“The idea of At Ease is to remove as many of the obstacles as possible that prevent active military, veterans, and their families from getting care for post-traumatic stress disorder and other behavioral health issues,” At Ease Founder Scott Anderson said. “It is estimated that only 30% to 35% of military entitled to VA benefits for PTSD ever pursue getting help. What we want to do is to make sure that the people who need care, get it, and particularly that they get care that it is well-documented and proven to be effective.”

The stigma of receiving care for mental health issues is often a barrier that prevents many military personnel from getting the care they need. In an effort to reduce this barrier, At Ease is 100 percent confidential. Because the program is comprised of therapists who volunteer their time, low costs allow At Ease to offer its services at cost effective rates or for free. No one is turned away due to their ability to pay. Another key feature of the program is that unlike other civilian organizations, everyone who works with At Ease has a military connection which allows them to better understand the needs of the client. 

“The military has a very distinct culture, its own language really, so to have a civilian try to understand that and still be able to move the therapeutic process forward can be very challenging,” At Ease Program Supervisor Paul Greenwell said. “Having a past military affiliation is just one more way we’re able to reach these folks and really make a connection quickly.”

As more and more troops return from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need for mental health services will continue to increase. Anderson cites that somewhere around 400,000 troops will return home with some form of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or both. Combined with the number of loved ones who suffer from “virtual or non-combative PTSD” the number of people seeking mental health care could easily reach a million people, according to Anderson.

“There are just too many people for any one resource to serve them all. We have great respect for the services that the VA offers. We apply a lot of the same research and use a lot of the same treatment modalities. We all have to work together because there’s going to be a tsunami of people needing care and we’ve got to serve them and we’ve got to serve them as quickly as possible,” Anderson said.  

In order to serve the flood of people needing services, At Ease is hopeful that funding will allow them to expand services across the state into more rural communities. In addition, the Grand Island office will be launching a teletherapy program where clients can go to any hospital and receive therapy by video conference. At Ease will also be implementing a Web-based, Skype-type of teletherapy where clients will be able to receive therapy from their own homes.   

“We’re hoping that by allowing people to receive therapy from the confidentially and anonymity of their own homes that we’re going to be able to reach a lot more people than through conventional therapy.  It will also help us reach into more remote, rural communities,” Anderson said.

Between the breadth of programs, the reach of services, and the commitment of the staff, At Ease is dedicated to making a difference for military families and removing the obstacles of receiving help for post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The people who are working in this program, chose to work for At Ease because they really care about the veterans. They have the expertise in mental health, they understand the issues, and they also have a passion for working with veterans and military families – that’s number one,” Greenwell said.  “We recognize where they’ve been and the struggles that were a part of that. We really do have a heart for serving them.”

At Ease will be celebrate its accomplishments and look toward the future at its Annual Luncheon on Monday, January 30 at the Centurylink Center. The luncheon, which serves the dual purpose of bringing awareness to the program and helping to break down the stigma of receiving help for post-traumatic stress, will feature former Staff Sergeant Sal Giunta, USA, as the keynote speaker. Mr. Giunta is the first living American to receive the nation’s highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, for actions that occurred since the Vietnam War. Tickets, for the At Ease Annual Luncheon, which cost $50, can be purchased by visiting www.lfsneb.org.

Learn more about At Ease USA by visiting http://www.ateaseusa.org/.

Fresh Hope is a faith-based group sponsored by the Community of Grace Church in Elkhorn. Its membership continues to grow, in fact, support groups in several other states have begun, using Fresh Hope as there model. We knew listeners would appreciate the affirmation Fresh Hope members bring. We remind listeners that it is perfectly OK to visit several support groups before selecting the one (or two) that seem right for you!

Click on the button below to listen to the May 3 Not Alone broadcast featuring Fresh Hope or download the file and listen later. To listen to past broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Web site Not Alone podcast page.

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May 3 – Fresh Hope

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Dr. Steve Wengel, Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Stephanie Stockard Spelic, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Creighton University, and Theresa Barron McKeagney, Director of the Grace Abbott School of Social Work at the University of Nebraska – Omaha, shared a little history regarding changes in the provision of mental health care during their careers, and spoke with excitement about the changes yet to come. For consumers of mental health care, the good news will be that early detection, assessment, and links with treatment and supports will help prevent mental health problems from worsening. 

For today’s medical and social work students, these emerging leaders in providing and promoting top quality mental health care will understand and utilize new technology, new research,  new medications, and must be able to include a healthy mix of good, old fashioned care and compassion in future treatment plans. Because of today’s guests and their colleagues, we respect the excellence of the education opportunities available for students in medical school, nursing, and social work, and celebrate the expectations presented regarding their education and training. The provision of mental health care will be changing and improving; today’s students will be equipped to lead that change.

