Substance Abuse Prevention Workshop for Veterans

Alexandra Reeves
2016MAY30
Rationale
Currently, during my practicum experience at Veterans Village of San Diego, I am

working with the population of Veterans. These Veterans suffer from things like PTSD, trauma,

sexual assault, Bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, life threating illnesses, and substance abuse.

Many times, the substance abuse does not start until after serving in the military or a trauma.

From what I have gathered so far, most of these Veterans claim that the trauma or PTSD is to

blame for their substance use. The Veterans at VVSD all want to get clean and are open to help.

They actual welcome it with open arms.

The first thing that needs to be done is address the PTSD or trauma. Then next would be

substance abuse prevention. This workshop will have four activities that will focus on treatment

of trauma, setting life goals, understanding their beliefs, and an introduction to mindfulness.

Each activity will be followed by group processing. I have found that military veterans respond

really well to group work. They are used to having a battle buddy or company mate. Have

other members that understand where they are coming from helps the therapeutic response.

Following the Workshop plane in this document will be a list of a few websites to use for further

resources.

Workshop Plan

Session 1: Understanding PTSD (Treatment)

Goal:
To understand different coping mechanisms and the way your body reacts
to trauma.
 Objectives:
Veterans will learn about fight or flight
Veterans will learn coping skills as well as explore their selves and
emotions
Veterans will discuss their experiences with other veterans in a welcoming
environment.
Methods:
o Learning basic horse care and handling skills
Veterans will be given a horse to care for. These horses have been abused
in the past and are just warming back up to humans. The veterans will
have to bond with the horse and get the horse to trust them. The horse will
need to be brushed, petted, led, and the stale will need to be cleaned.
After each time the group of veterans goes to care for the horse, there will
be a group session after to discuss the experiences and emotions of the
group.

Session 2: Setting Life Goals

Goal:
To help the Veterans determine what goals they have in life and help them
be prepared to achieve these goals.
Objective:
Veterans will determine life goals
Veterans will understand how to achieve these goals
Veterans will be educated on how substance abuse can deter one from
their goals
Methods:
o Setting Life Goals activity
The veterans will complete a worksheet about setting life goals. For each
category listed, they will write down the things they are doing well and the
areas where they need improvement. Then, they will write a goal or two
for each category.
 The categories are: family, friends, work/school, spirituality, body, and
mental health.
o Group Process
The veterans will then sit in a group and explain their answers to their
group mates. Questions can be asked and each group mate will go.

Session 3: Understanding Beliefs

Goal:
For the veterans to understand what they believe and why they believe it.
Objectives:
Veterans will write down their beliefs when it comes to multiple
categories
Veterans will better understand why they feel certain ways about topics
Veterans will discuss positive behaviors
Methods:
o On What Beliefs is Your House Built? activity
The veterans will draw a house on a piece of paper complete with a
chiminy,3 stories, a front porch, and a sign in the front yard. Each piece of
the house will have a prompt. These will include: ways in which you blow
off steam, list or draw what a life worth living would look like for you,
people and things that protect you, list all the things that you are happy
about or want to feel happy about, list or draw emotions you want to
experience more often, more fully, or in a more healthy way, behaviors
you are trying to gain control of or areas in your life you want to change,
people and things that support you, values that govern your life, things that
you keep hidden from others, and things you are proud of and want others
to see.
o Group Process
The veterans will then sit in a group and explain their answers to their
group mates. Questions can be asked and each group mate will go but only
has to share what they want to.
Session 4: Mindfulness Training

Goal:
To enhance well-being and pay attention to the here and now without
judgment.
Objective:
Veterans will enhance well-being
Veterans will focus on the here and now
Veterans will find an anchor and stop living life on autopilot
Veterans will observe the present moment experience with full acceptance
Methods:
o Emotional Check-In activity
Worksheet that has veteran complete a prompt.
This prompt is, Today, I am feeling (insert) because (insert).
Also on the work sheet, there are 40 emotions listed.
o Mindfulness States of Mind activity
Activity that veterans will complete where they observe their selves in 3
different states of mind.
These states of mind are: emotional mind, wise mind, and reasonable
mind.
Then complete the prompts:
1) One example of emotional mind this week was [please describe
your emotion(s), thought(s), behavior(s)].
2) One example of reasonable mind this week was [please describe
your emotion(s), thought(s), behavior(s)].
3) One example of wise mind this week was [please describe your
emotion(s), thought(s), behavior(s)].
o Emotional Check-Out activity
Worksheet that has veteran complete a prompt.
This prompt is, Today, I am feeling (insert) because (insert).
Also on the work sheet, there are 40 emotions listed.
o Group Process
 The veterans will then sit in a group and explain their answers to their
group mates. Questions can be asked and each group mate will go but only
has to share what they want to.
Helpful Websites:

Substance abuse:

http://www.samhsa.gov/prevention

https://www.drugabuse.gov/patients-families

Veterans:

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Mindfulness:

http://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/mindfulness/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner.aspx