A Marriage Organized Around Trauma
He was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in 2004. In the 20 years since, he has struggled with PTSD and addiction. She has long taken on the role of his caregiver, ready to jump in when she senses the old traumas are rising. This has often meant sacrificing her own needs as an individual, partner, and lover. With Esther's guidance they start the practice of re-orientating themselves away from a hyper-vigilant state, toward a more sensual partnership in which she too is taken care of.
Additional Resources
The Moral Injury of War Project- (https://www.moralinjuriesofwar.org/about) Moral Injuries of War is an immersive experience forging new ways to contemplate and heal from war through testimony, movement, and public conversation
Building Better Caregivers - (https://va.buildingbettercaregivers.org/) Via the VA Caregiver Support Program. Online workshop with 6 weekly self-paced lessons, facilitator guidance, group support and access to an alumni community for program graduates.
Center for Resilience at The David Lynch Foundation - Resilient Warrior Program - (https://www.resilient-warriors.org/) Offers veterans, active duty personnel and their families training in the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique.
The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center at NYU Langone - (https://nyulangone.org/care-services/steven-a-cohen-military-family-center) We provide free, compassionate care for veterans and military families who are experiencing the long-term effects of all phases of military service and other life stresses, including relationship difficulties, school problems, and unemployment and relocation issues.
Elizabeth Dole Foundation - (https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/) The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nation’s 5.5 million military caregivers; the spouses, parents, family members, and friends who care for America’s wounded, ill, or injured veterans.
