durhamregion.com 6 The Citizen August 20, 2015 WindReach Farm hosts horse therapy program for veterans with PTSD Wounded Warriors Canada funds effort to support ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members and their families PARVANEH PESSIAN ppessian@durhamregion.com WHITBY -- Communication and the ability to work effectively as a team are vital for survival on the front lines, but some former military personnel are continuing to put those skills to use after returning home from the mission. Can Praxis, an equine-assisted therapy program -- designed to train veterans living with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder to cope with conflict and crisis in their personal relationships -- was recently launched at WindReach Farm in Ashburn. The program was established in Alberta but is being expanded to the north Whitby location with the support of Wounded Warriors Canada, a local charity that helps Canadian Armed Forces members across the country heal from injuries they've sustained in the line of duty. "One of the things we try to do is cut down on travel for the veterans," said Scott Maxwell, executive director of Wounded Warriors, based in Whitby. "We've been funding the program at no cost to them no matter where they live in Canada but they've all had to fly into Alberta ... so what this allows us to do is bring the program deliverers to Ontario and allow for a lot less travel for the veterans and their spouses that want to participate." PTSD is a psychological response to an intense traumatic experience, and particularly a life-threatening event. For military personnel, the trauma could be related to direct combat duties, being in a dangerous war zone, or taking part in peacekeeping missions under difficult and stressful conditions. In Canada, it is estimated that up to 10 per cent of war zone veterans, including war service veterans and peacekeeping forces, will go on to experience PTSD, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Symptoms include repeated reliving of the event through nightmares and flashbacks, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, and irritability, outbursts of anger, or difficulty sleeping. Because these symptoms can affect a person's ability to function in their everyday lives, the impact often extends to family members, Mr. Maxwell said. "The unique thing about this equine program is that it's couples-based," he said. "It's not just for an ill or injured veteran with PTSD -- they can't come alone -- it's a program to teach communication and mediation techniques to help decrease conflict in the home, or arguments from having to explain PTSD to your spouse or partner." Can Praxis is a collaboration between Alberta residents Steve Critchley, a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Forces and an international mediator, and Jim Marland, a registered psychologist and equine assisted learning facilitator. The program relies on walk-along exercises with horses as a training aid. Horses react to what they see so the program helps demonstrate to participants how their actions, body language, and moods are perceived by others. The program is offered in three phases over a period of nine days and usually includes about six couples at a time. "That's the most manageable size for the group -- you want to keep it as private and intimate as possible and let them focus on each other," Mr. Maxwell explained. Wounded Warriors has been funding the program since 2012 to pay for flights of veterans and spouses, as well as their hotel accommodations, food and other costs. The organization donated $170,000 to the program this year alone. Members had been searching for a secondary site for the program to serve the large population of veterans in the eastern part of the country for some time, said Mr. Maxwell. "We scoured around and toured a lot of different places across the province, a lot of different equine facilities, and of course, WindReach was one of those that we took a good look at." He added that staff was "blown away" by how perfectly the facility met the program's needs. Established in 1989, WindReach currently offers a variety of programs including therapeutic horseback riding and other activities surrounded by wheelchair-accessible pathways, buildings and barns. "When the program deliverers specified what they needed, there just was no issue because they've worked with people with varying disabilities before," he said. "That's ultimately why we (chose) WindReach and the benefit, of course, is it just happens to be in the same town as our national office, close to the airport and kind of central so if you're in the east -- in the Ottawa, Kingston or Trenton area -- it's not too far and the same goes if you're in the north, in the Barrie or Meaford area." Visit www.canpraxis.com for more information about the program or to learn more about Wounded Warriors Canada, visit www.woundedwarriors. ca. WHITBY -- Wounded Warriors, a Whitby-based charity that helps Canadian Armed Forces members heal from injuries they've sustained in the line of duty, is funding a new equine program at WindReach Farm in Ashburn. The program is designed for ill and injured veterans suffering from PTSD. It will be the only location in Ontario for the program, which was originally established in Alberta. A participant, who wished his name to be withheld, got to know a horse named Sprinkles, before engaging in a calm guiding exercise. BENJAMIN PRIEBE / METROLAND