PTSD Spirituality

Two posts in one day, I am like Lazarus coming out, I am.

 I am speaking in Madison, Wisconsin, later on today at an ecumenical Jewish-Christian PTSD healing service.  There will be a presentation about PTSD and its spiritual elements, followed by questions, hospitality and then a healing service.  Since my hands already are hurting, I will lift the information and paste it in below.  As I try to make a come back as a PTSD Spirituality blogger, I shall attempt to be more up to date and provide lead time to PTSD healing events that you may find of interest.

Please accept my apologies for being away from the writing.  Combination of ill health and a lot of grading diverted me from what is really important, healing souls afflicted with PTSD.

 I want to inform you of a wonderful program that is designed for healing souls wounded by Combat PTSD.  It is called Vets Journey Home.  It used to be called the Bamboo Bridge prior to the current activities in Afghanistan and Iraq.  You may link directly to them at http://www.vetsjourneyhome.org/index.html

I have lifted the following from their website: “Some veterans return home feeling unappreciated and hide their service from others. It’s finally time to come home–in a good way—and, all the way.

“The Vet’s Journey Home invites veterans to come all the way home and find out that they are not alone. There are many who care about you–who are willing to walk point, be at your side, and cover your back. This time, you’ll be coming home together with other veterans, and welcomed with respect and honor.

“All combat veterans are urged to attend. The Vet’s Journey Homeis also recommended for incountry and offshore non combatant Vietnam veterans.

“Additionally, all combat zone veterans from any era are urged to consider attending. Both men and women vets may attend the Vet’s Journey Home.

“Our intention is to turn away no vet. Scholarships are available. Registration closes one week prior to the event.”

Upcoming session are as followed:

a. Houston, TX., May 31/June 1, 2008 and August 29-31, 2008.

b. Mt. Airy, MD., April 11-13, 2008.

c. Milwaukee, WI, August 22-24, 2008. 

I expect to be at the upcoming Milwaukee session.  I know one of the co-directors of Vets Journey Home and am very impressed with the compassion and expertise in helping women and men heal from PTSD.  Compassion and expertise are a rare combination in my experience when it comes to dealing with the soul wounds of PTSD.

The Vets Journey Home is focused upon combat veterans.  My own focus is broader, endeavoring to heal whoever is wounded by PTSD and trauma, Vets Journey Home are doing exemplary work that will serve as a model for others.  They also desire to train volunteers to help with the healing and as with all missions where compassion and expertise are combined, they can certainly use a donation to help offer scholarships to veterans seeking healing.

http://www.vetsjourneyhome.org/index.html

Semper Pax, Dr. Z

The Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee is holding a series on “Moving Toward a Just and Peaceful World” from noon to 1:30 p.m. on three Tuesdays at the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, 1342 N. Astor St.

The speakers are: Tuesday, Father G. Simon Harak, director of Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking, on “Resisting Empire”; March 11, Athan Theoharis, retired Marquette history professor, on “Security, Morality and Realism: The Government’s Response to 9/11″; and March 18, John Zemler, visiting theology professor at Marquette, on “From Soldier to Healer: Transforming the PTSD Dragon From Death to Life.”

The series costs $28, or $10 a session, including lunch. Make reservations at (414) 276-9050. 

I apologize for the late notice of this speaking engagement.  Below is a synopsis of my talk.  

* * *

Dr John Zemler, a former Army Captain, now a Disabled American Veteran and Disabled Catholic Theologian will speak on the topic: “From Soldier to Healer: Transforming the PTSD Dragon From Death to Life.”

In his talk he will briefly explain the horror of what is like to have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), how American Society generally blames you for your wound PTSD soul-wound, and how PTSD tries to kill all of those whom it afflicts. John identifies PTSD as a wounding of the human soul.

In the transition from Solider to Healer, From Dragon’s Prey to New Lamb, Dr. Zemler will discuss how American Soldiers are trained to kill the enemy and how their lives have no real meaning to decision makers. Their lives are used up by politicians and those other Americans who drive SUVs and Hummers. Soldiers are not allowed to choose where they will have their lives expended nor whom they are to kill. Even if they never kill or are deployed to combat, this conditioning damages their souls.

In his life as a healer, John, explains a portion of how he himself survives PTSD and has not killed himself; that is, how his own soul has received healing. Religious faith and ritual, primarily Catholic and Buddhist, and the crafts of art and music, provide important means for him to stay healed and help in the healing of others afflicted with PTSD.

John Zemler will describe how those who have survived PTSD, whether military or civilian, may become healers in their own right. The PTSD-Survivor can become a Bodhisattva to those who need healing. In early Christian terms of the first-century, the PTSD-Survivor learns how to bear one another’s burdens and how to fill out the suffering of Jesus Christ (See Letters of Paul). Where as before these human souls were being consumed by the Dragon of PTSD. They can now take on the death-burden of those people of whom PTSD is trying to kill and thus enable them to find the strength, ability, and means to stay alive.  That is, they can enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death for others and carve out some space to live.

All in all, it is about helping women and men with PTSD have their souls healed and not allow Death to consume them.

Semper Pax, Dr. Z

PTSD seeks to kill those whom it afflicts.  It seeks to take formerly vibrant human beings and transform them into the Undead until it can kill them flat outright.  Whether a person suffers PTSD from combat, rape, a natural disaster such as Katrina, or some other trauma, they now live with a new threat that seeks to take their life.

It does this by wounding our souls.  Many of us with PTSD end up killing ourselves fast or slow.  The fast cases are pretty obvious.  Slow cases of PTSD suicide comes from drug abuse, alchoholism, and cumualitive neglect from the rest of the country.  As this blog and my professional writing grow I will mention more about these in detail.

Regardless of how any of us feel about the current wars, PTSD is a confirmed result.  It is not retreat, disloyalty, or cowardice to acknowledge that trauma affects human beings.  It is simply realism.  Regardless of where we stand, saving the lifes of trauma surviors and their families should be an easy priority.

Untreated severe PTSD kills its victim.  My goal is to help increase PTSD awareness and to offer some spiritual advice.  Just because someone has PTSD and has been neglelcted by self and/or others up till now is no cause for despair.  That life can be saved.  That life has value.  That life has too much value for us to allow PTSD to consume it.

Semper Pax, Dr. Z