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STATISTICS ABOUT PTSD RELATIONSHIPS Average divorce rates in most Western countries hover around the 50% mark, however the divorce rate for PTSD relationships may climb alarmingly to around 70%. Yes, you read that correctly. Only about 3 out of 10 marriages will survive long-term once PTSD enters the relationship. Disheartening, to say the least. But when you consider that many cases of PTSD go undiagnosed, and that rates of divorce do not include de facto or other relationship types, then accurate statistics of any kind are virtually impossible to calculate. And divorce only tells part of the story. It’s really only the tip of the iceberg. Do we honestly assume the remaining 30% of these marriages happy and healthy amidst the challenges of PTSD? The damage that PTSD can wreak on relationships can be extensive, especially when help and support is not available or accessed. And many of us will struggle through, barely uttering a word. DIFFERENT TYPES OF PTSD RELATIONSHIPS What first comes to mind when you think of PTSD relationships? It’s likely to be the type you’re already involved in. Or perhaps you’re automatically assuming, because of all this talk of divorce rates, that a discussion on PTSD relationships is only relevant if a couple is married? Wrong. PTSD relationships take many different forms, and all have their own unique obstacles. Read on to see where your relationships fits: Marriage Whether your partner was diagnosed with PTSD before you met or after, committing to a ‘forever after’ as a PTSD spouse can change the dynamics of your marriage. Many spouses will benefit from seeking their own support network and building their knowledge about post traumatic stress disorder. Engaged Similar to a married couple but with one key distinction. Those who encounter PTSD during their engagement may be more likely to question whether they’re ready to commit to a partner with PTSD. The partner may or may not be accepting of their PTSD diagnosis or receiving treatment, making the future uncertain. Partner More casual PTSD relationships, and those still in the early stages, will usually be somewhat buffered from the full effects of PTSD. The person with PTSD will often try to push aside their worst symptoms for the sake of the budding relationship. And the early ‘honeymoon effect’ also helps to overshadow most of the confronting signs of post traumatic stress. Ex (with children) Your intimate relationship may have ended, either before or after your partner’s PTSD diagnosis. But with children to consider you still need to maintain an ongoing effective relationship with your ex partner. Your children will also need guidance and support in navigating their own relationships with their PTSD parent. Ex (without children) Generally more straight forward than a PTSD relationship that breaks down when children are involved. There still may be mutual friends, colleagues and social groups to negotiate if you have separated from your partner with PTSD. There may also be shared property or investments to work through together. Parent Depending on the cause, those who have a parent with PTSD may likely not have any memory of their parent without a psychological injury. Their parent’s PTSD symptoms will be viewed as normal personality traits. Younger children are at risk of blaming themselves for their parent’s PTSD symptoms and episodes. Adolescents may struggle against their boundaries. And once grown, adults may seek their own support and gain more awareness of their parent’s PTSD. Child Your child with PTSD may still actually be in their childhood or they may already be a grown adult themselves. With children and adolescents, your role as their parent is to not only love and support them unconditionally, but to ensure they have regular access to the best professional support. For adult children, your role will still be one of love and support. Sibling Sibling relationships vary greatly, not only family to family but also due to differences in gender and age. A person with PTSD may lean heavily on a close sibling for support, or possibly not even disclose their diagnosis with an estranged sibling. With limited information, a sibling with PTSD may display symptoms that could be taken out of context and damage the relationship even further. Extended family Extended family encompasses all those who are often, but not always, slightly more removed from the day to day issues of PTSD relationships. Examples include grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles and cousins. The amount of information offered by the individual about their PTSD will ultimately determine the effects on this PTSD relationship. Friend As with any PTSD relationship, a platonic friendship can encounter issues when a person is struggling with PTSD. The support and compassion offered may differ depending on the genders involved. And some PTSD problems, such as alcohol abuse, may be difficult to navigate in certain friendships, particularly those between men. https://thislifethismoment.com/ Stay tuned for our next installment where we are covering key issues of PTSD and Relationships!!

