War and the Soul: Book Review

Recommendations for faith communities interested in healing our nation’s Veterans from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, based on the work of Edward Tick, Ph.D.

“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder remains an ongoing challenge for vete

rans of all eras, and their families. The images from the current war are causing many older veterans (WW II, Korea, Viet Nam) to experience recurring PTSD symptoms from their own combat experiences.” ~National Veterans Foundation

The statistics regarding PTSD amongst veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are shocking, to say the least. In January of 2006, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 35% of Iraq veterans have already sought help for mental-health concerns. In 2005 the VA reported that 18% of Afghanistan Veterans, and 20% of Iraq Veterans in their care were suffering from some type of service connected psychological disorder. Additionally, the VA has seen a tenfold increase in PTSD cases in the last year. According to the VA, more than 37,000 vets of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from mental health disorders, and more than 16,000 have already been diagnosed with PTSD.

The National Veterans Foundation further reports that funding for VA mental health services “has declined by 25% over the past seven years, and numerous experts have expressed concern about the system’s capabilities to care for the full spectrum of readjustment needs (including mental health) of the newest generation of U.S. veterans. As a result, the VA depends increasingly on nonprofit, veteran community organizations to care for the large population of veterans who need treatment.”

While there are an increasing number of community resources seeking to address the reintegration needs of returning veterans, only a handful of organizations attempt to address the spiritual needs of veterans and their families. In his book War and the Soul, psychologist and author, Dr. Edward Tick offers a spiritual approach for healing our nation’s veterans from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Drawing on the first hand experience of combat veterans from several wars, War and the Soul is both powerful and disturbing, lending itself as an excellent resource for both individuals and faith communities seeking to offer healing support to returning veterans and their families.

According to the author, “the key to healing is in how we understand PTSD. In war’s overwhelming violence, the true self flees and can become lost for life.” He redefines PTSD as an identity disorder – a soul wound – with radical implications for therapy. “The formula for healing the war-wounded soul is simple: surround trauma with soul. Its application may be the most difficult and important work we ever undertake.”

Dr. Tick further states that healing is needed not only for the veteran, but for society as well…“our society must accept the responsibility for its war making. To the returning veteran, our leaders and people must say, “You did this in our name and because you are subject to our orders. We lift the burden of your actions from you and take your actions onto our shoulders. We are responsible for you, for what you did, and for the consequences.”

Using War and the Soul as a primer, faith communities are in an ideal position to undertake this healing work, for the sake of our nation’s veterans and ourselves.

Since true change has always come about at the grassroots level, the ideal place to start would be to select a local church community within which to develop a model based on the work of Dr. Ed Tick, a model which could then be replicated in other individual faith communities.

In this model, a local faith community would begin by identifying and recruiting veterans and/or family members to serve as guides and mentors. Working together with other concerned community members, the group would develop rituals for healing aimed at both the individual and the community. Through storytelling, ritual and various communal activities, War and the Soul demonstrates ways to heal the wounded soul by nurturing a positive identity based in compassion and forgiveness.

In addition to War and the Soul, Edward Tick also offers a website dedicated to healing PTSD, www.soldiersheart.net “Our staff is available to educate communities in offering support services for veterans and families in their own hometowns. Soldier’s Heart also sponsors a mentor program for seasoned veterans to mentor new returnees.”