Group Therapy Experiences

an I am finding myself posting a lot here today but the question was raised and here is my story. I was asked by my local VAC area coordinator to possibly seek employment with the OSSIS team, she said you have a very articulate manner of speaking and your very powerful in presenting ideals and your own story. So thinking this would ease some of the financial pain I offered to meet with the OSSIS GUY that is all I will call him other than fucking duche. I leave buddy my number and he calls me and says meet me at Timmies. Rather odd but hey if that floats your boat, off i go and I see his vehicle and I assume he is the OSSIS GUY. I walk over and ask him if he is so and so, yup just a sec. He looks over at what I assume is a kid late teens maybe tells him to get the fuck out time for business. I crawl in the truck and we do the intros with all the same bloody fucking crap about blah blah blah. I was feeling more anger at that moment than I had experienced in years. I cut tothe chase and say ok what do I have to do to get on board, he says we meet wed nights at pm at (a tavern). Here you will need to do the counseling and forum portion of an OSSIS assistant. Ok I said gotta go and I leave.Booze and mental illness in a public place no fucking way. I report my interview with my LAC and tell her straight out, you are just as fucked as that program in that you condone this type of rehabilitation for PTSD sufferers. Never went never will because the venues are unreal and it is all the same shit me,me,me and fucking me.

I can see the strength of being part of a group, but I do prefer one-on-one with my psychologist and there are times where talking with another vet would help!

Of course you had to wait to get your meds after a session but you had to wait at least an hour! So of course that is where smoking came in handy

yep, there was no treatment for the treatment sessions given..

when i went, there was always a timeout chair just outside the nurses station that at times had a waiting line just for the seclusion it offered..

Yup. I was in Homewood in 2005 and it was pretty messed up because we would be more fucked up coming out of a session then when we started it. And yes it can be a pissing contest and you need to put on your helmet for some of the stories

Peeps the hamsters stole it again!
Sparrow

Anyone see my brush?
My face is in a knot

I did my first "pain clinic" in Thunder Bay in 1999. Part of our therapy was group, where we assembled in a circle and told of our life experiences and injuries. It seemed almost, that I was lying by telling of our daily lives in the military. People just couldn't accept the training and danger we encounter as routine. I quit this group after a couple sessions. I don't think mixing the two, military and civilians, is ever a good idea. They simply don't get it.
Chimo

I always wondered why he was allowed to stay in the CF yet was more fawked up than I was! Ever shake his hand? That was a weird experience! He'd have this Kung Fu grip on the handshake and would be right weird about it.

Then they promoted him! WTF! And I got a 3B??? Makes no sense to me that's for sure.

He is a total waste of space. If everyone out there knew the true story behind OSSIS and what it was being built for and how it was designed to work and know the fact that Stephane had nothing to do with OSSIS until he over heard the idea and how it was being built. He ran to his boss and sold the concept to him while it was being delivered by another to the army commander. So when it took off with command approval it was the navy in a race with the army to build it. Since it was in Halifax they moved quicker and implemented it. Problem is Stephane had no idea why it was being done or the reason he just saw a good idea he could build his future with. This OSSIS is a mess because of Stephane and Doc Jetly who are both the biggest losers on the planet.

I can confirm with you Rags, it was during the days of Stephane. He was an intense dude wasn't he?

I can laugh at it all now as well.

I hate to say it Bolt but im LMFAO

Well OSSIS is all we have Stephan Granier stole the idea and cause he did not create OSSIS but claims he did he F'd up the whole program from its original concept. Greedy prick just wanted a good per to be promoted so he stole a great idea. Nice idea poor execution. I can also blame the Navy who wanted control of the program that was being created by an Army guy. SO they the Navy could look good after Swiss Air and the Admiral would get a promotion too. Idiots....im I just a little touchy on this....ya I am truth hurts Stephy baby!

I had a bad experience with OSSIS and they left a really bad taste in my mouth. Now in all fairness, this was during the early stages of OSSIS and chances are they've come a long way since my experience.

Here goes ... I while back I was approached by a certain OSSIS member who pretty much guaranteed me a job with OSSIS to talk to others in a peer setting. I was asked to get back to him in 2 weeks on whether I wanted to do it. Well 2 weeks to the day, I contact "buddy" and leave a voice message that I am interested. He EMAILS me with a list of places for me to contact to offer assistance, and this is no lie, one of the places was literally tying ribbons onto balloons with mentally handicapped adults! WTF! I was livid and insulted beyond belief and I let him know in know uncertain terms that I was not impressed! He claimed he didn't know that's what the job was about.

I can laugh about it now though, but I remember getting off the phone and turning to my wife and telling her what had just happened. The lady when I called to ask about the programme was talking to me like I was a little kid and she was overly friendly with me. Then it occurred to me ... This lady thought she was talking to a special needs adult!

Oh man, was i ever pissed that day! It certainly didn't do me much good for my confidence that's for sure! LOL

Needless to say, that was my last interaction with OSSIS.

Any OSSIS clinic will be of great support try and find one on a base that suites your time in CF as you will meet more people in your boat. When I was in Halifax as a combat soldier all I really saw in group were sailors and pilots or admin staff. Mix was not very effective for me or them. If ya cant then a OSIS clinic outside your trade area is better then no clinic at all.

just found out last week that all the cm's that i have had since 2008 could have forwarded my name off for any of the OSI clinics,

not 100% certain, but from what they said i take that forwarding your name for help originates either from your vac cm, or from within the cf while in..

they havent mentioned a single word on them, not that they exist or on what they offer,

my peer support mentioned the clinics and described the support they get from them on an ongoing basis,

clinic sounded good, and will wait to see if they can forward my name for help there..rather than wait for my cm to get their act together..