Good Morning! I hope that this finds everyone well and enjoying the heat! This is a very short posting about an incredible story getting ready to air on National Geographic. A good friend (Rosemary) from NY sent this to me recently…it had a profound impact on me for several reasons based not only on my doctorate work but also working with a soldier in the DC area.
As some of you know I had worked at the Walter Reed Medical Facility in DC a couple of years back while doing “pre-doc research” into PTSD. At that time I met a young Army Sergeant who was being treated for severe depression bought on by PTSD. His story is not unlike the young Army Captain chronicled in the National Geographic TV piece...suffice to say that they both suffered from PTSD from what they had viewed in Iraq and Afghanistan. When this veteran was given a “working dog” to help comfort him from the continuous nightmares he was suffering from, the positive change was almost instantaneous.
The animal allowed the young man to immediately regain his functionality, independence and personal motivation. The VA recognized this and hired him to work with other like veterans in the DC area showing how these working dogs can help veterans cope with the debilitating effects of PTSD.
I recently saw this Sergeant and he told me how he had regressed after the animal died unexpectedly but that through the working dog program at the VA he was able to continue to not only get better but to help others with similar issues find greater independence. On one hand it was a sad story…but it also goes to show the healing power of animals for some of our veterans suffering from PTSD.
I hope you will take a moment and watch the show Sunday 8 August 2010 titled…”and Man created Dog”…I have copied the link below.
Thanks
Brian
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/and-man-created-dog-3136/Overview#tab-Videos/08488_00
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