The Military, PTSD and Meditation

[Jack H]

Has anybody taught meditation to military veterans or others with PTSD? I am going to be teaching meditation at a local vet center and wonder how this will be different than teaching to non-vets. There will be Vietnam vets there as well as some that have come off active duty in the last few weeks.

Suicide is an enormous problem with returning vets with PTSD causing 18 suicides a day. There are more ex-soldiers dead from suicide than killed in combat. Here are some articles on the use of meditation in the military.

http://www.army.mil/article/92769/
http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/03 ... 52149.html
http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01 ... tress?lite
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/0 ... 23035.html
http://www.operationwarriorwellness.org/.

jack

[Ona]

I would presume that the vet center has services or referrals for those needing professional mental health care. I would be sure to know those people (ie office hours, phone numbers, pamphlets they offer, etc.). Refer anyone in the class who expresses difficulties to those people; handling serious depression, suicidal thoughts, etc. is not the job or qualification of a meditation teacher, but rather it's own specialty. Otherwise, just teach normally, I'd think. Our basic human being-ness is all the same.

[Jack H]

There will be a staff therapist in attendance or nearby at all times. I agree that I am not there as a therapist and will avoid that role.

jack

[cmarti]

Jack, you need to just e-mail Ron Crouch. He worked at and still lives near an Army hospital. Ron is a professional psychologist. He's at AlohaDharma.com.

[Jack H]

hanks, Chris, Ron had some good advice that i will use.