An interesting article recently published online talks about the therapeutic benefits of touch (massage therapy, in this case) for PTSD, without making it seem like either a panacea, or a complete walk in the park. Kudos to the article's author for acknowledging the difficulties faced by this client population, and the special sensitivities needed. Bodywork modalities like massage therapy, craniosacral therapy, possibly even Reiki and therapeutic touch, hold some promise for treating combat veterans, provided the practitioners are educated about the special challenges of that population, and provided the participants are willing. (The attached photo is of a crayon drawing, done by one appreciative child patient, depicting his practitioner's healing hands.)

The article is well worth reading, and is excerpted in part below:

Traumatized in war, often faced with family and job relationship difficulties, and also frequently confronted with government bureaucracy, veterans deal with high levels of anger. One study stated, "Anger management intervention is an integral part of post-traumatic stress disorder treatment in the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities across the country."11 The presence of intense anger, along with other deep emotions, can cause a veteran -- triggered during therapy -- to undergo an explosive emotional release. "PTSD may cause a person to fly into a rage for no apparent reason or strike out in fear at inappropriate targets."12

"Vets tend to have a more violent type of reaction if a memory comes up," explained Chris Smith, director of education at the Colorado School of Healing Arts in Lakewood, Colorado. Smith, who is also a massage therapist and instructor for the school's 100-hour program in Trauma Touch Therapy, explained, "It takes a therapist who can stay grounded and isn't afraid of the intense emotional outbursts." Because of their war-time experiences, she said, veterans in therapy may tend to be "less resourced" in how to handle stress and "more hyperaroused" than other trauma clients.

According to some therapists who work closely with veterans, the VA and other group programs provide only limited help for veterans. After a certain amount of time has passed, these therapists say talking about the trauma in a group setting can become a useless "rehashing" of the horrors. To emerge from the sense of victimization may likely demand hard, individual work in therapy on the part of the patient. It generally requires facilitation by an extremely grounded and well-versed therapist. If the veteran chooses to try an alternative therapy, such as massage, the process will likely necessitate participation not only in bodywork sessions, but also in simultaneous sessions with a psychotherapist.