CombatCounselor Describes War-Induced Stress On Kansas City TV Station KMBC

An experienced combat veteran, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, and expert in working with military and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Chris Sorrentino, a licensed professional counselor, Executive Director of Kansas City Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and President of Help4VetsPTSD, a non-profit dedicated to military and veterans with PTSD, discusses combat stress with ABC News affiliate:

Counselor Describes War-Induced Stress - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

Sorrentino went on to describe his sorrow for the families of the 16 Afghanis allegedly killed by a US solider and for the soldier's family.  "My heart and prayers go out to the families of the victims, the soldier, and the Afghani people for their unimaginable losses" Sorrentino told Maria Antonia via Skype this afternoon.  LtCol Sorrentino happened to be out of the area at the time, working with re-deploying soldiers at an undisclosed location.

"The military is a microcosm of American society", Sorrentino added, stating: "and the extremely unfortunate events that occurred in Panjwai district, a rural suburb of Kandahar and a traditional Taliban stronghold, are not at all indicative of the behavior of our brave, dedicated, selfless military personnel and should be considered an isolated event". Our deployed military are heroes and this incident should not reflect negatively on them in any way.  It is understandable and warranted for the Afghan people to be horrified and upset about the attack, just as many American are, and justice will be served as the soldier's fate is determined in a court of law.

The facts have yet to be determined, but Sorrentino concluded "the negative stigma attached to mental health treatment in the military has existed for decades and will not, unfortunately, end anytime soon".  "If the attacks were related to combat-related stress or other psychological issues, an environment more conducive to military members seeking treatment, rather than fearing reprisal or loss of a security clearance, could have potentially mitigated this threat ".  LtCol Sorrentino asked President Obama to "end the negative stigma associated with military mental health care" in a question and answer session after January's State of the Union Address.  Unfortunately, Obama ignored Colonel Sorrentino's pleas and failed to respond to his question.

Title: CombatCounselor Describes War-Induced Stress On Kansas City TV Station KMBC

Key Words:  KMBC, TV, Kansas City, MO, MIsouri, combatcounselor, combat, counselor, war, induced, stress, PTSD. PTS, trauma, disorder, television, 

CNN Says Obama's "Latte" Salute Is "Not An Issue" ... THIS PATRIOT DISAGREES!

On September 25, 2014, several CNN reporters alluded that President Obama's "latte" salute released by the White House a day earlier was not an issue deserving much attention. I watched initial footage of the "salute" (and I use that term loosely), was appalled (not surprised) and still am. If you have not seen it, here it is ...

The President of the United States is Commander-In-Chief of the United States Armed Forces and we in the military swear allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America and, ultimately, our commander-in-chief when we enlist for service. Those two United States Marines you saw smartly and professionally saluting our president as he disembarked Marine One are the "best of the best", likely highly decorated combat veterans and deserving much more respect than President Obama was apparently willing to provide that day.

I have seen Obama's half-assed attempts at saluting my comrades in arms on numerous occasions, but the latte salute was a new low, even for him. If he truly respected our men and women in uniform, he would take his obligation more seriously and dispose of garbage before boarding or departing Air Force One or Marine One. 

How difficult would it be to remember his duty to salute his brave and dedicated subordinates every time he gets on or off the plane or, in this case, the helicopter dedicated to his safe transport. Could one of those in his massive entourage not hold his coffee for two minutes while he performs his official duties and pays respect to these young men and women whom risk their lives every day to ensure his protection? The very least he could do is give them the smart, professional salute they so richly deserve.

Key Words: Obama, CNN, Don Lemon, Don, lemon, president, commander-in-chief, commander, Marine, one, Air Force, TV, United States, Marines, President Obama, salute, latte, coffee

CombatCounselor Describes War-Induced Stress On Kansas City TV Station KMBC

An experienced combat veteran, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, and expert in working with military and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Chris Sorrentino, a licensed professional counselor, Executive Director of Kansas City Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and President of Help4VetsPTSD, a non-profit dedicated to military and veterans with PTSD, discusses combat stress with ABC News affiliate:

Counselor Describes War-Induced Stress - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

Sorrentino went on to describe his sorrow for the families of the 16 Afghanis allegedly killed by a US solider and for the soldier's family.  "My heart and prayers go out to the families of the victims, the soldier, and the Afghani people for their unimaginable losses" Sorrentino told Maria Antonia via Skype this afternoon.  LtCol Sorrentino happened to be out of the area at the time, working with re-deploying soldiers at an undisclosed location.

