View Single Post
Old 10-29-2009, 08:38 PM   #13
tlk52
Dojo: Aikido of Park Slope/NY Aikikai
Location: NYC
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 112
United_States
Offline
Re: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder???

I have one story to share

I don't have any particular expertise in this area but I have one student who was in the Russian army in Chechnya where he was in a lot of house to house combat, shot several times and also blown up by an IED... at first he would be startled by any quick movement and go into life threatening defense mode, and become extremely tense/sometimes inappropriately violent.

it's taken him a long time but he's made good progress. we've worked on relaxation/a lot on ukemi/breathing/aiki taiso, and doing the techniques as formal kihon waza while stressing basic principles, especially posture and footwork.... not thinking about applications most of the time (he already knows how to fight), and focusing on the self development aspect...and over time it's working.

he's learned to relax and to stand up straight, and can even move fluidly in randori without tensing up (most of the time). He tells me that it's helping in the rest of life also.

emphasizing having fun while practicing in a joyful manner has also been helpful.

But it took a lot of patience and a lot of time.

Toby
  Reply With Quote