thedrifter
09-14-07, 07:17 AM
A release from all the stress
JENNIFER HLAD
September 14, 2007 - 1:23AM
DAILY NEWS STAFF
The classes were conceived with a goal in mind: to help Marines deal with combat stress.
The classes, which teach yoga and mixed martial arts techniques, also give troops an outlet to talk about what they are going through.
"We're completely centered on helping young Marines cope with combat stress," said 1st Lt. Brian Stann, who helped develop the program and serves as instructor for the mixed martial arts portion.
But Stann - a Marine and a professional mixed martial arts fighter - wasn't sure what exactly to expect for the first session.
"If I get five guys tonight, then hopefully I can make a difference in those five guys' lives," Stann said Wednesday before the class began.
About a dozen men showed up for the class, and Stann immediately explained to them what he hoped to do.
"If you're here just to learn how to fight, you're here for the wrong thing," he said.
Stann has been deployed to Iraq twice, earning the Silver Star for his actions in Iraq in 2005. Martial arts have helped him deal with the stress involved with deployments, he said.
"Martial arts have been a huge asset to me," he said.
During his last deployment, working out "was my release," he said.
Stann hopes the combination of yoga, Pilates, mixed martial arts and discussion will help Marines open up and deal with any stress they may be having.
"It's just helping Marines. That's what it's all about," he said. "If you're hurting because you lost friends in the war ... you aren't doing them any service (by being miserable)."
Still, he said, Marines must come in with the right mindset.
"There's not much any of us can do if no one who comes in here wants help," Stann said.
Cpl. Angel Martinez was one of the Marines who showed up at the Area 5 gym for the class.
He said the class was what he expected - a chance to talk about some of the emotions surrounding deployments and also learn some mixed-martial arts techniques.
Martinez has deployed twice and said he does not have as many problems as some others may have, but he still felt a little confused about how to deal with certain things when he returned.
"The people who haven't gone, there's a chance so they can already have the mindset of what they're going to see and how to deal with it," he said.
Semper Fit coordinator Andrea Lucie worked with Stann to develop the class, and said she was thrilled when he came to her with the idea to help Marines who are dealing with combat-related stress - whether they have a clinically diagnosed disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder or not.
Lucie works with Back on Track, a program for patients diagnosed with PTSD.
The two-week intensive outpatient program uses a variety of therapy - including physical fitness and movement therapy, such as yoga and Pilates - to address all aspects of a condition "that usually affects all aspects of life," said Navy Lt. Erin Simmons, a staff clinical psychologist.
"With PTSD, the mind becomes somewhat confused," she said. "It's trying to make sense of something that usually doesn't make sense. That terrible stress on the mind comes out in a lot of tension, a lot of anxiety symptoms in the body."
Doing yoga and other training exercises that involve focus and mental discipline "can help them sort of straighten their thoughts out," Simmons said.
Lucie said she knew some of the Back on Track patients were interested in kick-boxing and other martial arts, and she was thinking about trying to do some kind of martial arts class when Stann approached her.
"Brian was such a blessing," she said.
Stann said he hopes the Marines who feel like they need help will seek it. Some Marines won't talk to anybody, he said, and "talk to alcohol instead."
Even if Marines are experiencing emotions or feelings that seem strange to them during or after a deployment, Stann said they need to know the feelings are not unusual.
"There's nothing wrong with them," he said. "It's normal to have combat stress."
Marines suffering from combat stress and interested in attending yoga, held on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. in the Area 4 gym, or mixed-martial arts on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the Area 5 gym, can just show up before each class begins.
For more information on the program, call 451-0826.
Contact military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8449. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com.
Ellie
JENNIFER HLAD
September 14, 2007 - 1:23AM
DAILY NEWS STAFF
The classes were conceived with a goal in mind: to help Marines deal with combat stress.
The classes, which teach yoga and mixed martial arts techniques, also give troops an outlet to talk about what they are going through.
"We're completely centered on helping young Marines cope with combat stress," said 1st Lt. Brian Stann, who helped develop the program and serves as instructor for the mixed martial arts portion.
But Stann - a Marine and a professional mixed martial arts fighter - wasn't sure what exactly to expect for the first session.
"If I get five guys tonight, then hopefully I can make a difference in those five guys' lives," Stann said Wednesday before the class began.
About a dozen men showed up for the class, and Stann immediately explained to them what he hoped to do.
"If you're here just to learn how to fight, you're here for the wrong thing," he said.
Stann has been deployed to Iraq twice, earning the Silver Star for his actions in Iraq in 2005. Martial arts have helped him deal with the stress involved with deployments, he said.
"Martial arts have been a huge asset to me," he said.
During his last deployment, working out "was my release," he said.
Stann hopes the combination of yoga, Pilates, mixed martial arts and discussion will help Marines open up and deal with any stress they may be having.
"It's just helping Marines. That's what it's all about," he said. "If you're hurting because you lost friends in the war ... you aren't doing them any service (by being miserable)."
Still, he said, Marines must come in with the right mindset.
"There's not much any of us can do if no one who comes in here wants help," Stann said.
Cpl. Angel Martinez was one of the Marines who showed up at the Area 5 gym for the class.
He said the class was what he expected - a chance to talk about some of the emotions surrounding deployments and also learn some mixed-martial arts techniques.
Martinez has deployed twice and said he does not have as many problems as some others may have, but he still felt a little confused about how to deal with certain things when he returned.
"The people who haven't gone, there's a chance so they can already have the mindset of what they're going to see and how to deal with it," he said.
Semper Fit coordinator Andrea Lucie worked with Stann to develop the class, and said she was thrilled when he came to her with the idea to help Marines who are dealing with combat-related stress - whether they have a clinically diagnosed disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder or not.
Lucie works with Back on Track, a program for patients diagnosed with PTSD.
The two-week intensive outpatient program uses a variety of therapy - including physical fitness and movement therapy, such as yoga and Pilates - to address all aspects of a condition "that usually affects all aspects of life," said Navy Lt. Erin Simmons, a staff clinical psychologist.
"With PTSD, the mind becomes somewhat confused," she said. "It's trying to make sense of something that usually doesn't make sense. That terrible stress on the mind comes out in a lot of tension, a lot of anxiety symptoms in the body."
Doing yoga and other training exercises that involve focus and mental discipline "can help them sort of straighten their thoughts out," Simmons said.
Lucie said she knew some of the Back on Track patients were interested in kick-boxing and other martial arts, and she was thinking about trying to do some kind of martial arts class when Stann approached her.
"Brian was such a blessing," she said.
Stann said he hopes the Marines who feel like they need help will seek it. Some Marines won't talk to anybody, he said, and "talk to alcohol instead."
Even if Marines are experiencing emotions or feelings that seem strange to them during or after a deployment, Stann said they need to know the feelings are not unusual.
"There's nothing wrong with them," he said. "It's normal to have combat stress."
Marines suffering from combat stress and interested in attending yoga, held on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. in the Area 4 gym, or mixed-martial arts on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the Area 5 gym, can just show up before each class begins.
For more information on the program, call 451-0826.
Contact military reporter Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, ext. 8449. To comment on this story, visit www.jdnews.com.
Ellie