Tuesday, January 17, 2012

IRRT Research, Military Outreach and Book Update

By Dr. Sharon Richie-Melvan
Certified Practitioner, Rapid Resolution Therapy

We are closing in on the February 1 start date of our 2012 IRRT Study 2 with the identification of two new measures we will use in addition to the Study 1 Pre and Post treatment measure the PCL-C (17 item PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version). The second measure is the Life Events Checklist (LEC), a one page self-report measure designed to screen for 16 events known to potentially result in PTSD or distress in a client's lifetime. The client checks whether the stressful event (a) happened to them personally, (b) they witnessed the event, (c) they learned about the event, (d) they are not sure if the item applies to them, or (e) the item does not apply to them. Developed by Blake, Weathers, Nagy, Kaloupek, Charney & Keane in 1995 and available from the National Center for PTSD, the LEC has demonstrated adequate psychometric properties as a stand-alone assessment of traumatic exposure. Our third proposed measure, the 12 item Working Alliance Inventory will be filled out by both the therapist and the client following the first (and only for some) RRT session.

Certified Practitioners (CP) may volunteer to participate in the study at the January 2012 retreat or via an email request to cleartrauma.com. The minimum qualifications are a professional degree and at least 100 RRT training hours. A detailed procedural guide for the study will be posted on the CP website and made available at the retreat. Once you receive your study documents (ie., a client welcome letters, consent forms, client data sheets, assessment tools and stamped/addressed envelopes) you may begin screening clients for the study. Our goal is to have at least 60 RRT clients who complete their RRT treatment and submit all of the pre and post treatment assessment measures.

There is still time to get your name on the list of certified RRT practitioners who volunteer to speak at local Military Officer Association of America (MOAA) chapter meetings. I will be presenting that list of CPs at the state convention of MOAA chapter presidents on January 14, 2012. Thanks to LTC Sandra McNaughton (see photos), I will have the opportunity to welcome home from their deployment and interview the nurses of the 86th Combat Support Hospital on February 4, 2011 at Fort Campbell, KY. LTC McNaughton is featured in the book Angel Walk: Nurses at War in Iraq and Afghanistan and serves as a soldier advocate for those currently serving and those medically retired. She like other Army nurses can serve as our "Town Criers" to remind veterans that we are here and ready to serve them.

Photo: Army nurse LTC Sandra McNaughton with the M240 machine gun preparing to leave for a mission.

The IRRT is one of several hypnotherapists asked to propose a smoking cessation and weight loss program for the civilian employees at the Tampa, FL VA Hospital. Given our group of certified practitioners, we are uniquely qualified to provide a standardized quality assured program to this large group of clients. Stay tuned for developments. Many thanks to Sue Morrow, a recent Level 2 student who provided RRT for an Army Surgeon who had served two tours of duty in Iraq and to the other CPs who have treated veterans. We hope to capture their stories and include their healing RRT work in a special military chapter in our upcoming book. Another addition to the book will be provided our Executive Director Melinda Paige. She will be combing the RRT video library for unique RRT cases and identifying miraculous healing stories of clients seen by Dr. Jon Connelly. Thanks to all who sending in their case studies; keep them coming!!

Article courtesy of Dr. Sharon Richie-Melvan, Ph.D., Certified Rapid Resolution Therapist. Dr. Sharon also co-authored the book, "Angel Walk: Nurses at War in Iraq and Afghanistan," with Dr. Diane Vines, Ph.D, Certified Rapid Resolution Therapist. Within the book, Dr. Sharon recommends Rapid Resolution Therapy as a PTSD treatment approach (p. 97). To purchase your copy today, please click here.

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