When does a warrior deserve healing?

EFT4Vets stands for helping ALL Veterans and their families, regardless of a diagnosis or known, severe trauma. EFT is a coaching tool that can be easily learned by anybody, even children. If a soldier needs mental health services, EFT doesn’t have to be stopped, as it does not contradict the support someone might get from the VA. On the contrary, EFT can be self applied and Soldiers can help each other, as well as families work with it together.

Years ago, I was the director of a non government organization which delivered truckloads of privately collected donations to the civilians in ex Yugoslavia. This got me into the war zones many times, and I know that being exposed to what happened there changed me. It is hard to forget the suffering, the stories, the fear.

I was fortunate, because I was there only for short times and then went back home. But I know that I needed time to debrief and recover, even if I didn’t experience what the soldiers are going through at the front lines. I remember coming back from Croatia and Bosnia, and being at my old job. Everything felt surreal:”Don’t you know how people are suffering right now?” I thought. “How can you be so happy, so careless, so easily believing that life is good? There are people dying and children starving right now!” It was hard to not be prejudiced, and it took time to readjust. War changes people, and when we return home, we deserve time and attentive support to heal.

Therefore, I believe that ALL Veterans and their families need time to debrief, to adjust, to let go of fear, memories, grief and stress. Being away for a long time takes a toll on many levels, and it only seems fair and right to offer help to overcome what happened.

I have seen with my WWII Veterans that, even if they believed they had overcome their memories, some significant images, thoughts and emotions were stuck all these years. It is good to help them release them, so they can sleep peacefully now and don’t have to worry about feeling safe.

Some of my Veterans tell me:” Why don’t you work with someone else? Others have been through a lot more than I.” I always answer: “Mose people I know have been through a lot less…”. It is  true that war causes trauma, even if it is not severe enough to receive a diagnosis.

I have this dream that ALL Veterans and their families will have access to EFT and be able to heal from their experiences in profound and powerful ways.