Talking circle aims to heal
On Dec. 17, 2007, Timothy returned from Iraq “a different man.” “He had a glaze in his eyes and a 1,000 yard stare - always looking for an insurgent,” said Mike and Kim Bowman, parents testifying before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Our community has long awaited a grassroots support group to help veterans talk with fellow veterans in a Talking Circle, which is a safe, open environment that helps people sort through deep-seeded feelings that have or may go unnoticed. Answers are few in a talking circle, but those in attendance are attentive listeners who genuinely care about what is being said.
Eric Kettenring, a veteran of the Iraq War, has been serving as a Global War on Terror Readjustment Counselor and he’s doing double duty at the Vet Center in Missoula. Kettenring said it’s not uncommon for people from the Vet Center to deal with legal, financial, marital or occupational issues, among others. Their staff is working with veterans going all the way back to World War II, up through the current conflicts. Kettenring said the jury is still out on how Iraq War Veterans will be treated long-term, but hopes that Americans learned a lesson from the way many Vietnam War veterans were treated.
“We are all learning and we’re doing better,” Kettenring said, “mainstream America is pouring their hearts on behalf of veterans and wanting to see them cared for in a proper way.”
Eric will be speaking about PTSD with Circle of Trust Suicide Oversight Committee from noon to 1:30 p.m. on April 22 at the Lake County Health Building/Lake County Chemical Dependency Building, 802 Main Street, Polson in the conference room. Please join us. While seating is limited, we will try to accommodate everyone. Lunch will be provided for as long as it lasts.
Roger Shourds, a local marine and member of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes served in Vietnam 1966-1968. Wilbert Michel served in the U.S. Army 4th Battalion from 1967 to 1968. Both veterans are grateful for having an opportunity to participate in a talking circle with vets in Akron, Ohio in 2008. Paul Jeffries and Kwame Scruggs were instrumental in reminding us to understand how healing a talking circle can be. It was in that talking circle called “A Warriors Journey Home,” that our journey back to our life values began to emerge. Roger recalls his experience in Ohio as a turning-point: “Our talking circle included Iraq veterans—all hurting and suffering war trauma. Returning veterans come home with wounded souls and what we discovered is that talking circles is a good place to begin a new journey together. As a result of that experience we felt, and still feel, that our community could use a veterans talking circle.” The Veterans Talking Circle meets every Monday at the Salish Kootenai College in the Late Louie Caye Memorial Building from 2-4 p.m. All vets are welcomed. The Talking Circle is a group of vets helping each other deal with post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and other issues related to war. For more information, contact Roger Shourds at 871-1557 or Wilbert Michel at 871-8988.
Please note, the meetings are confidential, the stories used in this article are for the sole purpose of generating interest for the group. Permission was granted to use the stories.