Writing is therapeutic. Since day one of the journey to heal Post Traumatic Stress, writing has been recommended as a way to process thoughts. Throughout the years journals have been provided by the various organizations who help victims of sexual assault because it helps. At first it was suggested you write regardless of whether it … More The Use of Imagery in Writing
In my research to learn more about my own health, I learned that there have been studies conducted that in fact have confirmed that women veterans are at risk of heart disease. And I know exactly why considering I am one of them. I too was red flagged by the VA for being at risk … More Women Veterans, PTSD, and Heart Disease
I started up another round of equine therapy today at Bull Ring Belgians in Denmark, Maine. I felt myself getting jacked right up for the last few weeks. I’ve been feeling raw and like my body is on high rev. I have been staying active to help shake it off, to no avail. I reached … More Equine Therapy for Veterans with PTSD
Thanks to the Wounded Warrior Project, we got the opportunity to attend the Healthy Cooking Bootcamp at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. It was an amazing experience and I am proud of myself for working through my fears and attending this program. I had never really been a cook. It … More The Healthy Cooking Bootcamp for Veterans at the Culinary Institute of America
My review of K9s for Warriors: Service dogs are becoming more and more popular as a way to help veterans cope with the intensity of PTSD. I was skeptical initially but after some loving coaxing by Shari Duval, the President of the organization, K9s for Warriors, I headed down to Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida … More K9s for Warriors is Making a Difference
So I noticed now that I am trying to take good care of myself that even the smallest of things is a difficult task to manage when you have PTSD. I sit here wondering how this could have happened and why it happened to me. I wish every day that I didn’t have PTSD and … More Starting Over: The Daily Struggles of Accepting & Living with PTSD
I learned about equine therapy at a veteran retreat in Bluemont, Virginia. I immediately experienced a lot of anxiety around the large animals but as we worked more with the horses, I realized that I could work through that anxiety in many ways. As a result of the interest that had been sparked, I decided … More Equine Therapy for Veterans: A Gentle Respect
Recently, we started decorating our walls with memories of our marriage, our travels, our love. I made a realization while perusing my digital photos for wall art. I noticed that my husband and I had not taken a real vacation since our five year anniversary trip to Jamaica in 2012. Lee had grown tired of … More Our Dream Beach Trip on the Florida Coast (2014)
My first journey in true healing was when I got my service dog, Onyx. She broke through this warrior and opened up a new area of life: love & trust. The love and trust was reciprocal in every way. As she showed me that I could trust her to have my back, my allegiance to … More The Healing Power of Animals for Troops with PTSD
I used to wonder why it took so much energy just to exist in normal society. I just assumed that it was something I had to accept, another limitation of Post Traumatic Stress. I now understand the neuroscience behind what happens to our bodies when we get stuck in fight or flight. Everything makes more … More My Body was Stuck in Fight or Flight
Jennifer and Lee 