American Veterans Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) Treatment Centers
"They gave everything for us! We do the same for them!" Semper Fi
Home 2 C's
Cope or Cure
Choosing Combat PTSD Treatment:
Lifelong Coping Medication Stereotyping of You
The "2 C's"
How can veterans and their families decide which is the best treatment approach for them when it comes to the professional address of combat and attendant causes of PTSD? That's easy. Just choose one of the 2 Cs. Select the 1st C which stands for cope, and learn to live with the PTSD for the rest of your life. If to the contrary you prefer to resolve the trauma completely and get over the PTSD now, then choose the 2nd C. It stands for cure and its function is to get rid of the trauma in the near term (now) and thus be over it forever!
Coping with PTSD: The U.S. VA . . . way
The U.S. VA program teaches veterans, often with the aid of pharmacological therapies - medication, how to cope with thoughts, feelings and actions that may be related to psychological trauma caused in theater by combat, accident or assault and then retained in memory for an indefinite time. Those coping techniques include such methods as Cognitive Behavioral, Behavioral, and unstructured psychodynamic therapies. They teach veterans and families how to recognize prospective PTSD symptoms and to adapt positively to them. That teaching - learning activity or behavioral modification technique is inculcated in such a way that those aspects of the models showing how to think are intended to remain with the veteran for life. The professionals and veterans hope that with the help of some medications and the forever continuing coping efforts, PTSD's symptoms will be mastered and eventually controlled so that the disorder is much less a life discomfort for everyone involved. Learning to cope with PTSD the U.S. VA's way is a lifetime experience, guaranteed.
Curing PTSD: The American Veterans . . . way
American Veterans PTSD Treatment Centers, on the other hand, just cure PTSD outright.
No More:
Compulsive Adapting
Behavioral Modification
Unreconciled Loss
Biofeedback Machines
Obsessions with Acting "Right"
Malfeasant Experiments
Clinical Dependence
Anger Management
Waiting Lists
Hypnotic Waiving Wands
Stigma
Finally, No More PTSD!
That's not just American Veteran's PTSD Treatment Centers' special treatment model's approach. It's our promise!
How do we use that "special approach" to cure psychological trauma and PTSD? To start, we separate combat PTSD from other problems that while prevalent may have similar symptoms that get in the way of treating combat or related traumas. For example, Chemical Dependency and some other issues also occurring comorbid (simultaneously) like border line personality and bi-polar disorders, plus life traumatic events that happened before or after the combat trauma can also interfere with the combat trauma's fully or even partially successful address. In our parlance, that complete address means complete trauma resolution. And that resolution is the PTSD's equally complete cure.
American Veteran's PTSD treatment program employs the unique set of formulas provided by Etiotropic Trauma ManagementTM (ETM) to evaluate the myriad and convoluting issues and then present the veteran with a clear, certain and always congruent approach that is assured to totally prevent the interference introduced by those sample comorbid and sometimes obfuscating issues. Once the path for complete resolution is set out by ETM's guidelines, it is implemented with the highly structured Trauma Resolution TherapyTM (TRT). It focuses the full resolution effort on the combat trauma's etiology, as it is the source or cause of the trauma. Once that underpinning etiology is expunged or otherwise removed, thought, feeling and behavioral responses to the trauma dissipate. Complete resolution of combat trauma with TRT cures both psychological trauma and its behaviorally recognized counterpart, PTSD.
To learn more about ETM TRT, see Education Tools listed in the navigational menu on the left.
Honoring Our Veterans
Now you know the differences underlying the choices you have when selecting the best treatment version for you. But most importantly remember this. Regardless of which modality of professional therapy you choose, all of these providers, whether working at the VA or at American Veteran's facilities, care deeply for and honor our veterans, those of you who have given so much to the citizens of our country, the United States of America.
Regarding one last consideration at this prospective beginning of our relationship, we can't speak for the VA, but we do promise to give you something almost as meaningful to you as our freedom and lives that you've protected for us. We'll return the "You" who existed before you went to war for us, and before you were so badly harmed in our defense. You may not know to which we speak at this time. But when you finish TRT, you will understand that comment very well. And you will know happiness again, maybe from time to time even joy. That is the ETM TRT authors' and American Veterans PTSD Treatment Centers' additional and most dedicated pledge to you.
The following letter is very important to you. It has been posted for review in ETM texts and online for 20 years. Please read it as it comes from one of the finest expert military groups to study ETM TRT's application to combat and EMS personnel.
ETM TRT's Bulwark: Uncompromising Ethics, Immutable Integrity, Unparalleled Longevity
ETM TRT Reference Letter and Report from the 1990 Senior Officer Leadership of the Department of Defense Study Group of Military PTSD Professionals
For both personnel and organizations, Etiotropic Trauma Management™ (ETM) with its clinical component Trauma Resolution Therapy™ is the most effective and comprehensive crisis and trauma treatment program in the country.
My interest in crisis debriefing and trauma treatment dates back to working with soldiers on the battle field in Vietnam, returning prisoners of war, and medical personnel in hospital trauma settings. Since the Vietnam War, I have continuously worked with victims of trauma and their families. My studies in crisis and trauma resolution include: Harvard University, the International Society for Traumatic Studies, the programs of Dr. Jeff Mitchell (author of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing), National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) and others.
Etiotropic Trauma Management™ is a program with integrity. It provides quality treatment and delivers on all of its claims. Other programs tend to decrease anxiety in the debriefing process and the crisis worker tends to feel better for awhile. Later, issues arise, and trauma symptoms may go unrecognized and unattended. Only Etiotropic Trauma Management™ provides a method for dealing with the acute trauma manifestations. This trauma management system greatly reduces the chance of a crisis experience affecting their professional and personal functioning. My thoughts are that this system would minimize the worker's compensation claims from traumatic reactions (PTSD) and the acting out behaviors of traumatic stress symptomatology. ETM does not create victims; it resolves the impact of crisis and trauma.
Repeating for emphasis! ETM does not create victims; it resolves the impact of crisis and trauma!
When conferring with several professional colleagues who are well versed in crisis debriefing and trauma treatment, all agreed that Etiotropic Trauma Management™ offers the only complete program for emergency medical service personnel. I am a career Army Officer and currently assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas. I urge EMS (Emergency Medical Services – crisis management styled) organizations to give their personnel the best program possible, Etiotropic Trauma Management™ (ETM) and Trauma Resolution Therapy (TRT).
Very truly yours,
Gerald W. Conner
CH (LTC) US Army
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American Veterans PTSD Treatment Centers is a Licensed
Etiotropic Trauma ManagementTM Trauma Resolution TherapyTM (ETMTRT) Facility