury is not a topic more widely discussed and were extremely thankful that we broached the topic.

One of these interactions has really stuck with me this week. A Silver Star recipient took the time to connect with us on our Facebook page. It was an honor to learn about his story and to know that, after listening, he has discovered a new tool to unlock his combat trauma. 

No one becomes a mental health provider for the money or the fame - but knowing that other Veterans are impacted by our work is far more valuable. Ben and I decided that we will do it again. This time, to really engage with our audiences, I’m reaching out to you. I want your ideas, feedback, and to know the questions you want answered.

Send your questions and feedback to me ContactUs@thesoldiersguide.com

Or, post your comments on my Facebook Page HERE

This is our Mission: a call to arms offering facts, empathy, and step-by-step instruction for Service Members to get the help they need, help family members to understand the battlefield, and connect civilians with a Warrior culture.

THANK YOU for caring about what we are doing and spreading the word about PTSD, Moral Injury, and recovery. Stay tuned for updates so you don’t miss this podcast when it goes live.

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD