Members Video Library

As of the year 2015, there were more Vietnam veterans dying than World War II or Korean veterans. Vietnam veterans face unique issues at the end of life. Scorned and vilified by the American public when they returned from combat, their stories often got shoved into unconsciousness only to reemerge as they age and near the end of their lives. As a result, Vietnam veterans do not trust easily. Learning how to earn their trust is both essential and tricky. This presentation will provide you with tools to create a safe emotional environment for our Vietnam veterans so that they can share their stories, heal, and “come home” at last! You will also learn about a simple Somatic Awareness exercise (Anchoring Heart Technique) that can be used with PTSD patients when they are triggered. The value of sponsoring a Fallen Comrades ceremony to heal the unmourned loss and unforgiven guilt that sometimes lingers in war’s aftermath will be provided. As a VA hospice Nurse Practitioner, Deborah Grassman took care of more than 10,000 dying Veterans. Join her as she provides an enlightened perspective on the special needs of our aging Vietnam veterans, including women Veterans.

(2012. Playing time: 39 min)
Interviewed by award-winning commercial film-maker, Burton Greenburg, Deborah discusses philosophical issues surrounding life, death, and aging.

(2013. Playing time: 58 min)
Her father did two tours of duty in the Viet Nam war. Now, Quynn Elizabeth, offers her story to anyone who needs it. Written and narrated by Quynn, she depicts her father’s experiences in combat, his struggles with Post Traumatic Stress, his aching heart sadness and alcoholism all his adult life even though he didn’t get diagnosed with PTSD until 1992. Written after his death, Quynss’s story is both poignant and inspiring.

Presenter: Leann Thrapp, MA, BSN, RN, CHPCA, Opus Peace Ambassador
Cultivating the courage to change is the purpose of cocooning. It is also an important step in healing Soul Injuries®.Personal losses, fears, and brokenness can then be used as catalysts for metamorphosis and growth. The concept of “cocooning” is important throughout the life cycle during times of transition: divorce, job change, entering/leaving the military, death, illness, mid-life changes, identity crises, aging, etc.

To achieve pervasive peace, we have to learn how to successfully navigate these changes to grow into deeper dimensions of ourselves so that we can accommodate new demands. These times of transition can be fraught with resistance and turmoil. Learning how to navigate transitions so we can let go of who we are and open up to who we are capable of becoming is invaluable.

Few people have been with 10,000 dying veterans; five VA hospice nurses have. What these nurses witnessed is providing lessons for the rest of the world. The lessons are about how to attain personal peace, and ironically, these lessons have come from people who were trained for war and from people who were dying. The nurses discovered a phenomenon that has become identified as “Soul Injury®.” Watch this video to learn more about the grassroots movement that is bringing SOUL INJURY® to everyone’s attention.

This 4-minute video helps people mourn their many losses and learn how to stay grounded during these times of anxiety, helplessness, stress, and trauma. It is also designed to be shown to large groups of people: workplace settings, faith communities, and news outlets. This is an opportunity to learn how unmourned loss/hurt is a causative factor for anxiety and how to release the pain of helplessness and fear. (Produced by Opus Peace Non-profit Organization, providing educational products that address Soul Injury®).