Let's start this week feeling FREE to live life the way we want, and to heck with what anyone else thinks. Life is far too precious and short to be expending energy on trying to fit in or worrying what others think or say about us. So.... ACTION - pick 1 THING in your life that you're currently concerned about what others think (e.g what you do, how you live, what you wear, what they think of you generally etc.). Then today, simply repeat the mantra below to yourself as often as possible... MY LIFE, MY WAY MY LIFE, MY WAY MY LIFE, MY WAY MY LIFE, MY WAY MY LIFE, MY WAY... Because at the end of the day, when all is said and done, the ONLY PERSON you will truly care about the opinion of is yourself. Death bed regrets do not include, "Oh I wish I had conformed more!" Forget about fitting in. You are special. You have your own path. You are here to walk it. Go with what FEELS good and right to you. You're the only one walking in your shoes, and with practice you'll learn to love and trust yourself completely, to the point you won't care about trying to fit in or about what others think of you. The preceding is an excerpt from an email from The Daily Positive, thedailypositive.com

Five Fundamental Beliefs About Life – Foundation for Peer Support: ● Everyone has the ability to learn and grow. ● People’s beliefs determine their behavior. ● People think their way through life. ● Whatever people focus on, they give power to. ● Life’s experiences are the best teacher. Beliefs re-stated within the context of Mental Health and Recovery: Being diagnosed with a mental health injury does not take away the ability to learn and grow; people can recover and often gain new wisdom they take with them in their new experiences. When you start to understand what beliefs or actions (if any) brought you to a place in life where you developed an OSI, it gives you a chance to look at those beliefs with fresh eyes. Were there any beliefs you would choose not to bring forward with you in life? Is there any advice you would give someone at the start of their profession that you wish you had known? What do you believe is true about yourself? Being diagnosed with a psychological injury does not permanently take away your ability to be strategic and creative. Often people with an OSI develop new skills as part of their recovery. Life's experiences are still the best teacher. With your new insight and experience, where will this take you? What will you gain from this experience? In recovery, we start to see the gifts we have received from this injury and view it with a new perspective. "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson To access peer support please visit: Our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to the continuous well-being and recovery process of Veterans and Front Line Protectors across Canada. We seek to empower and encourage them to strive for recovery through peer and professional support while creating greater public awareness.​ We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help The target demographic of OSI-CAN is, but not limited to: Former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Medical Examiners/Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist/COMMS Personnel, Correctional Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

Trauma-informed care is a new idea being used in professional healthcare but also has application at home when working on recovery from PTSD. The idea is that in treatment of an injury, healthcare professionals need to not just look at treating the physical injury but look deeper into treating the trauma of the mind and address both equally. At home this is just as true, one needs to see that the physical injuries may heal but the mental health injuries can last a lot longer and affect the home environment. Creating a mentally safe environment at home for the person, is more conducive to healing. Trauma-informed care seeks to: Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for recovery; Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in peers, families, and colleagues; Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; and Actively avoid re-traumatization The principles of trauma-informed care in the home can come with some effort at making it possible to talk about mental health as well as making healing a part of one’s lifestyle. It is those small changes in lifestyle that will help to not reactivate the trauma the person has experienced. Some small ways would be looking at the things that seem to make the person uneasy, anxious, or upset such as: sudden loud noises, tones that remind them of work such as on cellular phones. Television shows related to what they experienced as a frontline protector may also trigger some of those symptoms as well as watching the news. While it can be painful to discuss the details of a trauma with family, it can be possible to discuss what needs to be done to become healthy. Things like talking about going for counselling, needing to get outside, getting some exercise and getting fresh air together rather than the person who was injured doing these things alone. In the journey of healing, re-entry into the community is something that happens when the person is ready. Going to a store and gaining that exposure to stimulus of a larger environment but only in small increments. So maybe you can only tolerate two minutes in a large store, but going with the support of your family can provide the opportunity to build on that success of two minutes that can then turn into five minutes. Trauma is a difficult topic for discussion in most cases but when that trauma becomes an injury that trauma becomes even more difficult to discuss. Unresolved trauma may affect all parts of a person's life with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being. Ensuring that