Wake up America!
Honoring Our Heroes and Protectors
Combat Stress Magazine: Summer 2020
Volume 9, Number 2
Editor’s Message
By Kathy Platoni, PsD, DAAPM, FAIS
Courage Really is Beautiful
By Officer (RET) Tom McMurty
Victim Impact
By Sgt. Bill Titley
Mass Attacks and COVID-19: A Military Perspective
By Gary M. Jackson, PhD
Yellow Journalism – Part II
By Charlie Bass, MS, PhD, MD (Lt Col., U.S. Army, Retired)
River to Recovery
By Ryan Pepper and Johanna Miller MA, LPCC
Adverse Effects of Trauma-Focused Therapies (Part 1)
By Louise Gaston, PhD, FAIS
Living with PTSD – My Story of Survival, Falling Down the Well, and Finding Hope
By Lisa Wright, Attorney at Law
How the Best Handle Stress – A First Aid Kit (Part 2)
By Ron Rubenzer, EdD, MA, MPH, MSE, FAIS
Three for Three: A Preliminary Report of Scuba Diving as an Effective Treatment for PTSD – PTSD Progress Through Scuba Diving
By Kevin James
Thank You
By Merisa Kelley
Editor In Chief
Daniel L. Kirsch, PhD, DAAPM, FAIS
AIS President
Editor
Kathy Platoni, PsyD, DAAPM, FAIS
COL (RET), US Army
Contributing Editors
Josh Briley, PhD, FAIS
Lousie Gaston, PhD
Reverend Charles Grantham, PhD
Jeff Jernigan, PhD, LPC, BCCPC
John H. Thurman, Jr. M.Div., MA
Richard Young, PhD
Managing Editor
Kathy Schoop
Creative Director
Michael McMahon
AIS Combat Stress Board
Chaired by Colonel Platoni, the role of this board is to develop initiatives and communications to serve the stress management needs of Service Members and Veterans.
Kathy Platoni, PsyD, DAAPM, FAIS
Clinical Psychologist
COL (RET), US Army, COL/Ohio Military Reserve
4th Civil Support and Sustainment Brigade
Stephen Barchet, MD, FACOG, CPE, FACP, FAIS
Rear Admiral/MC/US Navy Retired
Christiane C. O’Hara, PhD, FAIS
COL Richard P. Petri, Jr., MD, FAIS
Chief, Interdisciplinary Pain Management Center
Director, The Center for Integrative Medicine,
William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX
Melanie Berry, MS, BCB, OMC, FAIS
Daniel L. Kirsch, PhD, DAAPM, FAIS
Combat Stress Magazine
Combat Stress magazine is written with our military Service Members, Veterans, first responders, and their families in mind. We want all of our members and guests to find contentment in their lives by learning about stress management and finding what works best for each of them. Stress is unavoidable and comes in many shapes and sizes. It can even be considered a part of who we are. Being in a state of peaceful happiness may seem like a lofty goal but harnessing your stress in a positive way makes it obtainable. Serving in the military or being a police officer, firefighter or paramedic brings unique challenges and some extraordinarily bad days. The American Institute of Stress is dedicated to helping you, our Heroes and their families, cope with and heal your mind and body from the stress associated with your careers and sacrifices.