Veterans Resilience Project of MN - EMDR HAP

Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

Veteran Resilience Project of MN EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Project

World CafĂŠ Harvest & Open Space Book of Discussion Reports July 9, 2013 MN Humanities Center

Theme: Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

Table of Contents 1.

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Participants’ List World Café Harvest List of Discussion Reports Discussion Reports Collective Weave Poem (Closing)

1. Participants’ List 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Name Duke Addicks Mark Anderson Kenneth Bellicot Connie Bengston Patti Bitney-Starke Amy Blumenshine Glen Booth Ted Daley Nancy Davis-Ortiz Roger Ezell Jolaina Falkenstein Angie Gagnier Tom Goodrich Jim Hale Catherine Holte Brock Hunter Betsy Huston Sharon Johnson Ronald Kelly Anna Larson Sheila Laughton Richard Leonard John Martin Harry Ostendorf Paul Riedner Ryan Schmitt Kathy Steele Tom Sullivan Cindy Swan-Henderlite Patricia Vitale Jodi Anderson Mary Chasin Ryan Else

Email addicks.storyflute@gmail.com admin@barbaraschneiderfoundation.org kbellicot@gmail.com connie bengston@va.gov patti.bitneystarke@mhcsn.org listentovets@comcast.net mandalaman@usfamily.net Ted.Daley@mncpapro.com ndcortiz@yahoo.com rezellroger@aol.com jolaina.falkenstein@lssmn.org angie.gagnier@gmail.com goodyKSTP@aol.com jim@thementorcorps.org CHolte@woundedwarriorproject.org brock@hunterlaw.com bhuston@npmh.org Sharon.t.johnson@state.mn.us kellyrudjen@aol.com peacebeat.al@gmail.com s.laughton@q.com Richard.leonard@state.mn.us bigheadjohn1@comcast.net harry.ostendorf@state.mn.us PaulRiedner@gmail.com schmitty2425@gmail.com steel241@umn.edu tomsullivan@visiwireless.com cindy.swan-henderlite@state.mn.us patricia.vitale@allina.com janderson@getintegrative.com mchasin@comcast.net ryan@brockhunterlaw.com Organizers for this Event Joe Graca joegraca@clearwire.net Larry Johnson larryjvfp@gmail.com Hector Matascastillo hectormatascastillo@hotmail.com Trista Matascastillo Trista2000@msn.com Anne Rich upnorthreader@clearwire.net Elaine Wynne wynnee10@gmail.com Host / Facilitator for this Event Katie Boone, Sowelu Institute katie@soweluinstitute.org Newsroom Team Abram C. Isola abram@isola.mn A.J. Kamish kaan0801@stcloudstate.edu Callie Graca grca0901@stcloudstate.edu

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

2. World Café Harvest

If we didn’t have any barriers and were going to completely redesign the system today to do exactly what we need to do, what would it look like? 

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Shared Vision & Purpose: Having a shared, common vision for collaboration, building shared meaning and purpose, developing coherency between organizations so that there are no more “turf wars” between providers – creating an interactive system that values transparency in sharing information and connections while providing research and internal resources. o This would help us all to think big on funding to help continue MN EMDR HAP Policy & Cultural Changes: There is a need for bi-partisan political support for long-term funding and programs, policy changes need to be made that would allow for honest communication – addressing the “labeling” dilemma and ensuring that all medical needs qualify for care. Building off of the idea that there is “no wrong door”, easing access and creating a “one-stop shop”. This would involve a culture change on the idea of “acceptance without labels”, shifting the culture from a “human doing” to “human being” kind of focus. o The idea of setting up World Café conversations across the state with veterans 35 years and under, with their families to provide them with the power and responsibility of how their recovery works, what their recovery looks like, and what next steps would need to be taken to help do that. Information from these conversations could be used to help educate community-based organizations and service providers Safe Space & Connections: The need for a safe recovery setting that is operated by veterans, focusing on veterans in various stages of recovery with a “mission oriented” mindset of “what is their new mission?” The safe space would allow for veterans to tell the truth about their military experiences as they return to civilian life. The safe space could be built off of the “warrior mindset”, helping to empower and connect veterans to their peers.

Congregations of Faith and High Schools: Congregations of faith grapple with the bigger picture, it would be helpful to help build a position for “just peace” not “just war”. Its important to teach high school students alternatives to how to create non-violent changes in the world.

