Portland State Magazine Fall 2007

I I 'l Three years after coming home, Mandy Martin, a sergeant in Operation Iraqi Freedom, still hesitates before she crosses open lawns. "explosives," she says matter-of-factly. Such hypervigliance Is key to staying alive In a battle zone and hard to stop even In the safety of home. Martin, who has a 10-year-old daughter, Katrina, received counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder. Today she works for the Portland Vet Center as an outreach coordinator, speaking to veteran and civic groups about the services offered by the center. "Counseling is a bad word in the military," says Martin. "It's a sign of weakness. But counseling helped me. I absolutely respect the strength it takes to walk through our door." Martin calls such steps 'touching the spider'– taking a step toward something you're afraid of. HELPING VETERANS IN PORTLAND Two area groups offer free help for veterans and their families who experience negative effects from military service-or who simply want to talk about their experiences with people who understand or have gone through similar experiences. The Portland Vet Center, an arm of the Veterans Administra– tion, provides a nonjudgmental environment for veterans to connect with others who have served in the military. The Returning Veterans Resource Project NW also provides veterans and their families with one-to-one counseling that's completely confidential-meaning that the therapy is not listed in military records or othervvise made known . Therapist Carol Levine, MSW '72, founded the project in 2005 when she felt compelled to offer help to those who have served or had loved ones serve in Iraq and Afghanistan . She began calling colleagues and quickly had more than 30 thera– pists, including 13 PSU alums and one retired faculty member, eager to participate. Now the group has become a focal point for others who want to contribute to veterans and their families, Levine says. The Web site's resource page lists everything from fishing trips to acupressure, offered free by people who have heard about the project and want to help. For more information, contact the Returning Veterans Resource Proiect NW, 503-402- 1717 or visit www. returningveterans. com. For Portland Vet Center resources, call 503-273-5370. FALL 2007 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 15