2013 Locations:

Rhode Island: Camp Canonicus & Conference Center – http://www.canonicus.org
Connecticut: Camp Wightman – http://www.campwightman.org
Maine: Oceanwood – http://www.oceanwood.org
Massachusetts: http://www.grotonwood.org
Massachusetts: http://pinebrookcamp.org
Massachusetts: http://bartoncenter.org/bcsite/front_page
Vermont: http://www.govehillretreat.org
New Hampshire: Pending

Concept & Objectives   

Retreat Objectives:

a. To recognize the needs of the Veteran’s and individual family members in awareness of military related occupational stress injuries.
b. To offer tools for recognizing symptoms and triggers.
c. To assist in developing coping mechanisms within the family structure and assisting all members of the family with living a fulfilled life while learning to manage the injury/injuries.

Veteran Objectives:

a. To help the Veteran lead a better life, privately and publicly, thus becoming more productive in society.
b. To help improve their quality of life by recognizing triggers, possible addictions, intimacy issues, financial issues, anger management, complex communication issues, and sleep disorders.
c. To provide the tools to aid the Veterans in regard to stress management. The retreat will offer group support that will provide the Veteran with a continuous peer support network afterwards.
d. To educate the Veteran on support services that are available through Veteran’s Affairs and possibly other organizations (Army Community Services, Veteran clubs).

Spouse Objectives:

a. To aid the spouse in recognizing symptoms, suicidal ideations, triggers, symptoms of substance abuse, and signs of depression.
b. To assist the spouse in coping with triggers, stress issues, addictions, money issues, verbal battery, and anger.
c. To create and foster a peer support network of other spouses who understand what they are going through.

Children Objectives:

a. To help the children recognize what the term “trigger” means, and how the triggers affect their parent(s).
b. To offer the children tools to assist them with coping with adult issues without having the child be brought into the adult issues: “It’s absolutely okay to be a child right now, and you did nothing wrong.”