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

3. List of Discussion Reports

Report

Report Titles

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Initiator

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Community Resources

Elaine Wynne

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Healing From Trauma

Joe Graca

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What Would Community Based Support Look Like?

Betsy Huston

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Moral Dislocation

Amy Blumenshire

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Safe Places for Vets

Trista Matascastillo

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Cultural Framing

Trista Matascastillo

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Ryan Schmidt : New Mission

Trista Matascastillo

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Removing Stigmas

Ken Bellicot

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Ownership in Networking

Ken Bellicot

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Need for Healed, Healthy, and Willing Vet Mentors

Jim Hale

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

4. Discussions Reports

#1 Topic - Community Resources Initiator Elaine Wynne Participants  Roger Ezell (Plymouth Congregational Church/Presbyterian Disability Committee)  John Martin (with MAP and Basilica Peace and Justice Coalition)  Anna Larson (UTS graduate, Mankato and former Blue Earth County Historical Society museum assistant) Discussion – Important elements Continuing Conversations : Organizations/ Groups – Disabilities task force (Roger Ezell, Presbyterian Church) Lutheran Social Services, United Church of Christ (Anna) MAP MN Alliance for Peacemakers (John), Wounded Warrior, Veterans Resiliance Project of MN, EMDR HAP People - Amy Bloomenshine (LSS, Lutheran Church, Moral Dislocation) , Phil Stoltzfus (professor of non-violent theology, Christian Peace Team) Media – novel Matterhorn, movie Valley of Ellah, Yes! Magazine, Erica Chenowith’s and Maria Stephan book on Why Civil Resistance Works, the Strategic of Nonviolent Conflict (check out the Nonviolence in the Past and Future-youtube video) Media Networking- phone conference, Doodle for meeting time setup, ‘Go To Meeting, Meet Up.Com, On-line directory, website, googledocs, hangouts and groups, Healing Approach – EMDR, positive results/studies of non-violent movements, accentuate the positive, Link up with alternative healing, valuing and re-imaging the meaning of gender, balance of feminine and masculine, valuing intuition and feelings, Wounded Warrior?

Types of gathering – one-on one, mentoring, big veterans soical/support expo., Big Tent social fair, ??

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

EMDR Resilience Project :

#2 Topic - Healing from Trauma Initiator - Joe Graca Participants - Tom Sullivan . Nancy Davis-Orvitz . Duke Addicks . Amy Blumenshine

. Jolaina Falkenstein . .

Discussion – Important elements What does healing from trauma mean? – Process of recovery and acceptance.

Is it possible to heal from trauma –be symptom free? No residual trauma responses-to be HEALED? Better to describe this as a process of healing –to say to the person they have healing ahead of them.

A.A. addiction recovery, Cancer remission, Recovery after loss of a limb all have relevance to dialoguing about recovery and healing. Noted that in A.A. one is never healed from addiction.

Does this also fit with PTSD? Does the fallacy of ‘’I can control my addiction also apply with I can control my PTSD‘’ What impedes any discussion of healing is the stigma of being open about being wounded. The stigma it is a sign of weakness.Yet is a healed soldier a good soldier? The metaphor of being a wounded warrior has meaning in dialoging about recovery.

Current system of treatment has given inimal focus on discussion of healing let alone fostering healing.Mental health system built around symptom manaagement not on fostering healing directly. Post traumatic growth is not dependent on symptom reduction.

Can view this as a learning issue such as learning in the military that PTSD is a weakness. Very few veterans and soldiers hear stories of healing thus learn about this just as very few clinicians see the research on healing or hear the stories. Just as we learn much about war n our history books we can insure that we are also hearing about stories of peace and non violence.

Dialoging about healing can transform the system and shift the focus. It is essential that those who are healing are encouraged to tell their story and we give them a forum to be heard.

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

#3 Topic - What would Community-Based support look like Initiator - Betsy Huston Participants  Ted Daley  Mark Anderson Discussion – Important elements General barriers at community level No coordination for those working with veterans tend to be Professionals work in silos- little interaction between those providing services with others in like jobs And these paid professionals can’t solve the problems, address the needs by themselves      

Get them around one table-work with those who show up as they are interested Begins with one person from the bottom-up, often personality based Community based can help make a cultural exchange Begins with one person Look for community models such as Crookston, MN Begin working together agreeing on a point to work on together-such topics may include how to help re-connect, connect with veterans , utilizing community based people such as faith-based, family, neighbors, how to get professionals to connect with each other,