To learn more about the educational opportunities available today for students in mental health care professions, click on the play button below to listen to the January 17 Not Alone podcast, or download the file and listen later. To hear any past broadcast of Not Alone, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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January 17, 2012 – Training Mental Health Care Professionals

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Kathleen McCallister and Eunice Arant said that New Hope Life Center helps women understand that the past is the past and that women can build a new foundation and begin again with a new, healthier lifestyle. With the help of the New Hope Life Center, women learn to resolve some of their underlying trauma, pain, sin, and behaviors and become the women they were created to be, one day at a time, one choice at a time. This is a ‘home environment’ where women learn to be responsible adults, to understand and accept the life-long effects of their choices and learn to make wise investments in their own future. 

Four years after leaving New Hope Life Center, 75 percent of the women are safe and sober and they are responsible, working women. Finding a job that welcomes women with a ‘history’ is very challenging; if you know of employers that will give the women a chance to succeed, let us know!

To hear more about the New Hope Life Center, listen to the January 10 Not Alone program by clicking on the play button below, or download the file and listen later. To listen to any of the past Not Alone programs, visit The Kim Foundation podcast page.

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January 10, 2012 – New Hope Life Center

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Pat Callone and Connie Kudlacek reminded us that being a caregiver for a loved one is a special blessing and a challenging responsibility. One must balance personal life and identity as a caregiver, maturing into a willingness to do what needs to be done to protect and enhance a loved one’s dignity.

Our broadcast drew from books authored by our guests to help caregivers acquire the tools and knowledge to continue to nurture and sustain their loved one as well as maintain a healthy life style for themselves. One sentence from their book “Alzheimer’s Disease, The Dignity Within”, touched home with me: “Right now, we have no other choice but to keep muddling through, loving each other, and forgiving each other as best we can.” To the millions of family-member caregivers in our country today, thank you!

To learn more about taking care of caregivers, listen to the January 3 Not Alone program by clicking on the play button below or by downloading the file to listen later. To listen to past Not Alone broadcasts, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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January 3, 2012 – Patricia Callone and Connie Kudlacek from CaringConcepts, Inc.

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

After reading the book and working some of the exercises, we wished we could hand out copies of the book to everyone and remind you that you can break your cycle of negative thinking, you can beat depression, and you can learn to stay positive. This book will be your roadmap and your compass! We sometimes need to find our personal strengths. Even if procrastination has been a limiting factor in your life, there are practical ideas included for overcoming that as well.  We learned about paths to wellness through putting change into action, and even talked about the mindfulness path to help overcome depression.  

To learn more about fighting depression and the book “Breaking Free from Depression: Pathyway to Wellness” from Dr. Wright and Dr. McCray, listen to the December 27 Not Alone podcast by clicking on the play button, or download the file to listen later. To listen to past broadcasts of Not Alone, visit The Kim Foundation podcast page.

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December 27, 2011 – “Breaking Free from Depression” Authors Dr. Jesse Wright and Dr. Laura McCray

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Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.

Mr. Courtnage asked listeners to reach out for help, to not be afraid. Diseases of the brain affect one in four families, so there is no place for stigma directed toward those with these illnesses. Mr. Courtnage reminded listeners that people do become very busy in today’s world with work, community, and family needs all vying for attention; he asked that parents don’t become so wrapped up in outside pressures that they overlook opportunities to open the doors of communication with their children.  

Mr. Gould congratulated Not Alone for promoting opportunities for wellness, for educating listeners regarding treatment options, and for addressing a public health issue that is too often over-dramatized, or ignored. Not Alone is grateful to KCRO and to Salem Broadcasting for encouraging Not Alone each week, enhancing public education, and reducing stigmas toward mental illness.

To hear more about Not Alone and The Kim Foundation, listen to the December 20 broadcast by clicking on the play button below, or download the file and listen later. To listen to past broadcasts of Not Alone, visit The Kim Foundation Not Alone podcast page.

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Not Alone Special Anniversary Program – Track 1

Not Alone Special Anniversary Program – Track 2

Not Alone Special Anniversary Program – Track 3

Airing every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (CST on station KCRO, channel 660 AM based out of Omaha, Neb.), Not Alone is a live talk radio program focused on behavioral health and recovery. Developed by The Kim Foundation through the support of C&A Industries, Inc., Not Alone works to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness. The show seeks to assure individuals, families, and communities that they are not alone, mental illness affects us all, hosting a variety of guest from across the country.