By Elizabeth Woller | Producer
As we continue to record the stories of veterans who have struggled with PTSD, our interviews with one very special group of veterans has turned into a short film. Combat Veterans Cowboy Up is a program in Elizabeth, Colorado, where veterans with PTSD can come to receive equine-assisted psychotherapy. Social workers and equine specialists lead these groups of veterans through excercises of trust and cooperation, with horses who can sense and respond to their anxiety. John Nash, the founder of the program and a Vietnam veteran himself, tries to help participants draw parallels to their experience with the horses, and situation that may occur in daily life. To him "it's all about the metaphors." And he's had an unprecedented amount of success.
We've conducted interviews with four of the veterans in his program, all of whom have experienced trauma during their time in the military that has followed them home and lingered with them in the form of PTSD. They have found a home and healing with John Nash at the Moon Fall Ranch. Our interviews were informative and touching, and they all had a consistent message: they want other veterans to know that Combat Veterans Cowboy Up and they don't have to fight PTSD alone.
These very special veterans are excited to have participated in this short film and are excited to have the word spread about this incredible program. Thanks to our donors generous contributions, the film will now screen at film festivals across the country, and soon be available for public consumption on our website.
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