Other models talked about (there are many more that could be mentioned as well) CIT (Crisis Intervention Team model)- partnering with first responders, community advocates, mental health providers, peers. This model helps to get out of silos and provide immediate response, long term support and community support Veterans Court (Hennepin County) – how can this model be replicated throughout MN- this model has helped to break down the silos Veteran mentorship program go to the leaders of the young veteran communities- peer to peer model which can be unstructured or structured- but based upon “doing the right thing” PTS-recovery- wellness we need to change the narration of veteran mental health issues and focus on recovery

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

#4 Topic - Moral Dislocation: The Pride/Compassion Challenge Initiator - Amy Blumenshine Participants  Patti Bitney Starke  Betsy Huston Discussion – Important elements Amy explained she wanted to “try out” the term “moral dislocation” instead of the more common “moral injury”. Some vets feel judged by the moral injury term, saying, “And now they’re saying I’m morally injured, too.” Amy also explained her belief that the body cannot feel both pride and compassion at the same time. Military culture teaches pride and strength. Compassion opens the heart to need and vulnerability, including one’s own.

Discussion began regarding the moral relativism of making judgments about whether someone is experiencing a “diminished life” – according to whose measure? When does an outsider judge another that a person needs to have a different inner life?

We talked of different perspectives that contribute to moral dislocation.

Mention was made of Jonathan Shay’s work on moral injury which describes how vets frequently have shame and guilt about the choices they made in the military/war.

We discussed the importance of truly understanding the mission and the ramifications on the participants. Are some people truly untouched by actions that are inconceivable in civilian life or is there an injury at an unconscious level? This is rarely talked in the process of recruitment. If the prevalence of Sexual Trauma were as high at Target as it is in the military, many would not apply for a job there. Why is it tolerated in the military?

Of course, similarly, there are things not spoken of in civilian society, like the high prevalence of sexual assault on children.

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

#5 Topic -

Safe Places

Initiator - Trista Matascastillo Participants  Connie Bengston  Sheila Loughton  Cindy Swan-Henerlite  Cathy Holte  Richard Leonard  Harry Osentdorf

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Kathy Steele Angie Gagnier Jolana Falkenstein Amy Blumenshine Ryan Else Ryan Schmidt

Discussion – Important elements Authenticity Make support persons confident Veteran is safe Safe Location Fee of Government Oversight/affiliation Separate war from warrior Safe Palace for Service Members and family Separate the War from the Warrior Facilitator to understand military Language Identify biases of those in different trauma groups Balance between commonality experience Physical Space welcoming Identify Common Ground Recovery environment- like minded people in like minded direction Full Disclosure of who the therapist is Trust- Confidentiality make it safe to tell the truth Facilitators – Posture, Presence, Non-offensive, Know your audience Setting Organizing seating (Add mirrors) Ground Rules or COMFORT RULES Strategically set up to create a safe place for veterans contributions of all kinds

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

#6 Topic Cultural Comptencey Initiator - Trista Matascastillo Participants  Connie Bengston  Brock Hunter  Richard Leonard  Harry Ostendorf  Kathy Steele

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Angie Gagnier Sheila Laughton Ryann Else Trista Matascastillo Ted Daley

Discussion – Important elements Sharing our strengths with America Understand what were capable of Pos We need to understand what web ring to table Identify our worth Our Country Needs US Our World Needs US

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

#7 Topic -

New Mission

Initiator - Ryan Schmidt Participants  Connie Bengston  Cindy Swan-Henerlite  Cathy Holte  Richard Leonard  Harry Ostendorf  Kathy Steele  Angies Gagnier

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Sheila Laughton Ryan Else Trista Matascastillo Elaine Wynne Ted Daley Brock Hunter

Discussion – Important elements How do we help others define and achieve new mission?

Resume writing technique (Look back at it and chose what you were good at.)

Creating a safe place that functions as a starting point How do we create a wrap plan to empower veterans Meeting the veterans where they are What makes the Veteran Happy/Motivated Step… Plan Vete Welcoms centers, CVSO, College, BTYR, TAP Resources Allow Vets to tell their own story To include wish list Validation CPS-Certified peer Specialist (Battle Buddy) Reframe Mission US vs ME Cultural Competency of Job/Life Coaches Finding their Voice Role Models Empowerment Model Wellneess – Mind Body- Spirirt Coaches Breeding HOPE Connection Between NOW…Where want to go

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

#8 Topic - Removing Stigma of Care Initiator - Ken Bellicot, Army Wounded Warrior Program Participants . Brock Hunter .Mary Chasin .Jim Hale

.Larry Johnson .Jodi Anderson .Glen Booth Ronald Kelly

Discussion – Important elements Grass roots initiatives versus national campaigns – is anything in media successful? – Recent reports published by DoD shows ZERO improvement of mental health issue reporting in military over last 10+yrs of intensive internal marketing and campaigning in military branches.

