Since we do not have facilities for residential treatment, ours has historically been out-patient services; and God has honored this, so long as they can take care of themselves between visits or have family members to do so.  Our average term of treatment is approximately three or four sessions with some finding release in fewer interviews—as little as one!  This, of course, assumes that the counselee opts for spiritual counseling, while having any current medication monitored by the appropriate medical practitioner.

Since we have been doing training since 1972, here and around the world, it would be a simple matter to make training available to churches around the country, though logistically complicated.  This would make it possible for veterans to get help in their own home towns, with the added advantage of long term follow up and mentoring or discipleship.

Of course, the Church must ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ since such specialized discipleship ministry is not presently available, with few exceptions.  The vast majority of PTSD cases would be well within the purview of a church or believer who is trained in SpirituotherapyTM—my specialized approach God called me to develop and pioneer in 1967 to share the healing message of the cross where the Holy Spirit does a life-transforming work.  Obviously, we are not talking about cosmetic change, nor a mere ‘handholding’ outreach of the Church!

It requires a heart commitment on the part of a believer who would ‘get in the trenches’ with one who may have been there literally!  Also, it requires a commitment on the part of a body of believers to be a healing community.  Each person who is ministered to in this way must come to the end of his/her resources and may get worse before (s)he gets better; in fact, this is usually the case, unless (s)he has already ‘bottomed out’ when (s)he arrives for help. I realize this may sound like a foreign language to the uninitiated, but it is routine to one who has traveled this road with hundreds or thousands of those in dire need.  It requires a calling from God and an anointing by Him to draw out your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul (Isa. 58:10, 11). It is not for the faint-hearted, nor for the curious on-looker!



As our situation in this country becomes more critical in terms of unemployment and instability of our government, those accustomed to the rigors of the battlefield may have to minister to those at home!  Those of us who have never lived in an atmosphere of fear (which takes in the majority) may have a rude awakening coming!  Therefore, our churches must prepare for hardship on many fronts; being ‘at ease in Zion’ can easily be a thing of the past!