Collins talks veterans project

The Waseca Exchange Club hosted Larry Collins, a former judge known throughout Waseca and the local area, who presented information on the “Veterans Resilient Project” at its Tuesday, June 13 meeting.

The Veterans Resilience Project is a Minnesota nonprofit that provides resources to veterans and military members with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, and other mental health symptoms.

Collins sees the program as part of a growing awareness surrounding mental health.“In Mankato, some of the local clergy members were thinking about addressing the mental health crisis and suicide rates in the city,” Collins shared. “They’re putting together their own program to help those in need.”

That decision helped inspire the Veteran Resilience Project, which works with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs to provide resources for veterans struggling with trauma while working to move forward with their lives.

“Far too often, we’ve heard about veterans coming home from active duty and committing suicide,” Collins said. “This resource gives veterans a way to seek help and make their lives normal.”

The main resource Collins talked to the Exchange Club about was Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a type of therapy in which the patient focuses on a traumatic memory while receiving stimulation in the form of eye movements. According to the American Psychological Association, the eye movement is associated with a “reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories.”

The Veterans Reslience Project works to provide a therapy network with people trained in EMDR; therapists must have specialized training in order to give patients EMDR, according to Collins.

He shared that some veterans may fear that if they reach out for help, the VA or the state may take away things that are deemed harmful–especially weapons. “I attended a ruck once in Waseca a few years ago with two marines dressed up in full camo. They were afraid that if they told the veterans administration (VA) about their mental issues, their firearms including hunting rifles may be taken away from them.”

Collins said that EMDR can be a first step which traumatized veterans can take prior to seeking assistance or treatment through the VA. He said he has referred them to David Wright of Wright and Associates in Waseca, which offers EMDR treatment.

Collins also shared a variety of books he collected over the years concerning EMDR. One was by Francine Shapiro called “Getting Past Your Past,” which explains the effects of EMDR “in layman’s terms.”

He also shared a pamphlet which provided more information about EMDR. The Veterans Resilience Project advertised twelve free EMDR sessions and will provide in-person or Telehealth therapy. Anyone interested in learning more can visit www.veteranresilienceproject.org.