The Resilient Heroes Project
Think of it as Emotional ArmorAbout The Resilient Heroes Project
Veterans with PTSD
Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF): About 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or between 11-20%) who served in OIF or OEF have PTSD in a given year.
Gulf War (Desert Storm): About 12 out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans (or 12%) have PTSD in a given year.
Vietnam War: About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam Veterans (or 15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD at the time of the most recent study in the late 1980s, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS). It is estimated that about 30 out of every 100 (or 30%) of Vietnam Veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime.
With veterans their combat experiences may often compound on each other, that’s a no-brainer however, we are finding many have high Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as well. Or an even more disturbing trend is something called Military Sexual Trauma (MST) when a member of the ranks does the unthinkable to one of their own.
Among Veterans who use VA health care, about: 23 out of 100 women (or 23%) reported sexual assault when in the military.
(Source:https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp)
PTSD effects millions of all Americans each year
First Responders and Trauma
Critical Incidents Stress Resiliency (CISR) can be added to your program to make it more effective and robust.
We lose more first responders to suicide than the line of duty deaths each year. If there is even a remote possibility to prevent this, isn’t it worth exploring?
Most first responder agencies have some sort of peer support available to those experiencing a critical incident in the workplace. Maybe you investigated a double homicide, or worked a traffic fatality, or had to give the next of kin notification of a death, or perhaps a line of duty officer-involved shooting, or investigated a horrific suicide or a sudden infant death. Maybe you lost a 6-year-old in the back of your ambulance running emergency response to the hospital. I could go on and on, but you get my point. Emotional tolls on our police, fire, emergency medical services and hospital staff are beyond normal capacities. We develop coping skills that can bleed over into our personal lives. Maybe it starts with a few shots of bourbon to take the edge off and a few more to sleep. Our relationships with our significant others, families, and children can start to take its toll.
We then can start shifting into disciplinary problems at work; you get angry for no apparent reason. We have sworn to protect our communities and can become insensitive with those we protect. Or maybe you start slacking at work because you don’t want to write another stupid report. Sound familiar?
Here is a real problem—egos of a profession. We are alpha males and alpha females, and we work hard to portray ourselves as protectors. There is nothing to see here; I’m good! The rank and file are afraid to ask for help because we know what the consensus is with PTSD. We perceive it as a weakness because we stigmatized the term. It is why we lose more first responders every year to suicide compared to the line of duty deaths. The new research, however, shows how wrong we are about PTSD. It’s not psychological; it is neurological. The brain gets hijacked because it fuses an emotion with an image or series of images. The emotion and image remain in the amygdala or the fight or flight part of the brain for ready and easy access. Intrusive thoughts, when we don’t want them, they sneak in our thoughts. Triggers occur when we pass by an intersection of a case we worked a decade ago and now seems like yesterday. A nightmare happens because the brain is trying to process it but can’t. PTSD is an injury that can now heal just as quickly as it set in.
What if I tell you there is a way to rid yourself of the negative emotions associated with your duties or even clear the emotions attached to a hardcore traumatic event. Would you be interested in exploring this solution? What if I told you the training takes three days and then the process becomes quite simple. The trained member will retain the skill and get better with time. We also offer a train the trainer program for large agencies or organizations. The training can occur in person or via an online platform.
How much institutional knowledge do we lose to stress every year? Men and women quit their professions because they don’t want to deal with the bombardment of emotions on the job. What does it cost to retrain the member? How about the stress-induced diseases associated like diabetes, heart disease, strokes, pick your cancer. What if we can regulate the emotions early in a career? What does that look like for overall health?
At 22Zero we believe there is a better way to treat trauma, it’s why we created the Tactical Resiliency Process (TRP). We are challenging the status quo through research, all so we can get America’s daughters and sons back from the ledge and end the suicide epidemic in the ranks and help them become the people they were meant to be.
I am tired of losing buddies I served with, and I am asking you to join the movement to Heal our Heroes.
Dan Jarvis
Founder/President
Testimonials
I’ve been a Deputy Sheriff for 23 years. During that time I’ve experienced traumas in the field and had to deal with negative emotions like survivors guilt. I also have battled with depression and a lot of negative self talk. This June I took part in the Tactical Resiliency Process (TRP) and the Emotions Management Process (EMP) training. I wanted to be able to help those in need find peace in their lives.
During part of the training I took part in the process as the recipient of the (TRP) coaching. I was able to work through the on duty death of a friend whom I witnessed. After completing the process I feel a considerable weight has lifted from me. In the days after the training I have noticed that my sleep cycles leave me more rested and my mind doesn’t seem to race at night like it used to.
I also benefited from the Emotions Management Process (EMP) . I processed negative emotions of worthlessness and fear that had followed me from my childhood. I was able to make the connections to the present day from my childhood and clear the stigma that I wasn’t able to before.
Dan and Dr. Royster along with Ms. Harris put on an outstanding class. Never have I left a training class feeling so empowered to help others. This training would benefit so many veteran advocates, first responders and health care professionals.
It was interesting being the client and not the therapist for a change. when Dan ran me through Emotions Management Process (EMP) , I remember doing a scan over a lot of things I had previously processed, it helped provide more clarity. It released emotions I didn’t know were there. As I was responding to work calls, checking emails, and sitting in zoom meetings that should’ve been an email, I reflexively wanted to be angry. It’s effortless in those situations, at least it used to be. Sitting in that moment I wanted instinctually wanted to be angry and I thought pleasant thoughts. Instead of accepting the thought that I should’ve been angry, my brain chose to be happy instead. I was able to feel content in a very very very long time. Thanks, Dan I owe you…..