Sarah Palin wants to take the "D" out of PTSD. You know I always thought she had a problem with the "D."

Courtesy of Palin's infomercial Facebook page:

Like most every American I stand by our U.S. military vets! Thank you to our active duty heroes and all who've served this great country in the past. I was honored to speak at a recent fundraiser in Texas for The Mighty Oaks Warrior Foundation to support our returning troops who have left the battlefield overseas, but face new battles upon their return. America owes them a debt of gratitude, and our troops suffering from PTSD must not be ignored by a grateful nation. In the following video, I discuss what Mighty Oaks does for our vets.

There is also a video embedded on her page that claims the Mighty Oaks want to take the "D" out of PTSD, and during which she claims that all these poor soldiers need is a little Jesus in their lives.

I mean really who needs trained therapists, with years of experience, helping you deal with a complicated and often life altering disorder that can cause you to completely disassociate from family members, and friends, and to self medicate with alcohol or drug use?

Instead this program essentially tells the vets struggling with this diagnosis (Or as the program calls it, their new "deployment.") that they are made in God's image, and that since they are trained soldiers they can deal with anything. A kind of camouflage version of "Buck up or stay in the truck."

You know according to Palin her son Track benefited in some way form this program. (One report even claimed he was a councilor.)

If that is true, then you might imagine that she would angry and disappointed at this program for failing him.

After all a well adjusted person does NOT drunkenly start a fight at a birthday party, nor tear off his shirt and start flipping people off when asked to leave that party.

And after leaving a well adjusted person also does not immediately go to a bar, get into another fight, and end up with cracked ribs.

If THIS is what The Mighty Oaks considers a success story then I would make sure to keep friends and family members as far away from them as possible.

Track really is a tragic story, and I have recently heard that his substance abuse is worse than ever, and that he spends very little time with his new daughter Kyla. In fact when she comes over to visit the family, he is often nowhere to be found.

That is just sad and it is clear that he needs much more help than can be provided by the religiously saturated pseudo therapy center. (I mean they have a program called "Fight Club for Men: A Quest for Authentic Manhood. Which is described thusly: "Our six day Post Traumatic Stress Reintegration Program is designed to serve as the catalyst in discovering the answers to the “why” questions in a man’s life. Through camaraderie, recreational activities, and thoughtful conversation, Fight Club teaches men to overcome any past experience that be limiting their personal success. Individual adversities that have grown out of traumatic experiences are able to surface during these six days, as we foster a confidential, safe, and vulnerable environment with a faith-based foundation through Christ.")

Six days. Seriously?

Look I work with clients who have PTSD all of the time. And the idea that they can simply "soldier through it" is not only wrong, but it is dangerous. This disorder, and yes it IS a disorder, is quite complicated and it affects the individuals suffering with it in a variety of ways.

Usually it is approached using a combination of therapy, medications, and family support. It is not enough to simply deal with the patient, you have to help shape their environment and educate the people who are the closest to them in order to provide the kind of wrap around services these individuals require.

And as I have said before, I do not think that Track's problems stem from his time in the military, however stunted that appears to have been. His problems started well before then, and as long as he is surrounded by so many dysfunctional people I do not see them ending any time soon.

So for Palin to suggest that a six day program in a military frat house environment is enough to deal with the complexities of such a disorder may be a new level of deceit.

Update: Also apparently Palin is planning to sue Bob Cesca over the use of her clips. But we all know she is bluffing.  (Palin part starts the 6:00 mark.)