Warriors and First Responders put their lives on the line every day in service to their country, whether on the home front or in a combat zone. They do this willingly. They do not expect to be forever damaged in the process, yet, this often occurs, and then it is time for us to serve them.
That time is now.
Active duty suicides have outpaced deaths in combat and are now happening at the rate of one per day.
Veteran suicides are occurring at the rate of 22 per day.
TRR is dedicated to helping those who have been to war truly come home.
Organizational History:
Incorporated in 2004, Trauma and Resiliency Resources, Inc. (TRR) is dedicated to assisting traumatized individuals, especially those impacted by line of duty responsibilities, connect with trauma resources including therapists with advanced training in treating first responder and warrior trauma. TRR* was born out of its Founder's work with uniformed and non-uniformed New York City First Responders in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001.
501(c)(3) public charity status was awarded in 2006. TRR's first website was designed by a retired firefighter so that trauma-related resources could be made available to members of FDNY, NYPD and PAPD (Port Authority Police Department of New York/New Jersey) and their families.
With the onset of the Iraq War, these resources were expanded to military personnel – active duty and veterans, and all their families. Because we have no paid staff, (yet) more than 90% of all donations go directly to the pilot Warrior Camp. The remaining 10% pays for operational costs such as website hosting/ maintenance, grant writing/program development, and fundraising.
Trauma is Treatable:
Based on extensive experience we know that first responders and warriors believe they are supposed to "suck it up" and "get over" traumatic experiences on their own. This is usually reinforced by their departments or branch of service. As traumatized individuals try to handle their difficulties on their own, years go by. When they finally do seek professional help, or are mandated to get help, it is often very late. Their symptoms have become chronic and complicated by the use of drugs and alcohol in a typical, but largely unsuccessful, effort to reduce symptom severity.
Researched-based treatment:
Traumatic stress has been heavily research funded in recent years, and we now know much more about what actually happens to individuals during a traumatic experience. Some of the specific brain processes involved in the formation of symptoms have been identified. This has lead to the development of treatment modalities that are highly successful for many people as long as the treatments are provided by therapists who are trained and/or certified in their use, and are sufficiently educated about working with trauma survivors.
Those of us who work with traumatized individuals know that recent traumas are often fueled or exacerbated by traumatic experiences from childhood that at the time were probably unrecognized as such. Good trauma treatment can address these issues when necessary, and if that is what the individual wants.
Our Programs:
In 2007-8 Ms. Usadi worked with members of the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army at Ft. Drum. It was largely due to that experience that TRR moved from being an on-line trauma resource for first responders and warriors, to developing its two active programs:
Warrior Camp
is a 7-day intensive, residential, mindfulness-based decompression camp program designed specifically for active duty warriors with combat-related PTSD - whose goal is to enhance resilience and support force preservation.
Horses' Hooves and Warriors' Hearts
is an outpatient program for warriors, first responders and family members that utilizes horses (unmounted) to address symptoms of traumatic stress and other life challenges.
Why we deserve your support:
In recent years there has been a surge of new programs for military veterans. TRR is unique in that its focus is on clinical treatment of trauma that is an inevitable result of going to war so that warriors can heal from those experiences. We work collaboratively with other programs that meet the needs of returning warriors and veterans.
What we offer on this site:
Two programs
Trauma information and resources
Crisis Lines
News articles
Links to helpful websites
Upcoming events
Easy ways to donate to help us help them
*"Trauma and Resilience, 2 ½ years later" was initially the title of a workshop Ms. Usadi presented at the Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York Delegate's Convention in 2004.
