Stress is in all of our lives. However, in the lives of a Frontline Worker, stress can be more significant and have a significant effect on the workers life. You (the Frontline Worker) are often dealing with people in their most vulnerable states, having to make life and death decisions as a normal part of your daily work, and encounter tragic situations that many of us not involved with the services will ever have to face in our lifetimes. This can have an impact on your health, your mental health, your physical health and ultimately the well being of your friends families and communities.
This campaign started as an idea formulated by the impressive work being undertaken in the USA military by Dr. John Fortunato. The USA Military include alternative and complementary therapies to return veterans, suffering from PTSD, to active service. https://www.army.mil/article/11001/chief_says_army_needs_to_replicate_bliss_ptsd_program
The USA started this in 2008 with a $4m funding grant to set up these practices. Because of the success of these practices, most notably Fort Bliss, the military have created an additional 15 centres throughout the USA that include these alternative approaches as part of their treatment programs. A lot more money has ben invested since the initial trials in 2008.
Over 800 hospitals in the USA use energy healing techniques such as Reiki to assist patients in their health process.
Here in NZ, we don’t have the resources of the US Military, but we do have willing people wanting to give back to our Frontline Workers. There can be immeasurable benefits from including these practices in your life. Ultimately, this campaign is a seed for bringing about the same type of involvement of alternative and complementary practices to bringing health to the people of New Zealand. Especially those people who carry the traumatic stresses of their jobs and the things they see and deal with into their personal life.
The impact of not effectively dealing with stress in our lives can lead to depression and the associated life challenges that come with that. The Ministry of Health have developed a strategy document outlining the approach to countering su***de rates in NZ. https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/su***de-prevention-strategy-2019-2029-and-plan-2019-2024.pdf
Whilst Su***de may not be specifically applicable to our Frontline workers, the scars they carry can lead down this path. The framework being developed by the Ministry of Health provides a structure to help deal with stress in our lives and communities. Two of the noted protective factors (p5), include the ability to deal with life’s difficulties, and access to health and support. This campaign is not in anyway claiming to have the answer to this challenge, however it can be part of the mechanism our community uses to create health.
There are varying perspectives on the effectiveness of alternative and complementary practices forming part of a health practice. That is one of the issues this campaign faces, the perception of these practices in achieving health. One General in the USA took perceptions head on to create a model for mental and physical health within the US Military. https://www.thetrace.org/2017/03/military-su***de-prevention-general-pittard/
The US Military implements many practices in dealing with PTSD to return military personal to “Fit for Duty” status. Some the core disciplines of their facilities are Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Reiki, Acupuncture, and Massage. https://www.army.mil/article/80772/holistic_treatments_help_soldiers_battle_ptsd
For the first 80 graduates who went through the program, there was a 64% success rate for returning personal to “Fit for Duty” status. https://www.army.mil/article/18943/fort_bliss_restoration_and_resilience_center_offers_war_damaged_minds_solace_treatment
Why am I creating this campaign?
I have some friends in Our Frontline. I see some of the stresses of their jobs in their lives. I want to help people find new ways of dealing with these stresses, for their own health and the health of their families and our communities. My name is Durrick Walker, I am a Usui and Karuna Reiki Master and a member of Reiki NZ Inc.
My own motivation for creating this campaign stems from the benefits of these alternative practices in my own life and becoming aware of the programs implemented by the US Military and Hospitals.
I was a successful Chartered Accountant living and working overseas. My career was cut short in 2006 when I suffered 6 mild head injuries within 12 months. Diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome, my health, my career, my relationships and my wealth suddenly changed. I lost everything over a number of years and recovery from Post Concussion Syndrome was difficult and the physical challenges of not being able to do what I once could took its toll mentally. The outlook was bleak and the conventional medical route didn’t have the answers for me. The conventional route focused upon medication for depression and change what I expect out of life. I wasn’t happy with those answers so I started investigating anything that I came across in my pursuit of regaining my life so that the remainder of my years would be something I could enjoy. That was my only goal, to enjoy the rest of my life the best way I could. I tried many ‘healing practices’ some worked, some didn’t. I used and learned Reiki and Qigong, I received acupuncture, I got massages, Yoga formed a core component of my exercise plan to gentle restore my physical strength without over taxing the mind and body. The breathing component of Yoga was hugely important for me to restore the natural healing abilities of the body. I have used most of the offerings of this campaign extensively in my own life. By chance or something else, I found that the US military model also included these “alternative” practices in the recovery of their soldiers. The only component of this campaign that was not used by the US Military is Contact C.A.R.E. Flintlock Release. This is a New Zealand developed practice stemming from a martial arts background and has helped me to improve the quality of my life in conjunction with the rest of these practices. Whilst my career has gone, and my wealth hasn’t recovered, I am able to enjoy life and have made quite an astonishing physical recovery. I want to help others have health in their lives. It’s my purpose.
Many of the practitioners offering their time to “Give Back to Our Frontline” are doing so because of the profound effects their practices/disciplines have had in their own lives. Many people suffered from physical trauma and chronic illness and using there practices were able to help live a “normal” healthy life.
We as a community of alternative and complementary practitioners want to acknowledge our Frontline Workers and help them do their jobs. There can be tools and experiences that our expertise can offer that can assist Our Frontline to combat stress and enjoy relaxation, to decompress after a “tough” situation and to maintain a healthy stress balance.
The scars of Our Frontline are carried for a lifetime. Ultimately, we want our communities to be healthy and the people that contribute to our communities to be acknowledged.
What are the possibilities for the Frontline Worker from this campaign:
Experiencing new ways of dealing with stress and achieving relaxation.
Healthier lives, shedding some of the wounds, less pressure on the families.
Acknowledgement for your efforts and the “wounds” that are hidden on the inside.
Opening to new possibilities.
What do I need from you?
Take the opportunity to try something new.
Go to the Services page of the HEAL the Healers page,
Select a practitioner in your area, and in a practice you want to try, contact them directly to book your session.
Enjoy our gift to you.
This is an opportunity for us to do something amazing. These practices of Yoga, Reiki, Healing Touch, Acupuncture, Contact CARE - Flinchlock Release have something to offer you. Born out of thousands of years of practice and development, they are great tools to fit into your life to help maintain health and wellbeing.