the physical and emotional safety of an individual is addressed is the first important step to providing Trauma-Informed Care. As the family undertakes the process of healing, the paramount objective is to reconnect the person and their family to sources of hope and recovery, empathetic and equal relationships, self-determination, empowerment, dignity, respect and social inclusion. We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help! OSI-CAN Target Demographic The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes, Persons who in the performance of their jobs are exposed to criminal acts of Trauma like Prosecutors as one example, and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition or (DSM-5) states that PTSD is caused by ‘Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence …’. The DSM-5 then describes in great detail how a person can be exposed to these traumatic circumstances along with symptoms and behaviours that commonly occur with such an exposure. These exposures described in the DSM-5 include: · Directly experiencing the traumatic event. · Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others. · Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or accidental. · Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (ie: first responders collecting human remains, police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse). ​ Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness. A mental illness that we at OSI-CAN prefer to think of as an Operational Stress Injury or Occupational Stress Injury that one can recover from rather than to refer to it as a Disorder. PTSD or an OSI involves exposure to trauma involving death or the threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. ​ Some jobs or occupations put people in dangerous and traumatic situations. Military personnel, first responders (police, firefighters, and paramedics), doctors, and nurses experience higher rates of PTSD than other professions. ​ Something is traumatic when it is very frightening, overwhelming and causes a lot of distress. Trauma is often unexpected, and many people say that they felt powerless to stop or change the event. Traumatic events may include crimes, natural disasters, accidents, war or conflict, or other threats to life. It could be an event or situation that you experience yourself or something that happens to others, including loved ones. ​ PTSD or an OSI causes intrusive symptoms such as re-experiencing the traumatic event. Many people have vivid nightmares, flashbacks, or thoughts of the event that seem to come from nowhere. They often avoid places, people, conversations, or even things that remind them of the event—for example, someone who was hurt in a car crash might avoid driving. PTSD or an OSI can make people feel very nervous or ‘on edge’. Many feel startled very easily, have a hard time concentrating, feel irritable, or have problems sleeping well. They may often feel like something terrible is about to happen, even when they are safe. Some people feel very numb and detached. They may feel like things around them aren’t real, feel disconnected from their body or thoughts, or have a hard time feeling emotions. People also experience a change in their thoughts and mood related to the traumatic event. For some people, alcohol or drugs can be a way to cope with PTSD or an OSI. ​ Why does PTSD not affect everyone equally? While most people experience trauma at some point in their life, not all traumatic experiences lead to PTSD. We aren’t sure why trauma causes PTSD or an OSI in some people but not others, but it’s likely linked to many different factors. This includes the length of time the trauma lasted, the number of other traumatic experiences in a person’s life, their reaction to the event, and the kind of support they received after the event. ​ Trauma is not always a single event in the past. Some trauma, particularly repeated acts like abuse or trauma during wartime, can impact a person’s life far beyond the symptoms of PTSD. Some use other terms like ‘complex PTSD’ to describe these experiences. ​ For Further Detail: Read up on PTSD or OSI in the OSI-CAN Manual We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help! Our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to the continuous well-being and recovery process of Veterans and Front Line Protectors across Canada. We seek to empower and encourage them to strive for recovery through peer and professional support while creating greater public awareness. ​ The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

Holding out hope for someone who may not be able to carry it for themselves. This is something that we as peer supporters often do for those we speak with. What about our family? Our family is who we NEED to have hope for us, and who will be the ones to carry us through the dark days. When someone is injured in any way, be it physically or psychologically, we know the family carries much of the weight in the recovery process. For a psychological injury it isn't as obvious what our families can do for us, yet what you do is so important. You maintain the hope that we will recover and encourage us to keep seeking out the kind of help that resonates with us. Maybe that means that we need to see a different professional, need help in actually "leaving" the house or encouragement to eat or to eat better, drink less or not use anything that would be harmful. We need a reason to heal when despair is at its worst and we think we will never recover. At first this is because we are trying to get back to who we were, not understanding that the person we were isn't the person we need to be any longer. It's something we learn through time and healing, not something we can be told. Once we stop trying to go back in time, we need your patience and support to not try