Horse Power: Veterans Find Resilience in Equine Experiences
"Horses don’t lie. They reflect your energy and let you know where you stand right away. It’s no wonder they have become partners in healing — sometimes developing second lives as assistants to veterans managing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other issues.
Army veteran Angela Harrison found herself face to face with that honesty. It came in the form of a racehorse named Pumpkin, who selected Angela from a group of other veterans.
“That horse came to me because it had been through something similar to what I was going through,” Angela said. “I was dealing with a lot and had people who depended on me. At that moment, I was feeling frustrated about not being able to do as much as I used to. I believe Pumpkin felt my mental state. As a former racehorse, she had been so powerful and such a leader. Now she felt she couldn’t do the same things she used to. I identified with her.”
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) offers veterans the opportunity to experience the healing power of horses in an open space with fellow veterans.
This experience can be part of a WWP single-day connection event or through the nonprofit’s mental health program, Project Odyssey®, which uses adventure-based learning to help warriors manage and overcome their invisible wounds. Organizations that partner with WWP usually facilitate the interactions..." from the article: Horse Power: Veterans Find Resilience in Equine Experiences
Video from Wounded Warrior Project
Equine Therapy for Veterans | Warrior Chris Hoff | Wounded Warrior Project
"In 2004, on only his third day in Afghanistan, Chris Hoff suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during Humvee rollover training. But like many TBIs at the time, it went undiagnosed, and he was sent back to work. A few days later, Chris’ unit lost six soldiers and he was asked to attend the fallen comrade ceremony. Always wanting to help his team complete its mission, Chris volunteered for a variety of extra tasks during his deployments — including the difficult job of delivering the bodies of locals who had been killed to their families. After returning home, Chris’ post-traumatic stress disorder sent him into a downward spiral. He credits an email inviting him to a Wounded Warrior Project equine therapy workshop with saving him. It was his first step on the path toward recovery.
Equine therapy has been shown to be an effective form of treatment for individuals with various mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans with PTSD may benefit from equine therapy in several ways. Horses are social animals that can provide a sense of companionship and belonging, which is essential for individuals who may feel isolated or disconnected from others.
It takes a brave person to ask for help, which U.S. Army Veteran Chris Hoff did. He knew his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was affecting his relationship with his family. Chris contacted WWP and was referred to Warrior Care Network. He received treatment at Home Base in Boston, one of Warrior Care Network’s academic medical centers.
When Chris Hoff thought about taking his own life, he knew it was time to get help. He found tools to cope with his invisible wounds through Warrior Care Network.
Together, Road Home Program at Rush, Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, and UCLA Operation Mend partner with Wounded Warrior Project to create #WarriorCareNetwork to help veterans like Chris in a safe, judgment-free space.
Warrior Care Network is a partnership between Wounded Warrior Project and four world-renowned academic medical centers, providing veterans and service members living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST), and other related conditions with a path to long-term wellness.
Participants and their families receive first-class treatment tailored specifically to their needs and individualized care to support their unique journey. All treatment and accommodations are provided at no cost and financial assistance is also offered to help cover everyday expenses like groceries, utilities, and housing.
Warrior Care Network: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org...
WEBSITE: https://wwp.news/421T8FW
DONATE: https://wwp.news/3HfWAoi " from video introduction
"Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) began in 2003 as a small, grassroots effort providing simple care and comfort items to the hospital bedsides of the first wounded service members returning home from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. As their post-service needs evolved, so have our programs and services. Today, through our direct programs in mental health, career counseling, and long-term rehabilitative care, along with our advocacy efforts, we improve the lives of millions of warriors and their families.
This effort requires the passion and commitment of friends, supporters, and like-minded organizations that enable us to fulfill our mission. With their collaboration and support, we strive to ensure that when those who serve come home, they’re afforded every opportunity to be as successful as a civilian as they were in the military." from woundedwarriorproject.org