Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
Local program teaches Veterans PTSD coping skills
Dr. Madeline Uddo, left, congratualtions Veteran Leo Bates, right, who recently graduated from the TRWP. (Photo by Sandra Terrebonne)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects every aspect of a person’s life and can continue to do so for years after the event or events that triggered it.
The Veterans Health Administration offers a wide range of treatments for Veterans suffering from PTSD, including one unique to Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS).
The PTSD Trauma Recovery and Wellness Program (TRWP) doesn’t focus on talking about combat or trauma; it is a skills-based program aimed at teaching Veterans the skills and tools they will need to help manage their day-to-day symptoms.
"This program requires a high level of commitment to improving one’s life," said TRWP Manager Terri Stockdreher, clinical social worker. Participants meet weekly over 11 months and many do not complete the program.
Those who finish believe it’s worth the effort.
"It has been a challenge to make the meetings, but I had to realize that it was important. At first I didn’t know that I needed any type of help, but everything I saw and heard was exactly like me – I was seeing me," said Leo Bates, who graduated from the program in April.
An Army Veteran, Bates has been out of the service for nearly 20 years, but still suffers from the symptoms of PTSD. TRWP taught him the skills he needed to cope.
"It’s taught me problem solving skills and how to deal with my anger. It taught me not to isolate myself and to build closer relationships with my family," Bates added.
TRWP covers eight skill-building topics, including basic PTSD education to relationship building; stress and anger management; and recovery and wellness.
"We focus on different modules each month and typically have six or seven different groups of Veterans participating in different stages of the program simultaneously," said Dr. Madeline Uddo, acting chief of Mental Health. Each group of Veterans, called cohorts, goes through the process together, helping one another through.
"It’s really an outstanding, top notch program. It’s really helped me evaluate what’s important to me and what’s not and how to not let my ego get in the way," Bates said.
