The Alchemy Of Combat: Transforming Trauma In Combat Veterans

[Rick A]

"The Alchemy of Combat: Transforming Trauma in Combat Veterans" is a book for therapists who are treating combat PTSD. There is an appendix in the back of the book, "Helping Veterans Establish PTSD Service-Connected Disability Claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs", which may be of particular interest to Veterans who are in the claims process for PTSD. Much of the treatment advice for therapists is of spiritual nature. The claims advice is backed by the authors 34 years experience treating combat Veterans. I have had the good fortune to know the author and recommend this book.

[john999]

Are you supposed to pray to J.H. Christ for relief from symptoms? Are you selling a book? The VBM is much better. I must say it sounds like complete bullshit to me. "Transforming Trauma in Combat Veterans" by what method? Many say a prayer just before blowing their brains out.

[Berta]

Rick, you need to realize that this time of the year is very difficult for disabled veterans.

Particularly any veteran who served overseas during any war period with a TDY of one year ..

And if they served in Vietnam, ( I know many many Vietnam combat Vets),

while people like me had a good job and a family and never had to watch our back,

safely living here in the 'world',

their Christmas, that year they served in Vietnam,

was a Holiday in Hell.

I am a very spiritual person.I attend church and am on my second reading of the Bible and taking courses on both the OT and NT.

I certainly feel a spiritual aspect should be part of dealing with any type of disability......

but that is a choice that we all make personally , or dont make.

And that is OK too.

And it is not part of the VA claims process,we help with here,

a process so unfair and inconsistent , that it compounds the very disabilities these veterans have.

Someone should sure write a book on that aspect of what disabled vets go through.

I have said here ( and personally believe this) that if you dont have PTSD when you file your claim, the VA might give you PTSD when you try to get a proper award from them.

I will check out the book more at amazon myself but one question....

It appears to be King David on the cover. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I did extensive studies on King David as part of a tactical warfare thesis I did for AMU (American Military University) a few years ago..He was a military genius as well as

a strong religious leader.

But it was King Saul in my opinion who definitely had PTSD.

So....is that a photo of Michealangelo's statue of King David on the cover ?

If so, what is he doing on the cover of a book about PTSD?

And If not David, who is it?

[Berta]

It IS King David.

I personally have seen that statue at MOMA, NY and have many photos of it.

So, my question still stands......

I sure get the spiritual link but not the PTSD link.

But maybe I will buy the book to understand why David is on the cover.

If it comes in Kindle that is.

[Rick A]

Wow, I don't know offhand who it is on the cover. I'm not selling the book. I'm a Veteran who met Dr Decker when he worked at the Vet Center. He was the first person to suggest I file a claim for PTSD after I returned from Iraq. At the time I didn't even know what that meant. I wasn't sure what PTSD was. And I had NO knowledge of what a claim even was, what it meant, or any of it. I didn't know I could get help from the government. At first I was VERY resistant to filing. ...In the 10 years since the deployment my health deteriorated rapidly. I've survived (so far) a very aggressive and rare form of cancer which my Oncologist and the VA agree is service connected. I went thru some xxxxxxx gnarly shit. Thanks to my medical Docs AND to Dr Decker, I'm still here. I think very highly of the man. Sorry if the word "spirtitual", or a picture of some old statue raise your ire. Out here.

[john999]

Sorry myself since I see you are genuine. I had a shrink say my problem was that I was very "far away from God". Well, that's true. Very sorry about your cancer and your PTSD. I just don't think there is a cure with or without prayer. There are guys from WWII that still have PTSD 70 years later.

I did meet a religious shrink who was kind to a person I know with severe manic depression and treated her for free. He did a Second Opinion on me for the OWCP and did not say I was a lying dog and faker like some others who get paid to stop compensation. I apologize for being so resistant to the religion thing. Whatever helps you survive as long as it is not pounded into you. I don't think religion or politics (except VA politics) belongs here on Hadit, but I don't make the rules.......thank God.

John