Recent Changes

Assessment
Promotional plan
MAKE a new website of all this for the Pepperdine posterity....sigh (I can make this-Shawntel)

10 min plus Q and A
What problem did we tackle
What were our approaches (what ideas did we have initially)
What solution did we choose
Assessment
Promotional plan

Shawntel....One idea....building off the Olympic commercial showing the moms of athletes and how they supported them then/now...
How about photos or videos of soldiers' lives...how they once had them/want them versus what they are now with PTSD...followed by the message that "there is hope and a community who can get you there"
Shawntel....another idea.... a video with strips of dark grey paper appearing one by one like a twitter feed. Each paper has a name, rank, service location for Afghanistan or Iraq, and and "update" that show they are struggling "I am lonely" "My wife just left me" "I have so much anger" "I feel hopeless", and either a twitter icon or FB icon.
THEN, each paper (13 of them) turns over to become a stripe on the flag and the caption is something about "joining the conversation at the STories of the Flag app community".
THEN, the flag picture fades to a real flag and the camera pans out to reveal Jonathan holding the flag surrounded by other happy vets. The caption is Jonathan's name, rank, place of service, and a "new" status update that says something about how glad he is that he found a community where he can .... talk/find hope/ get advice....from others who have been there with PTSD.

Shawntel....One idea....building off the Olympic commercial showing the moms of athletes and how they supported them then/now...
lives...how they oneonce had them/want

Shawntel....One idea....building off the Olympic commercial showing the moms of athletes and how they supported them then/now...
How about photos or videos of soldiers' lives...how they one had them/want them versus what they are now with PTSD...followed by the message that "there is hope and a community who can get you there"

Hi Alex, I read your post again tonight. I am going to send you a PM with my phone number. I have no idea where you live in this world. But call me if you want to. I have no idea what help I can provide but if you live in the United States I have been through the whole VA system and kinda know my way around. I will help any way I can.
Anyone who can stand up an say "please help me" has got my attention.
Billy (Shawntel)kk(Shawntel)
June 4, 2012
It's amazing what a little support from people who understand and talking to a person on the phone who has been where I am, can do for my attitude. Thank you all, and Billy, you really have made a difference for me. I feel like things are not so dark these past few days. I am going to keep on doing the things everyone suggested that has helped me find a way to wake up each day, go out of my house, and start thinking about tomorrow without fear and dread.
Alex (shawntel)

----Olli Toukolehto, (Debbie)
=
friendsVeteranVeteran #2
MAY10, 2012
i have been stuck in my house for a week now. something about outside of my house makes me freak out. been having problems sleeping. i want to sleep all the time to dull reality but when i sleep i dream and sometimes that is worse. i really dont know what to do. i went on the va website and applied for medical but it takes forever. i have no meds or help. i dont know what to do. please help me guys.-AlexH (Shawntel)

Harmoni and Trey-if you watch the video I attached you can hear at the end, medical psychologist and pshychiatrist viewpoints on the energy freedom therapy. It may provide you with the dialogue that you need :) Debbie
--> For medical evaluation: Look at the frequency in which a veteran is signing onto the application and at the rate they are posting. We can also look at the number of responses a post receives and how many have read the blog (lurkers).
Veteran #1
May 13, 2012
I served in the Army for seventeen years,two tours in Iraq, serving both as a squad leader and platoon sergenat and was medically discharged as a Staff Sergeant after I was diagnosed with PTSD and could not function in my position anymore.When I got back from my second Iraq deployment I went through my third divorce. I have two children that are almost grown who I don't get to see very often. I have continuous nightmares nightmares of burnt bodies in a ditch in that was right outside of out combat outpost in my second tour of Iraq. In these dreams the burnt bodies are talking to me and to this day the smell lingers in my mind causing me to vomit. I don’t sleep for fear of dreaming and sometimes when I do fall to sleep; my final thought is will I wake in the morning or will all this finally be over.
It was truly an “emotional freedom technique.” Since then, I have been on a constant upward spiral and have been able to transform my past into a great strength. We worked through every single memory and emotion that I was not in peace with and “tapped them out.” I also learned how to “self-administer” EFT and have been practicing it on myself whenever something new has emerged from my past.
----Olli Toukolehto, (Debbie)
=
friendsVeteran #2
MAY10, 2012
i have been stuck in my house for a week now. something about outside of my house makes me freak out. been having problems sleeping. i want to sleep all the time to dull reality but when i sleep i dream and sometimes that is worse. i really dont know what to do. i went on the va website and applied for medical but it takes forever. i have no meds or help. i dont know what to do. please help me guys.-AlexH (Shawntel)
MAY 13, 2012
Hey Alex,
have any friends or family
When I first came home from Iraq and was diagnosed, I used to lock myself away in my house. I even took off early one day from the PTSD course so I could pull down the blinds, lock all the doors and windows and turn the AC on.
I used to self medicate on alcohol and other substances. I used to want days to just go by and hated going anywhere.

May 14 ,2012
Hey John,
Army Ranger battalionBattalion (2nd Battalion at FT. Lewis) as a
—Staff Sergeant Brian Davis (Debbie)
May 17, 2012

May 19, 2012
John,
Panic. In the summer of 2000,August 2003, I watched and crush a man to death during a training exercise.the gunner after we were engaged by anti-colaiiton forces. He didn't make it. At first, a panic. I di snot go to mental health to talk about the experience. I tried alternate methods. Anti-depressants and
I am now able to think about the traumatic event but no longer feels the stress and fear the memory once triggered. If you want more details you can PM me. If you are ready to give it a try contact Deb Tribbey at 707-237-6951. Hang in there soldier..
----Lieutenant Colonel----LTC Paul Jones
May 22, 2012
Team,
that my combat brothersfellow brother and sisterssister warriors can get back too. Let's spread the word. Share this video with as many vets if you like the approach.
{http://www.stressproject.org/Images/cap.jpg} iraq soldier
Watch EFT Video
Alex,
I just got done reading through your posts. Looks like you are making some progress. Glad you stopped drinking I saw someone mention getting involved with the community. I think that is a great idea. Get back out and there and be abnormal person. The first step in that journey is to reintegrate back into society. I know this can be challenging, I went though it myself. We are the 1%, the rest of the other 99% have not served in this war. BUt we need to get out there and share our story, let the 99% know what we are doing. So I think you should get out there and find a local VA group or other veterans group and get to know some fellow vets and community members.
Eric (Jonathan)
JUNE 2, 2012
Hi Alex, I read your post again tonight. I am going to send you a PM with my phone number. I have no idea where you live in this world. But call me if you want to. I have no idea what help I can provide but if you live in the United States I have been through the whole VA system and kinda know my way around. I will help any way I can.