“I
served two tours of combat
in Vietnam. I’m 100%
disabled because of PTSD. When I first started coming to the AWB clinic
in Albuquerque, I had spent years suffering from high anxiety. I
believe that because of the acupuncture I have become calmer and my
anxiety has drastically come down. I don’t want the new vets
to suffer for years like I did. Acupuncture is helping me get my life
back.” ~ Raul Rojas
“Veterans are the light at the tip of the candle, illuminating the way
for the whole nation. If veterans can achieve awareness,
transformation, understanding, and peace, they can share with the rest
of society the realities of war. And they can teach us how to make
peace with ourselves, and each other, so we never have to use violence
to resolve conflicts again” —Thich Nhat Hanh
_________________
All of the clinics listed below are independent entities run by local
acupuncture volunteers, and have no legal affiliation with AWB. We
support each other as part of AWB's national Military Stress Recovery
Project. AWB makes no guarantees as to the services provided.
Click on the clinic of your choice for date,
time and
location
information
____________________________
Acupuncturists
Without Borders (AWB) provided hurricane relief services to
approximately 8000 people in the New Orleans area starting in October
2005. The free community acupuncture brought hope, promise, and peace
of mind to the people of New Orleans. With the experience and expertise
of bringing community style acupuncture to the people of Louisiana, AWB
is now bringing this service to veterans and their families. The
Military Stress Recovery Project provides free acupuncture treatments
for veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan, but also welcomes
veterans from all other past conflicts or wars as well as the
veterans’ family members.
The Military
Stress Recovery Project began in 2006 with a pilot clinic in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Other locally run clinics are now operating
nationwide in locations such as the Boston area (several clinics),
Chicago, Fort Myers, FL and Seattle, WA among others. There are
currently twenty three clinics in operation and many others are in the
process of opening.
As in Louisiana,
treatments are based on the National Acupuncture Detoxification
Association (NADA) ear protocol, which has proven to be extremely
powerful in alleviating symptoms of stress and trauma. During
treatment, people sit fully clothed in a circle of chairs, and the
licensed acupuncturist places 5 tiny needles on each ear. The
recipients are invited to close their eyes and rest for 30-45 minutes,
as the acupuncture does its work.
Veterans at these
clinics are experiencing benefits such as a full night’s
sleep for the
first time in years and fewer bad dreams. They are reporting improved
mental clarity, less anxiety and a reduction in stress. Acupuncture is
currently being investigated by the Walter Reed Medical Center in
Washington D.C. as a viable treatment modality for PTSD in returning
veterans and the military has started using acupuncture in the
battlefield to help with pain.
The potential of
this program is enormous. History has shown that the long-term impact
of war takes a tremendous toll for decades. By providing free
acupuncture treatments to veterans currently returning from war, we can
play a part in preventing history from repeating itself, and by
providing treatments to veterans from past wars and conflicts, we can
take part in helping mend the psychological wounds of the past.
The beauty of
acupuncture is that it is a simple, low-cost modality offering
immediate, effective, and easily accessible treatment for large numbers
of people. Acupuncture is a tool that can work harmoniously with other
more conventional treatment modalities such as counseling and
medication.
If you are
interested in getting involved with the Military Stress Recovery
Project please send an
email to veterans@acuwithoutborders.org
or call 505.266.3878 . We look forward to hearing from you!
Now
Available: The AWB Military Stress Recovery (Veterans) Project Field
Manual
This is a
comprehensive, step-by-step guide to setting up a Community
Style Acupuncture Military Stress Recovery Clinic. Born of AWB's
experience in the
field in New Orleans and full of useful documents, consent forms,
safety protocols, press release templates, posters and more.
The Manual will be a "Working Document" which will allow us to update
it with addenda as we all learn and grow with the Military Stress
Recovery Project, so
keep us updated on your challenges and your progress!
Cost:
- Free PDF file to AWB Training attendees and paid registrants.
request
