- IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THE TIME
IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU'VE BEEN MOST DISTRESSED
AND CAN'T SEE A WAY OUT, AND IF YOU CAN THINK
ABOUT FROM THAT PLACE WHAT WAS THE MOST HELPFUL TO YOU,
WHAT ACTUALLY HELPED YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP
OUT OF THAT PLACE,
IT PROBABLY WASN'T A DOCTOR, IT PROBABLY WASN'T A PILL
OR A SURGERY,
IT WAS SOME SKILL OR STRENGTH THAT YOU FOUND WITHIN YOU.
SO, WHAT THIS DOES IS HELP US BUILD THOSE TOOLS
THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE,
THOSE STRENGTHS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
IN A MUCH MORE PROACTIVE WAY,
SO THEY'RE MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO YOU.
YOU DON'T WAIT TILL YOU'RE IN A CRISIS MODE,
BUT YOU CAN USE THIS EVERY DAY
TO HELP WHETHER IT'S YOUR SUFFERING
WITH CHRONIC PAIN OR DEPRESSION
OR WHATEVER ISSUE YOU'RE DEALING WITH,
THE POWER OF THESE APPROACHES CAN HELP YOU.
- I WAS IN THE ARMY.
I WAS 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION, AND I SERVED OVER IN IRAQ,
THE VERY FIRST PUSH BACK IN 2003.
- I WAS THE 88 MIKE MOTOR TRANSPORT OPERATOR.
WE DROVE THE 5,000-GALLON FUEL TANKERS.
- VIETNAM 1967, 1968.
- AND I WAS INVOLVED IN GULF ONE.
- I SERVED IN SOUTH BAGHDAD FROM APRIL 2006 TO APRIL 2007.
- IT WAS HELL, YOU KNOW, I'D GO OUT ON PATROLS NOT KNOWING,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE GOING TO GET HIT.
- MENTALLY, IT TOOK A TOLL, PHYSICALLY, IT TOOK A TOLL.
- HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MYSELF.
- I GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF PROBLEMS, FROM A TO Z.
- ONCE I GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY, I WASN'T ABLE
TO READJUST BACK INTO SOCIETY.
- THERE WAS ONE TIME THAT I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF.
- I WOULD LITERALLY BE TENSE, STRESSED...
- I WAS KIND OF DEPRESSED... - HEADACHES.
- I HAD A LOT OF ANXIETY AND ANGER ISSUES
THAT I WAS DEALING WITH.
- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY BELIEVE
AND I WANTED TO JUST REALLY EMPHASIZE
IS HOW IMPORTANT ALTERNATE OPTIONS ARE
FOR MEDICATION.
NO ONE HAS EVER DIED OF AN OVERDOSE OF TAI CHI,
BUT WE'VE HAD VETERANS WHO'VE DIED
OF AN OVERDOSE OF MEDICATIONS.
SO IT'S HUGE, THIS IS A BIG DEAL,
AND IT REALLY DOES HELP.
- THE MOST IMPORTANT PART ABOUT IT
IS THAT YOU HAVE A CHOICE
TO HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE,
HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR SCENARIOS,
YOUR CONDITIONS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
- ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THE FIRST STEP
TOWARDS THAT FUTURE, AND OPEN YOUR HEART
AND OPEN YOUR MIND AND ACCEPT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE,
WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE AND WHAT'S ALREADY OVER WITH
AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO FROM HERE.