Monday, March 29, 2010

The University of North Carolina Wilmington will host “Building on the Strengths of Military Men, Women, Families and Communities,” a workshop for practitioners and families who work with veterans suffering from combat stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe traumatic injury on Saturday, April 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Fisher Student Union’s Azalea Coast room.

Featured speakers are Sgt. Eric Edmundson and his sister Anna Frese. Edmundson was severely wounded when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq. He and Frese will discuss their family’s personal story of recovering from traumatic injury and PTSD. More information on Edmundson and his story is available at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ericedmundson.

Additional speakers include:
• Maggie Haynes, director of the Combat Stress Recovery Program for the Wounded Warriors Project, which provides assistance to help returned veterans readjust to civilian life; and
• Step-Up-For-Soldiers founder Thomas Russell, who will discuss the efforts of his non-profit organization to assist returned disabled veterans by building wheelchair ramps, modifying homes and providing personal transportation.

UNCW faculty members from the departments of social work, psychology and health and applied human sciences, as well as the gerontology and recreation therapy programs, will present on topics such as the consequences of exposure to combat stress and trauma and the role of recreation, recreation therapy and motivational therapy for wounded veterans.

Members of the Carolina Canines group will discuss and demonstrate the assistance that service dogs can provide to wounded veterans. The workshops are free, but registration is limited to 60 participants. Program agenda and registration forms are available online at www.uncw.edu/swk.

Media contact: William Davis, Marketing and Communications, 910.962.2654 or davisw@uncw.edu