Aaah yes piglet, the ever elusive communication process of someone with PTSD. Sometimes I think Anthony is the sane one.......and then I slap myself. Thankyou, I needed that light hearted comment while I am sitting here trying, in vain, to complete an overdue uni assignment. And not even chocolate is helping the thought process at the moment but damn it tasted good. Rich, chocolate mousse........mmmmm.

Hopefully we might be getting somewhere my husband read some of the info I got from VVCS and wants me to book him into a couple of the courses and he wants me to get in touch with the PTSD clinic at Heatley for him. Hopefully he will follow this through if I book him in.
Anthony with the clinic at Heatley do they run courses there through the VVCS or is it through someone else?
Do they have courses there or is it counselling?
Thank you Jen!

Jen, The clinic in Heatley is the actual PTSD clinic, where they run the 8 week PTSD course. Some shorter courses are run in the conference room opposite VVCS, but the PTSD course itself is run in Heatley. To get onto the PTSD course, you need to contact Martha Landman at the PTSD center in Heatley, as she is the one who manages the course. Being TPI, your husband is paid for via Vet Affairs, as the PTSD center is part of the Mater Private Hospital, and they deal directly with Vet Affairs for you. All you need to do is book in and see Martha about getting onto a PTSD course, and thats it. She does the rest.

Basically, you just need to have PTSD, and you need to WANT to get better, and generally not on illegal drugs or serious alcohol volumes, ie. a bottle of spirits a night. The course starts out as 2 days for the first 2 weeks, then goes to 4 days for the next 4 weeks, then back down to 2 days a week for the last two weeks.

It is best that you actually attend as well, as partners play quite a significant role in the healing process.

Thank you Anthony I will get in touch.
Jen

i am very keen to do the course with my wife,the last few days have been hell for the both of us so i want to do the course not only for me but kim as i have heard great things about this course i want to get on the right track and give her some much needed happiness. god knows she deserves it. paul

Mate, the good thing is, is that the Townsville course actually has the highest success rate in the whole of Australia... and so it should I think, considering the vets it puts through their. The Townsville course contains some of the best people in the business, that lay things out without all the technical BS. There is one doctor that dribbles, but you just ignore his sessions, as the rest is so forth it for your overall health, well being and relationship.

Keep us updated on that one Paul.

no problem.

Hi Anthony and Karen it has been a while since I wrote. Just thought I would let you know I am seeing a counsellor through VVCS who is good to go and talk to yesterday was my second visit and we spoke for 2 hours I didnt realise how long I was there for. He seems to say the right things. I still am getting upset and feeling down I have decided to go on to antidepressants to hopefully start feeling better about myself.
The counsellor said a lot of my feelings are because of the way my husband was treating me by being verbally abusive in the past. VVCS rang my husband yesterday and are going to book him into seeing a counsellor as well.
Thank you from Jen

Good stuff Jen, glad to know that your both getting the appropriate help to resolve some issues within you both. The facts are, is that both parties tend not to know the implications of PTSD, generally until its too late and separation has occurred for the wrong reasons, and not the right reasons. The general problem though is that those with PTSD and spouses of PTSD sufferers tend not to start looking for help until its nearly that time to just drop everything and get the hell as far away as possible.

Its really good that you are both getting the correct help though. Don't think your going to see instant results in a large capacity, because it won't happen. Dealing with PTSD, living around PTSD, takes a lot longer to get better at, than it did the way things are for you both now.

This is generally because even though the sufferer learns to change, the people around them don't, thus they are always expecting outbursts and moods, so in actual fact, the spouse and families common reactions around them are enough to set things back off again, because the person who suffers is trying to change, but the ones around can't. This is another whole problem though, and one that needs lots of time and patience to get past.

Your doing really well though Jen, congratulations on the current milestones, and I hope that things continue to improve through counselling and relationship building.

Thanks Anthony we have had a good day today thats what it seems to be one day at a time.
Jen