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Daytime WOUNDED WARRIORS IN ACTION

New book "Field Exercises: How Veterans Are Healing Themselves Through Farming & Outdoor Activities

Field Exercises

How Veterans Are Healing Themselves through Farming and Outdoor Activities

by Stephanie Westlund

There are nearly 25 million veterans and active-duty soldiers in North America. Some experts estimate that more than one quarter of these men and women suffer from post-traumatic distress, and many other military personnel experience difficulty reintegrating into civilian life. While conventionally prescribed treatments primarily involve medication and therapy, many people are discovering additional ways to manage their injuries and reduce their suffering.

Field Exercises: How Veterans Are Healing Themselves through Farming and Outdoor Activities shares the compelling stories of men and women who are finding relief from stressful and traumatic military experiences while also establishing community networks and other peer support initiatives. Author Stephanie Westlund examines:

• The deep and far-reaching connections between nature and human health
• The tremendous impact of stress and trauma on survivors' lives
• Resources and groups providing opportunities in the emerging field of "Green Care".

Field Exercises offers hope for veterans searching for methods to ease the transition to civilian life and recover from military stress and trauma. This book will appeal to millions of North American soldiers, veterans and their loved ones, doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, and other caregivers, other groups struggling with high rates of stress and post-traumatic experience, and all those interested in the human-nature relationship.

Meet "Rivers of Recovery"

Understanding the Outdoor Recreation and Restoration Program Leader as “Caregiver” in the Returning Veteran Context: Identifying Training Needs and Gaps

This webinar introduced the emerging role of outdoor recreation and restoration activities as therapeutic and resilience building for this generation’s returning warriors. Special attention was given to better identifying and understanding the role of “care-giver” in these emergent outdoor recreation and restoration programs for veterans, and then exploration of what training needs might exist for these unique caregivers.

Presentation Slides (PDF)
Presentation Slides (Slideshare)

President George W. Bush Fights to Take ‘Disorder’ Out of PTSD

Interesting story here -- President George W. Bush Fights to Take ‘Disorder’ Out of PTSD - ABC News

A Salute to Outdoor Programs Helping Wounded Veterans

Experts say that outdoor recreation has proved to be especially effective in treating veterans, and a wide variety of programs have emerged, from 6-month treks on the AT to one-day bike rides. In the last couple of years, veterans’ outdoor programs have also become more sophisticated by developing partnerships to broaden their reach and researching how nature and adventure affect war injuries.



Veterans and experts share thoughts on why outdoor recreation is so helpful for veterans with physical and emotional wounds.



A Salute to Outdoor Programs Helping Wounded Veterans « The Adventure Post