THE MILITARY FAMILY: Veterans find PTSD peace through the practice of yoga
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — After five years of being at the ‘bottom,’ Lance Gillenwater knew he needed help.
His years as a medic in the Air Force brought on debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder, a 100% diagnosis he received ten years ago. He isn’t alone: just shy of a quarter of military service members struggle with PTSD at some point, according to the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA).
But then, a commander recommended yoga and breathing as a way to cope.
“I had only taken one yoga class before,” said Gillenwater. “I was actually a runner and a swimmer. But slowing down is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your nervous system. Yoga is a subtractive process. You take things out. You slough off the things that are getting in the way of getting in tune with yourself.”
The slowing down helped Gillenwater be able to function and succeed.
He eventually became a trauma-informed yoga instructor, now teaching with Comeback Yoga, where classes are offered twice weekly at the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.
Here, those struggling can put their bodies through stressors, but teach the nervous system how to respond calmly.
“Breathing is the actual point of the class. The nervous system doesn’t know the difference between the stressors in here and the stressors out there. We’re teaching ourselves that we can do hard things,” said Gillenwater.
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