to be who we were in the past, but rather the better person we are evolving into because of our recovery. There can also be a profound amount of anxiety involved with panic attacks that are horrible to go through and awful to witness. We may not notice symptoms decreasing over time, or lessening in intensity but maybe you as our family might. When you notice any improvements, it is so important to let us know. Your perspective may help and when recovery is acknowledged, it is an empowering feeling that change is happening with each and every effort we make to heal and hearing that change is happening from someone close to us not only validates us but also helps give us strength for future change as well. . When you are there to remind us of how we were 1 month ago, or 6 months ago, helps us to know that we are getting better and there is no reason to think it won't continue to get better. That ability to lend perspective when we don't have it is such a gift and is the most important thing you can often do for someone with an OSI. Our family and friend group’s target demographic: The spouses/partners, family members and close friends of former and serving members of: the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, and Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

OSI-CAN’s Annual Healing with Horses Retreat program uses a number of methodologies for trauma treatment to introduce participants to those same methodologies during the program. One major application of the modality Meaningful Movements is the application of Bilateral Movements. In a previous blog we discussed how bilateral movements causes a rewiring of the brain when using both sides of the body during any type of exercise and how science has actually proven this principle is true for healing an Operational Stress Injury or OSI. By using bilateral movements in everything including art therapy, the Healing with Horses Retreat or HHR introduces how bilateral movements can be applied into our everyday lives. Whether it is doing artistic endeavours like making bracelets or lanyards with paracord or working with wood or drawing on a sheet of paper, or if it is exercise like swimming or walking while working your arms … bilateral movements are important to healing. Bilateral Movements and the HHR allow you to see how you can use both sides of your body in all parts of your lives, even if it is only in the leading of a horse. We showed in the previous Blog about Bilateral Movements that the treatment of Trauma like in the case of PTSD. In the case of Bilateral Stimulation, we discovered that bilateral principles began the basis for some of the treatments of trauma like EMDR. By using those same principles in the rest of our lives, the human brain has the opportunity to heal directly from actions taken by your own effort. While it is important to have a team of specialists involved in one’s care like Psychologists, Doctors, and more … It is important for a person to take on their own care as their focus. Even Psychologists tend to assign work to their patients as part of their healing process. But it is also known to be important to exercise as part of their healing. And applying bilateral movements to one’s own activities make it that one can help themselves and develop their healing journey. We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help! OSI-CAN Target Demographic: The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes, Persons who in the performance of their jobs are exposed to criminal acts of Trauma like Prosecutors as one example, and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

Family & Friends need support too Being the caregiver or support for someone with OSI sometimes means facing battles of your own. Feelings of isolation, lack of support or understanding are common traits often shared among family members. Just as it is important for the person with OSI/PTSD to receive the supports they need to heal, it is equally important for those in a caregiver role to also receive support and resources. We often hear caregivers say they are not the ones who need support, it is the person with the OSI/PTSD who does. When someone in the family has an injury, the entire family is affected and therefore may need support of their own. Sometimes it's about taking care of yourself so that you have the capacity to help them take care of themselves. We are not suggesting you get help instead of them, however, if they are not yet ready to reach out for support, it may be necessary for you to gain these skills for your own well-being in the hopes they do reach out. The role of the caregiver is not a singular role as it would be in a clinical setting. The caregiver is also potentially a parent, financial earner, has a home to take care of, and is part of a team when their partner is injured. Even if life before your partner was injured came with fewer points of stress, that has probably changed and responsibilities that were once shared may now be yours alone. That is its own type of stress and comes with understandable struggles. Getting help for yourself as you help someone else allows you to have the resiliency to withstand the challenges you will all face together as you move through recovery. In recovery, your partner will most likely be able to take back some, all, or different responsibilities as they are healing. However, since this is a time of challenge for EVERYONE involved it is in everyone's best interest (partners, children, teens, family, close friends) to seek out whatever support is right for them whether they have PTSD or not. Now just to be clear, it is important when considering your own health as a Caregiver, to understand what the other person is going through. OSI/PTSI can occur when a person directly experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. It