PTSD and Grief with Dr. Melissa Monroe

Melissa M Monroe, PhD, L.Ac is the mother of two wonderful girls, Grace Marian Ferguson, now seven years old, and Alice Marie Ferguson, who died August 6, 2013 just 11 days after turning two years old. Alice died unexpectedly in her sleep, and no cause of death could be determined. The family has been devastated by this unthinkable and shocking loss.

When not mothering, Melissa practices Traditional Chinese Medicine in her clinic, and teaches Pilates, Yoga, and Qi Gong as well. She also teaches continuing education to acupuncturists and other health professionals on the topics of Grief and PTSD, and writes extensively on these issues.

The above introduction was borrowed from Melissa's website www.motheringinmemoriam.com. Please feel free to visit her blog to get to know her. A couple months ago in April, we had the honor of having Melissa teach these two courses: Treating PTSD with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Supporting Grief with Traditional Chinese Medicine. These are two powerful and essential courses that I'd recommend for all practitioners, especially those working with patients or clients with emotional/Shen issues.

I always thought that PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder only happened to veterans - that is what it's typically associated with anyway. It was not until Melissa's class where I realized that more people experience it. Some people don't even know that what they're feeling is actually PTSD! Melissa's classes can help you recognize the signs of PTSD so that treatment and support can take place right away. You don't have to be in the military to be traumatized to the point that it throws your life off. A traumatic event such as a death of a loved one can do the trick. Thank you to Melissa for sharing her personal life with us and teaching a valuable lesson that we can use in life and in the clinic. There's not much first-hand information on PTSD and grief relating to TCM so it truly was an incredible opportunity to learn what to do in situations where your patients need more than just needles and herbs.

PTSD Overall Statistics

• Stats vary, but it is conservative to say that 60% of men and 50% of women experience at least one trauma in their lives.
• Roughly 7 or 8 out of every 100 people (or 7-8% of the population) will develop PTSD at some point in their lives.
• On average, 8 million adults develop PTSD during a given year.
• About 10% of women and 4% of men will develop PTSD during their lifetime.
• The most common trauma for women is sexual assault or child sexual abuse. One-third of women will experience a sexual assault in their lifetime. Women are also more likely to be neglected or abused in childhood, to experience domestic violence, or to have a loved one suddenly die.

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~Donna Chow, L.Ac.