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
OFFICER X IS INVOLVED IN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING (2014): EXAMPLE OF E-MAIL SENT TO LOCAL MEDIA AFTER INCIDENT: RESPONSE FROM THE REPORTER AT THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD: LETTER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO INVESTIGATES ALL OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGS (2014): April 11, 2014 To Whom It May Concern (Attorney General): My name is Jennifer Norris and … More Complaint to Maine Attorney General: Overview of Police Officer’s Disturbing History Prior to Officer Involved Shooting of A Suicidal Woman With Mental Illness (2014)
Military provides inadequate care for injuries suffered during sexual assaults Some women in the military are still receiving inadequate care for sexual assault, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published Tuesday found. The report found that “not all first responders had completed the required training,” even after a 2005 Department of Defense directive mandated “a comprehensive policy … More Military provides inadequate care for injuries suffered during sexual assaults
Helping Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma, The Boston Globe (2012) Air Force Sexual Abuse Trial Gets Underway, NBC Nightly News (2012) Preventing Rapes in the Military, Andrea Mitchell Reports, MSNBC (2012) Sexual Assault in the US Military, Minnesota Public Radio (2012) Lackland Sex Scandal Continues to Roil Air Force, Houston Chronicle, Texas (2012) Don’t Suffer … More Jennifer Norris, Veteran, Military Crime Historian & Policy Analyst, Military Justice for All (Media)
The Uncounted Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide. That number is sadly familiar. It has become a symbol of the cost of war that extends beyond the battlefield. But no one is tracking war’s impact on another group: military spouses, siblings and parents. Their suicides go uncounted. The dozens of military family members I interviewed over the … More The Uncounted (CNN Special on Caregiver & Family Suicide)
As I am gaining strength mentally, I am working on getting my body in the here and now as well. Thankfully because of my service dog, I can get over the paralyzing feeling of anxiety and get the heck up on out of my house. I look forward to having an excuse to leave the … More The Power of Service Dogs: Overcoming PTSD with Onyx
Update: What I thought was PTSD was actually CPTSD and chronic lead poisoning. PTSD sucks. No doubt about it. I can go from doing fine to wanting to die in a New York minute. Do I act on it? No, but I definitely want to escape the pain every once in awhile. Some days I … More PTSD and Military Injustice: Breaking the Silence
Jennifer and Lee 