can also happen with repeated exposure to traumatic events and details as with OSICAN’s target group; military, first responders, 911 dispatchers, corrections, tow truck drivers, and all public safety personnel. But while that person is going through an OSI like PTSD, you as a caregiver cannot ignore what you need as it is just as important for both of your recoveries. “The spouse or partner of the person with OSI (Operational Stress Injury) is usually the first one to notice a difference in their behaviour or changes in attitude. It is important for them to understand what their loved one is going through, of course, but the most important is for them to get the support they need. This has been a huge missing piece so far. We help give the tools necessary for the self-care they need while being of assistance in the recovery of their loved ones with OSI.” – Julius Brown, Provincial Director for OSI-CAN We offer understanding, hope, knowledge, strength and encouragement. For Further Detail: Read up on PTSD or OSI in the OSI-CAN Manual Our family and friend group’s target demographic: The spouses/partners, family members and close friends of former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

Adopting trauma-informed practices can potentially improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, and health outcomes, as well as provider and staff wellness. The term ‘Trauma-Informed’ has become an important term in care and healing practices. There is some belief that treatment is enough if it treats the injury in front of them but as our knowledge of trauma deepens we become more aware of its impact. We now know that sometimes care must be taken in helping those who have suffered a traumatic experience. Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services with a healing orientation. Clinicians are in a helping profession because they recognize that people are important, their stories are important and want to maximize the difference they can make in that person’s life for the better. Trauma-Informed Care as a principle indicates that it is more than the clinicians that need to be aware of their effects on patient care. It is just as important for every staff member, from clinicians to maintenance and administrative personnel to be aware of the impact their words and behaviours may have on patients. Trauma-informed care seeks to: Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for recovery; Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, and staff; Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; and Actively avoid re-traumatization with the help of a patient being in the center of their recovery Trauma is a difficult topic for discussion in most cases but during the treatment process it becomes even more difficult as people have to process the event out loud with another person not of their profession. These experiences come from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being. Experiences that may be traumatic include: Exposure to tragedy and trauma or perceived threats to life in the course of your operational duties Chronic exposure to potentially traumatic events in your profession Loss of the feeling of having the support of colleagues or management in dealing with trauma within your profession Feeling that your own personal morals are at odds with the duties you have to perform in your profession Personal exposure to: Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse Childhood neglect Living with a family member with mental health or substance use disorders Sudden, unexplained separation from a loved one Poverty Racism, discrimination, and oppression Violence in the community, war, or terrorism We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help! OSI-CAN Target Demographic The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes, Persons who in the performance of their jobs are exposed to criminal acts of Trauma like Prosecutors as one example, and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

For people who experience a psychological injury like PTSD, there is a need to figure out exactly where it stems from. The thought is usually that if we can figure out the WHY of the injury, we can figure out the HOW of fixing it. Unfortunately, we don’t always get it right and that could prove harmful in many ways. Let’s consider for a second a common physical injury like a twisted ankle. We can know how it happened if pain is immediate and sometimes, we can fix it on our own, and sometimes we need professionals to figure out the exact nature of the injury such as: are the muscles just pulled or are they detached? Are the bones intact? This is what determines the best course of rehabilitation. Simply having a “sore ankle” could mean a lot of different things. Now consider that analogy to the psychological injury. If we decide that our injury MUST HAVE come from something recent or a major event in the distant past, we focus our efforts in recovery on that. But what if its deeper or more varied than that? Or maybe what you are attaching your symptoms to was the most recent trauma, but not what is actually the cause of what you are now going through? The thing is we don’t “know” which is why we need to involve people that can help us to figure that o ut. We need to involve our doctor and mental health professionals the same way we would go to the hospital and see the proper type of physician for the nature of a physical injury. Making a self-proclaimed diagnosis or decision as to the cause of our injury can have a significant impact on the type of treatment we receive and what types of care we are eligible for. Presumptive Legislation is there so that the working “presumption” stemming from a diagnosis of PTSD is that it is related to your work unless proven otherwise. It is important to remember that if