marylouise
Silver Member
It's worth noting that the resources that are available to trauma practicioners today are superior to what was available when these guys and gals (in the case of nurses) came home from war. First, they exist! Bessel van der Kolk, pioneer in the field, only started his research in the 1980s with Vietnam vets. I happened to have a semi-professional relationship with a group of Vietnam vets in the late 1990s (in writing workshops), and it seemed these guys got far more from 12 Step programs than they ever did from therapy. They struggled for years with inadequate care that didn't address their needs.
That said, I wonder about the facilitator of the VA PTSD group you attend. Is she certified as a trauma specialist? In that position, my opinion is that she really should be. EMDR is no longer a fringe technology for treating trauma, so for her to dismiss it outright is worrisome.
It doesn't sound like the V.A. is putting the resources they need to towards treating PTSD in vets, especially female vets. If you have resources of your own, it may be worth supplementing what you're getting there by seeing a certified trauma specialist who can provide you with EMDR and other trauma-specific types of therapy. Keep in mind that a social worker can be as competent as a PhD (though her/his fee may be less). I agree: you should not have to live with this for decades like the men and women of the Vietnam era.
