Coming Home Project hosts 2010 Service Providers Retreat
Douglas Karr, Petty Officer Second Class, United States Navy Veteran
Contact us if you are a veteran who was exposed to asbestos during military service and we'll send you additional information, free of charge.
This year, as a part of the Coming Home Project, the Service Providers Retreat will take place in Burlingame, California, at the Mercy Center. Taking place February 18th-21st, this four day seminar will focus on the importance of recognizing secondary trauma. Here, stories will be shared in a safe environment and skill sets will be provided in order to be most effective as a service provider and care taker.
In working closely with veterans on a daily basis, service providers may already have an understanding of what this form trauma entails, though only on a surface level. This retreat will take a deeper look into the suffering and restlessness that inhibits countless war veterans today.
Here, the individuals will reconnect and renew their sense of self awareness and strengthen their ability to create a positive and supportive environment for the veterans they counsel. The retreat will teach the importance of recognizing symptoms of compassion fatigue and provide ways to intervene early before conflicts grow and worsen.
The compassionate fatigue that service providers experience is inevitable and must be sympathized. It is the feeling of giving your absolute all over and over again, to the point of mental and physical exhaustion. Having a weekend of rest and rejuvenation is vital in maintaining their ability to care and counsel veterans.
These providers come into contact with the darkest of emotions and undeniably difficult situations. They are then expected to comfort, console, and patch up veterans lives, providing ample support and a safe place to share their feelings. Retreats like this are necessary; they have the ability to reinstall emotional stability.
Working with individuals suffering from both mental illnesses to physical illnesses is trying and calls for weekends such as this to reconnect and be with those who share similar experiences. Some of the most difficult situations are counseling those that have developed severe illnesses caused by their time in the service.
Specifically, in the case of caring for a veterans suffering from aggressive illnesses such as mesothelioma cancer, care providers face patients in the later stages of their lives. This type of cancer is often found in war veterans because of its close tie with asbestos contact. Mesothelioma is caused by the inhalation of asbestos, which when breathed in attacks the lining of the body’s vital organs. These patients benefit greatly from the support that care providers have to offer.
Serving as a support system for individuals coming back from the war and/or living as a veteran is a highly admirable job. This service providers retreat is open to those working directly with a caseload of at least 50% OIF and OEF veterans and/or families. Special priority will be given to working full-time with OIF and OEF veterans.
Providers that are included are mental health and other health professionals, counselors, veteran service officers, chaplains, military leaders, veteran service organization staff and others. This retreat is absolutely free of cost.
Visit Service Providers Retreat 2010 for complete information on applying and attending.