News Release
Contact
Laurie E. Bick-Jensen
Director,
Public Relations
320 DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE
19720
(302) 295-1164
laurie.e.bick@wilmu.edu
"PTSD: The Invisible Wounds of War" at Wilmington University Dover Campus
Wilmington University Psychology Club sponsors important PTSD discussion and training with the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The Dover location of Wilmington University will host the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Wilmington University Psychology Club from 5:30 to 8:30 on Wednesday, February 11, for an in-depth, discussion-based training about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The seminar is free and open to the public as a service in support of all those who face the challenges of PTSD in their lives.
Many veterans returning from deployment to active combat zones face the challenges of this disorder without the knowledgeable support of family, employers, co-workers and friends.
Retired Air National Guard Nurse Roger Rodriquez was deployed to combat zones 5 times during his years of active military service. For years after returning to his home in the U.S., Rodriguez kept his reactions and symptoms hidden from family and friends.
"People associate PTSD with individuals who have become alcoholics, drug addicts or involved in domestic abuse situations," said Rodriguez. "Rarely do you hear about the soldier who is a dad and out there working hard and trying to keep his or her illness at bay. It's unusual to ever hear about the individual who is trying to manage the symptoms, fight the demons and simply do his or her job effectively."
Rodriguez, along with Church Tarver, Director of Advocacy and Outreach at NAMI, will discuss the difficulties veterans face dealing with PTSD. Rodriguez will share his own experiences with PTSD in the hope of helping others better understand and overcome the challenges the disorder presents as a treatable mental illness.
"My goal is first to get veterans and non-veterans alike to realize the stigma that comes along with having PTSD, Rodriguez said. "Just having the label of this illness is a career-killer for most soldiers. If I can get just one person to understand what those who
For more information, contact Dr. Rebecca Ghabour, Regional Chair, Psychology Programs, at rebecca.m.ghabour@wilmu.edu or call (302) 542-8653.
About Wilmington University
Wilmington University is a private, nonprofit institution committed to providing flexible, career-oriented, traditional and online associate, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs. Ranked as the second fastest growing doctoral institution in America 2002 – 2012 by The Almanac of The Chronicle of Higher Education, affordable tuition, academic excellence and individualized attention are hallmarks of the University that enable greater student success in their chosen careers. For more information, contact Wilmington University at 302-356-INFO (4636), via email at infocenter@wilmu.edu, or visit our website: www.wilmu.edu.
