08/02/2024
Some have asked to describe what my foundation does. So here it is. The One Man One Mic Foundation is all about helping veterans heal through storytelling and podcasting (this is where the questions come in).
There are seven pillars to Post-Traumatic Growth.
Cognitive Processing: This involves making sense of the trauma and integrating it into one's life narrative. It includes reflecting on the event, understanding its impact, and finding new meanings or insights. Cognitive processing helps individuals reframe their understanding of the world and their place in it.
Emotional Processing: This pillar focuses on experiencing and expressing the full range of emotions related to the trauma. By acknowledging and working through feelings such as grief, anger, or sadness, individuals can begin to heal and move forward.
Social Support: Positive relationships and support from others are crucial for PTG. Sharing experiences with empathetic friends, family, or support groups can provide validation, encouragement, and a sense of connection, which are essential for recovery.
Resilience and Adaptation: Developing resilience involves adapting to the trauma and finding ways to cope effectively. This might include adopting new coping strategies, enhancing problem-solving skills, and building emotional strength.
Personal Growth and Self-Reflection: PTG often involves personal growth, including a greater appreciation for life, improved relationships, and a stronger sense of purpose. Self-reflection can help individuals recognize and cultivate these aspects, leading to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
Hope and Optimism: Cultivating hope and optimism about the future is an important aspect of PTG. Believing in the possibility of positive change and maintaining a forward-looking perspective can drive recovery and growth.
Meaning-Making: Finding or creating meaning from the trauma is a critical component of PTG. This might involve understanding how the trauma has changed one's values, beliefs, or priorities, and using those insights to foster a sense of purpose and direction.
These pillars interact and support each other. Storytelling facilitates ALL of these. Podcasting is just another platform for storytelling. Podcasting offers Trancendacy (Something that's bigger than us) and that's what the podcast universe is. It also offers Belonging, Purpose, Connection and Community which are major players in the seven pillars mentioned above.
I was speaking to someone and they made the comment, 'Can't they learn what you're offering online?'. Well, yes, I suppose they can but it's not that easy. I'm going to be dealing mostly with adult learners. Studies have shown that adult learners are hands-on learners. Many adult learners value hands-on, experiential learning because it allows them to apply concepts in real-world contexts (thank you Dr. Vera).
Then there's this. When an individual is in the throws of PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury the creative side of the brain gets buried and Fight or Flight takes over. Basically Fight or Flight tells the creative part that it's not needed. When that happens the creative part of the brain can stay buried for years or even decades and Fight or Flight becomes the norm. In short, storytelling literally rewires the brain and brings that creative side back to the surface giving the veteran or first responder an outlet to healing.
I know this was probably a boring read and I know only to well that most people on FaceBook don't take the time to read anything longer than two paragraphs, which is actually not good. It shows how their brain is being trained to have a short attention span, more on that later LOL.
Anyway, thanks for reading this and thanks for any support you throw my way on this new journey.
