When any injury or illness occurs in a family, it ripples through the entire family. When a warrior experiences a brain injury, many times the spouse or significant other inadvertently becomes a caregiver (in addition to already wearing the hats of partner, friend, parent, co-worker, child, sibling… and so on). With mild traumatic brain injuries, the process of providing care happens slowly and oftentimes, neither the caregiver or injured warrior even realizes the transition as it occurs. The changes that transpire as the are subtle, at first.
But… the stress starts to build. The relationship starts to change and both parties are sometimes blindsided. Neither has a play book for these new maneuvers. That’s where Heal the Warriors comes in.
Heal the Warriors helps family caregivers make sense of these changes. Many spouses experience “Compassion Fatigue” without knowing such a thing even exists. “Compassion Fatigue” is defined as emotional and physical fatigue leading to a diminished ability to empathize or feel compassion for others. The KWM Workshop Series helps spouses heal, grow and thrive during and after experiencing the negative cost of caring.
The KWM Workshop is designed for that select group of women who have carried the load while their spouses were called to training and to war, spending more time away than at home. It has been developed by SOF spouses, experienced doctors, therapists, coaches, and SOF warriors themselves, with years of experience serving and participating in the SOF community.
This series consists of three modules. Each module includes 8 sessions. The modules are:
- RECOGNIZE: Understand how your experiences have shaped who you are- how things like stress, apathy, grief, anxiety, depression, and poor communication hijack your body and mind, and learn to use the tools that best help you thrive.
- REFRAME: Repattern psychophysiological responses- establish strategies to release, rest and restore, and install new beliefs and norms that lead to deeper healing.
- RENEW: Build your personal mission and practice plan- grow your own intuition and guidance system, and optimize your brain/ body connection to feel better than ever.
The KWM Workshop strengthens the connection between mind, body and spirit, addressing emotional, physical, mental and spiritual aspects of life. Each module allows spouses to build on the tools they learned in the module before. All the sessions incorporate a thoughtful combination of multiple therapeutic modalities such as biofeedback, sound therapy, psychoeducational coaching, Reiki, acupuncture, massage, aroma therapy, body-based trauma release exercises, marriage and communication coaching, breathwork, yoga and more. Incorporating multiple treatment modalities in a unique, intriguing and effective manner, encourages SOF spouses to recognize their own personal needs, reframe their approach to health and wellness and renew their identity and purpose.
Some of the other recent workshops Heal the Warriors has provided were:
- Thriving After His Injury
- Cracking the Caregiving Code
- Reduce Caregiver Stress
- Communication
- Communication 2.0
- Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury
If you are interested in attending a Heal the Warriors workshop, contact us today!