we, in the heat of crisis and injury, declare the injury caused by what is essentially a best guess, it may affect what types of treatment initially recommended by our doctors, the types of care, and how we reduce our exposure to what is causing us harm. The answer to what is causing this and what we need are not generally straightforward. Often it's the exposure to multiple potentially traumatic events that cause PTSD in our professions and not a single incident. This could mean there are many layers that need to be worked on to help us recover. If you make a statement as to the cause of the injury prior to your work with a psychologist, that statement can lead to denials if a WCB claim is initiated. A potential reason for denial would then be information on record counter to what you discover in treatment. This is why there is legislation in place, so that in the moment of a psychological crisis, you are given the time and resources to heal. To explore with your psychologist or psychiatrist what you are going through and your treatment options before having to come up with answers. In taking time to heal and understand without committing yourself to the cause of the injury, it's sometimes the best and only gift the present YOU can give to your future YOU. To not go down the rabbit hole by trying to figure it out alone and potentially deny yourself the resources you need to heal. This is where the insight of the doctor aids in your recovery. For Further Detail: Our target demographic: The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

While researching Post Traumatic Growth we came across an article explaining how our brain is a filing cabinet. Over the years some of us been able to file experiences in an appropriate place. Not a simple process but worthwhile if a person can accomplish it. In the metaphor, the mind is a filing cabinet, incidents of trauma are unorganized and float around and surface at the most inopportune times. It has been suggested a person can use a process of Dealing, Feeling, Healing, and Sealing. The goal is to move towards Post Traumatic Growth and not become overpowered by our emotions. That is why it is so important to understand we are not alone, and help is available. The help comes in many forms; Clinical without question, and Peer Support as an additional extension in the form of support. “It’s not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters” (Author Unknown) Our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to the continued well-being and recovery process of Veterans and Front Line Protectors across Canada. We seek to empower and encourage them to strive for recovery through peer and professional support while creating greater public awareness. ​ We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, Healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.

WHEN ONE LIVES WITHOUT HOPE, THE WILLINGNESS TO DO IS PARALYZED. … IT IS BEING DISABLED, NOT BY ILLNESS OR DISEASE, BUT BY DESPAIR. Signs of Recovery I know that I am moving forward in my recovery when… ● …I find myself questioning people who say I will not recover ● …I become more aware of those things that I am good at. ● …I know what I can handle and what I need to share with the professionals. ● …I am able to set up safeguards for myself. ● …I learn from my peers and get support from them. ● …I see trouble coming before it arrives. ● …I think I may have a chance. ● …I know who and what’s not good for me. ● …I realize what sets me off and stresses me out. ● …I know how to work the system. ● …I know when my behaviour is appropriate and inappropriate. ● …I am able to hear “hope” from my peers – “Hang in there, it’s not forever” ● …I know the difference in symptoms and stigma and am developing coping skills for each. ● …I believe I can recover. ● …I know when to leave a situation because it has given me all it can. ● …I realize that my past life has value. ● …I know when I need a special kind of help and seek it out. ● …I know that sharing with peers helps put things in perspective. The above is provided in order to see the importance of instilling HOPE in our daily lives and try to view things in positives. Peer Support Group Leader, Leigh Photo by DanSunphotos.com Our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to the continuous well-being and recovery process of Veterans and Front Line Protectors across Canada. We seek to empower and encourage them to strive for recovery through peer and professional support while creating greater public awareness. ​ We at OSI-CAN do not see PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Disorder, we see it as an Injury you can recover from. If you are suffering from the symptoms of an Occupational or Operational Stress Injury, then a PTSD or PTSI diagnosis is not required to get our help The target demographic of OSI-CAN are but are not limited to: former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allied Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Frontline Protectors --- which include Municipal Police Services, CN Police Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection Services, Wildland Firefighters, Hospital Trauma personnel, Nurses, healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Animal Control Officers, Coroners, Indigenous Emergency Management, Victim Services Personnel, Emergency Communications Specialist, Corrections Officers, “Volunteer” First Responders, Conservation Officers, Aboriginal Emergency Services personnel, Tow Truck drivers who clean up accident scenes and their spouses/partners. This demographic was chosen due to the commonality of experiences they share through the service they provide to the country and community. We have a special interest and support volunteer first responders as they are not eligible for programs such as Workers' Compensation.