HAPI Guide HAPIguide FALL 2017 | Page 14

HEALTH ARTICLE Veterans – Share Your Stories By Sandra Marinella W I We all have a story. Sometimes it is the story of being knocked to the ground – perhaps when you discovered infidelity, or a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, or the loss of a son in combat overseas. If we aren’t careful, a story like this can get buried within us. We can deny it ever happened, and this might lead to physical or psychological problems. Let’s explore how we can find and begin to navigate a story we need to tell. n 2013 I began to interview veterans to see if sharing their stories or writing could help them with their traumatic experi- ences. Veteran Mathew “Goldie” Goldston wrote me to say he kept a diary during his stint as a marine in Afghanistan, and it helped with his PTSD. 14 | HAPI Guide