"The military is a microcosm of American society", Sorrentino added, stating: "and the extremely unfortunate events that occurred in Panjwai district, a rural suburb of Kandahar and a traditional Taliban stronghold, are not at all indicative of the behavior of our brave, dedicated, selfless military personnel and should be considered an isolated event". Our deployed military are heroes and this incident should not reflect negatively on them in any way.  It is understandable and warranted for the Afghan people to be horrified and upset about the attack, just as many American are, and justice will be served as the soldier's fate is determined in a court of law.

The facts have yet to be determined, but Sorrentino concluded "the negative stigma attached to mental health treatment in the military has existed for decades and will not, unfortunately, end anytime soon".  "If the attacks were related to combat-related stress or other psychological issues, an environment more conducive to military members seeking treatment, rather than fearing reprisal or loss of a security clearance, could have potentially mitigated this threat ".  LtCol Sorrentino asked President Obama to "end the negative stigma associated with military mental health care" in a question and answer session after January's State of the Union Address.  Unfortunately, Obama ignored Colonel Sorrentino's pleas and failed to respond to his question.

Title: CombatCounselor Describes War-Induced Stress On Kansas City TV Station KMBC

Key Words:  KMBC, TV, Kansas City, MO, MIsouri, combatcounselor, combat, counselor, war, induced, stress, PTSD. PTS, trauma, disorder, television, 

Trouble Sleeping? ... Join the Club!

Do you have trouble sleeping? Well, a great many Americans do, so you are not alone! Want to do something about it? Read more...

A recent study in published in the journal Sleep indicated that the average American loses 11 working days each year due to insomnia...11 DAYS! 

BOTTOM LINE: Use common sense and reduce exposure to blue light after dark to sleep better. You can also:

1. Sleep in a cool, dark room.
2. Avoid caffeine and nicotine (stimulants) at night.
3. Develop a regular sleep routine, waking & going to bed at the same time EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.
4. Use your bed for sleeping (sex is OK...whew!) ONLY.
5. Exercise regularly - more than 2-3 hours prior to bedtime
6. If you are having trouble sleeping, get out of bed until you are tired enough to sleep.

7. Download a "White Noise" app for your smartphone (turn ringer off or use "airplane mode")

The April 2012 issue of Money Magazine stated that "If Nothing's Working...Try cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT, a form of therapy that seeks to train your mental habits is one of the most effective methods of treating sleep ills. Most people see improvement after four to six sessions...it's usually about $200 a session...a good night's sleep is always a sound investment."  You can find a cognitive behavioral therapist on Psychology Today's Therapist Finder  by entering your zip code and using the advanced search to narrow your options down to "cognitive behavioral" therapists in your area, specializing in your unique situation...there are many, many filters to find the therapist you need. REMEMBER: MANY THERAPISTS CALL THEMSELVES "COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL" in order to receive payments from insurance companies, so understand what a cognitive behavioral therapist does and ask pertinent questions to see if they are who the say they are:

• Which theorists do you base your work on? 
• B.F. Skinner, Aaron/Judith Beck, Albert Ellis, Donald Meichenbaum, Marsha Linehan, Steven Hayes are all acceptable
• Which cognitive behavioral techniques do you use (have them explain their answers)?
• Cognitive restructuring, exposure, response prevention, prolonged exposure, interoceptive exposure, mastery and pleasure activity scheduling, mindfulness, dialectics, cognitive defusion, values-clarification are valid answers
• How long should therapy take?
• CBT is time-limited by nature and should take no more than 3-4 months MAXIMUM to complete
• Most treatments take from 4-14 sessions (50-90 minutes each), but some of the more complex cases, like DBT for Borderline Personality Disorder, take as much or more than one year

There has also been recent research that proves that "blue" light, the kind we get from sunshine, TV and computer screens, light bulbs, even alarm clock numbers, stimulates seratonin (which helps keep you awake and alert among other things) and suppresses melatonin (a hormone which tells you it's time to sleep). Orange light, which comes from the opposite end of the light spectrum, has the opposite effect, helping to produce melatonin and inducing sleepiness.

So, what does that mean for you insomniacs? Reduce eye exposure to blue light after dark by staying away from the sources listed above or use orange light at night to read and do other things. Candle light produces orange light, so act like Abe and go "au naturale" after dark (I mean read by candlelight, not get naked).

You can buy orange lightbulbs online and there are other things you can do:

1. Orange screen covers are available for computer monitors. Use them at night.

2. Download a free app that will automatically adjust your monitors visible spectrum based on time of day:


                                              CLICK HERE - LINK TO FREE APP


3. Buy orange safety goggles or glasses, also available online, and wear them at night before bed.Sleep tight!

Thank you.to: marksdailyapple.com for information on the ligjt spectrum and effects on sleep.

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