What can a provider/resource do to create a trust or bond to immediately be credible to veteran in need This could be advertising a bond, hiring a veteran, being a veteran, word of mouth (best of course) referral, etc…

Continuing work with veterans to create and supplement a ‘resume’ of sorts to provide comfort to those looking for services Finding an ability to connect or to create bond in first conversation otherwise risk losing the veteran’s reaching out attempt

#9 Topic - Ownership of Networking Initiator - Ken Bellicot Participants - Ken Bellicot Discussion – Important elements Need for warm handoffs otherwise running the risk of losing veteran’s momentum of wanting to get assistance

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

# 10 Topic - Need for Healed, Healthy and Willing Vet Mentors Initiator - Jim Hale Participants - Ken Bellicot Discussion – Important elements Here is my overview of the take away.....mostly my ideas, but the others , plus Ken Bellicot of AW2 was very supportive of the concept. Please know I understand the "big picture" includes many roads to recovery and renewal....... what I also know is for most of us it is very scary trying to walk it alone.

Problem: The disabled vet, at any stage of disability, needs to be assessed as to what resources he/she can access under their disabilities. We all agree there are awesome $$$$$$ and well equipped people to help in every area of need. Why do we still see so many vets of the last 10 years reject help, reject making the call before a severe "crash" , or fail to follow through on prescribed treatment plans? In most cases it is lack of trust that they will really get "personal attention", lack of trust that the person really knows how they feel, and lack of trust that THEY have the courage to open up and tell someone the degree of their "Lost control" of their lives. A person like Ken at the US Army Wounded Warrior Program (not the same as WW project for family outings) is a trained and equipped advocate, I suggest he is a battle field command center ready to help direct the response needed, an air strike, artillery, what resources for this disabled vet is needed????....but in his own words, the lack of trust is a barrier to him and others like him nationally to really make the difference they could with many more vets.

Possible Solution: An initiative is put in place to "recruit" vets who have been "healed, are healthy, and willing" to be "point men/women" for the advocates (or other levels of care resources). These vets are trained and coached to mentor the vet in need of assessment and help. This person proactively contacts a disabled vet under the direction of the advocate. Asks the tough questions.....like sergeants do, like majors do, like leaders do in the military and helps build a quick trust of relating to the vet in the "military model" not just a clinical, civilian, professional etc. pattern. The problem with lack of trust by the disabled vet is communication. He/she has lived in a disciplined world for 4 or more yrs. They need direction, orders, leadership, and for most.......they have learned to follow orders or suffer severe consequences.

The "Renewal Mentor" shares a commonality, a willingness to help, and a bold accountability partner for the vet for a few months of getting into the "system", maintaining progress and working with a great advocate like Ken, or other great people within the overall VA or heath care system to victory!

This is proactive, this is a win win opportunity for those vets who go through the "renewal journey" and then give back some help, some mentoring to another warrior (whether they are a cook, artillery, finance office, or front line rifleman......) I believe this could help many.....PSTD for sure....most certainly not all need this....but what if one, five, twenty five vets get what they need to become "whole" again sooner for themselves, their family, their employer, their country. And with the potential with follow up mentoring, provide staying power for the long term. What if??????

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Open Space – Supporting a healing journey with veterans by strengthening our connections - Veterans Resilience Project of MN

What is one thing you leave with today that you didn’t arrive with this morning?: The scope of how many people care a boost of hope the right direction guided by our synergy proud to be a part of this new insights and innovation for the future families voices gratitude and inspiration a personal sense of dedication and admiration heart felt concern for veterans no longer turning our back thank-you from my heart to yours a round of applause for our process today bringing healing to our work stepping into new roles with hope that I didn’t have before a greater community I know I can reach out to connections with gifts to offer renewed hope and healing for new days new energy new voices and ideas something is actually happening the sails are catching the breath of our work sailing the boat together to what’s next creating waves of change building our pride and power we’re so much bigger together than alone with new friendships I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone and created an action plan with a renewed sense of purpose I’ve heard your story and it gives me hope

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