Tag: veterans and suicide

EOLPodcast

Ep. 527 Transforming Veteran Care Through Stories, Art, and Theatre with Qwynn Galloway-Salazar PhD

kwyattmd

Learn about a powerful course and theatre initiative to redefine how we care for veterans at the end of life.

My return guest, Dr. Qwynn Galloway-Salazar is an Army Veteran, end-of-life doula educator, and an advocate for redefining how nations honor and support veterans and their loved ones through the end of life. She is the creator of the course Caring for Veterans Through the End of Life and a new initiative We Hold the Line, which uses applied theatre to teach about veteran care through a story monologue. Today’s conversation focuses on the history and scope of Qwynn’s work and the importance of honoring and caring for veterans through aging, loss, and the end of life. Learn more at these website:

intheirhonor.info

psycharmor.org/caring-for-veterans-through-end-of-life

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The widespread embrace of the Caring for Veterans course
  • Qwynn’s experience as a George W. Bush Institute Veteran Leadership Scholar
  • How Qwynn was inspired to bring this material to the stage
  • Why theatre is a powerful medium for sharing a message
  • Why we need collaboration now to change the way we approach the end of life in our society
  • How Qwynn followed her intuition to create this work
  • The importance of “taking the next right step” and saying yes to opportunities even when we can’t see or imagine the outcome
  • The concerning incidence of suicide for veterans

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 324 End-of-Life Care for Veterans with Qwynn Galloway-Salazar

kwyattmd

Learn how to meet the unique needs of veterans and their families as they face the end of life.

My guest Qwynn Galloway-Salazar is a behavioral health professional and end-of-life doula who, as an Army veteran herself, specializes in the needs of veterans and their families facing end-of-life challenges. She discusses her work strengthening behavioral health systems for SAMHSA’s Service Member, Veterans, and Their Families Technical Assistance Center and her work with an initiative to reduce the incidence of suicide in the military and veteran population. She is passionate about teaching end-of-life professionals to provide sensitive, trauma-informed care to their patients who are veterans. Learn more at her website:

www.intheirhonor.info

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Qwynn was inspired to become an end-of-life doula specializing in veteran care
  • The unique needs of veterans who are facing the end of life
  • Questions to ask patients who are veterans
    • Did you serve in the armed forces? or a loved one close to you?
    • Which conflict?
    • Which branch of service?
    • Combat or non-combat?
  • The importance of screening for mental health issues in veterans receiving care
  • How the end-of-life needs of women veterans differ from those of men
  • How stoicism in military culture can interfere with pain and symptom management at the end of life
  • Many veterans experience shame, isolation, moral injury and survivor’s guilt that they have difficulty talking about
  • The importance of recruiting veterans of all ages as volunteers in hospice
  • The family members of veterans also have a need to tell their stories and be heard
  • The value of presence and soul-to-soul heartwork when working with dying veterans
  • Tips for practicing trauma-informed care with patients who are veterans
  • Suicide prevention work for veterans that is currently taking place

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 90 Suicide: Surviving the Aftermath: Part 6

kwyattmd

Suicideblog_

The story of my long journey of healing after my father’s suicide death – told in a series of 8 episodes.

Part 6: The Purple Heart

purpleheart

suicide lifelineIf you are currently experiencing a crisis or feeling hopeless please know that you are not alone. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for free and confidential support available 24/7 for people in distress:

1-800-273-8255

or Text HELLO to 741-741.

This episode consists of:

  • How hospice work help me get “unstuck” on my grief journey
  • How I uncovered my anger at my Dad and my need to forgive him for taking his life
  • The “secret” my Aunt Lena told me about Dad and World War II
  • What I learned from psychiatrist Dr. Jeff Black who treats war veterans for trauma and “soul loss”
  • The RAIN formula from Jack Kornfeld for healing trauma:
    • Recognize the effect the trauma has had on your life
    • Acknowledge and accept the pain you are experiencing
    • Investigate the patterns
    • Non-attachment to the “story” of the trauma
  • Poem: “Griefwork”
  • A message of hope for those grieving a suicide and for anyone who might be considering suicide at this time:

Please don’t give up. There is light in the darkness, there is love for you, there is grace. I have survived and I am here to spread hope.

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Please call 1-800-273-8255 for help if you are thinking about suicide.

Click here to talk with someone now.

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Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/end-of-life-university/id1033282990

Sign up here for the End-of-Life University mailing list. Visit the EOLU website.