Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/398416
A Therapist's Challenges Working with wounded warriors is really no different in its physiological approach than working with any client, but it can require a shift in mind-set. Therapists must be straightforward anatomists who appreciate each muscle, each tendon, each bone—regardless of its history, its condition, or its appearance. "You have to get over the psychological hurdle of working on somebody's amputated limbs and learn what you can and cannot do," David says. "Scar tissue will be a huge factor in the work you do and the pain they feel. You can't imagine the scar tissue until you've seen it. Understand the way they've sealed off the circulatory system, the musculoskeletal system—it's pretty amazing stuff. "You also have to bring open-mindedness to the table if you are going to be touching these people. You have to open your mind to working on limbs that are not there, or that are terribly scarred or broken. And sometimes, you can't see the wounds." A guiding principle is to show compassion, David says. "It can take a lot of psychological help for some of these people to see their own bodies in a new light," he says. In the meantime, remember the courage it took them to reach out for help at all. 62 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k n o v e m b e r / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 4 CAUSE Bridges Treatment Gap While more military medical facilities are exploring alternative therapy programs, there remains a signifi cant gap in the delivery of this work to those who need it most. Outside programs often help bridge that gap—and Comfort for America's Uniformed Services (CAUSE) is one of them. Founded in 2003, CAUSE was the brainchild of four Vietnam veterans from the West Point class of 1967. The initial program provided clothing, toiletries, books, and movies to wounded warriors and their families through nearly a dozen military medical centers across the country. Today, the mission has evolved to include free biweekly massage, refl exology, and reiki treatments at three of those facilities, including Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. "It became clear that pain and stress relief programs were needed," says retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Pam Derrow, CAUSE's executive director. "With the help of licensed massage therapists and reiki practitioners, we joined forces with hospital care managers to ensure this program complements the treatments wounded service members are receiving from the hospital." The signup sheets for massage and reiki always fi ll up fast, and Derrow admits they could add a lot more time slots if they had the funding and the volunteers. "We would love to be able to expand the program to more locations if we are able to secure the funding needed," she says. As of May 2014, CAUSE has provided more than 9,400 massage and reiki treatments to recovering veterans. The results have been staggering: "Our results show an average of 37 percent decrease in pain and 44 percent decrease in stress," Derrow says. "More recently, 96 percent of participants are reporting that their sessions allow them better quality and duration of sleep." To see if CAUSE operates a program in your area, visit www.cause-usa.org. The website also lists requirements, guidelines, and applications for volunteers. If a CAUSE program is not offered near you, consider reaching out to your local Veteran's Affairs facility, or to local programs serving active and retired military, to offer your services. David Kupferschmid meets many of his wounded warrior clients through his volunteer efforts with the nonprofi t organization CAUSE. Photo by Shy Shorer.