PROJECT FREEDOM FIGHTERFOR THE FIGHT AGAINST PTSD

Now let’s fight for theirs.They fought for our freedom.

PROJECTFREEDOMFIGHTER.COM

FREEDOM

Drew

Statistics show that up to 30% of all military vets experience PTSD at some point

after their return home. Some experts believe the percentage is much higher.

The Veteran’s Administration says that 22 military vets commit suicide EVERY DAY.

They sacrificed for our freedom. Yet many don’t have their freedom. MY MISSION IS TO HELP THEM GET IT BACK.

Project Freedom Fighter is an eight-week program that gives vets the tools they

need to rediscover their mental, physical, and spiritual freedom. It works because it uses simple techniques that are backed by hard science and research.

Our brave military men and women deserve our support and I’m pouring my heart

and soul into this. To learn more please read on.

May freedom reign for all of us!

STATISTICS

MILITARY POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

While accurate numbers are difficult to pin down, experts think PTSD occurs in about:

• 11-20% of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars

• 10% of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans

• 30% of Vietnam Veterans

MILITARY SEXUAL ASSAULT (MST)

Among Veterans who use VA health care, about:

• 23% reported sexual assault when in the military

• 55% of women and 38% of men have experienced sexual harassment when in the military

MST frequently leads to PTSD.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)

TBI is common in military vets and frequently is seen in common with PTSD.

3

DOCUMENTED EFFECTS OF PTSD

• nightmares

• flashbacks

• difficulty sleeping

• feeling emotionally numb

• depression

• substance abuse

• problems of memory and cognition

• occupational instability

• marital problems

• difficulties in parenting

• suicide...

SUICIDEIn the most exhaustive study to date on veteran suicide (2012), the VA reported that 22 veterans

kill themselves EVERY SINGLE DAY.Check out the data for yourself : va.gov/opa/docs/Suicide-Data-Report-2012-final.pdf

Here’s a news story : usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/01/16811249-22-veterans-commit-suicide-each-day-va-report?lite

Veterans advocates say the number of suicides within the military may only hint at the magnitude of the problem. For every death by suicide, they warn, as many as 12 others may have sought the same fate.

4

Many military vets...

• have their PTSD symptoms triggered by Independence Day fireworks

• find it impossible to keep a job, which is tragic for their families and

negatively impacts the nations’s economy

• feel feared, shunned, and misunderstood by the society they sacrificed to protect

• have extreme feelings of worthlessness resulting in depression

and anxiety, which may lead to suicide

LONG TERM CONSEQUENCESMilitary PTSD is a much bigger problem than most people realize.

5

PTSD AFFECTS FAMILIES

Domestic violence is

common as is depression,

anxiety, and financial burdens

from loss of income.

Spouses and families often feel that they forever lost their loved one who

came back from their tour of duty a completely changed person.

6

ACTUAL COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK FROM VETS & SPOUSESThousands of comments just like these are on Facebook PTSD pages

I'm a spouse of an army veteran. He was in 4 yrs before he got injured in Afghanistan and discharged shortly later. He's been diagnosed with ptsd and on medication. We're now going on 1 yr being out of the service and 2 yrs since his accident. I feel like his symptoms are getting worst. His temper is terrible and it's escalated 100 X's worst. I've been with him for 12 yrs and it's tearing us apart. He use to go to the VA but says talkin to people who have no idea isn't helping. I get that, but he doesn't try to do anything to help us. I'm at a lost. I can't talk to anyone and no one knows what we're going through except you guys. I guess that's why I'm turning here.

7

Sometimes you can get him to talk to you about what happened over there, but sometimes it'll be hard to listen to what they have to say. My husband is diagnosed with PTSD, Bi-lateral knee issues, Anxiety, Depression, Asthma, Inactive TB, and slight memory loss. At first we fought and argued over everything because it set him off. Than after the fight I'd calmly talk to him, explain from my side, then ask him what his view was. You have to talk, and try to relate to each other in different ways. Just remember that he's been through a lot, and is searching for ways to cope just like you are to understand him. 4th of July lasts from 7/1 - 7/7 here in Utah. Freaking hate it So

does my dog. It usually doesn't get me, but we were walking several weeks ago and some went off (before the 1st) and I hit the deck and scared the crap out of my poor dog who was abused as a pup and is afraid of fire and noise.

Why does my husband when waking from a nightmare or sometimes when he gets startled start yelling at me and barking orders. Last night he hit the ground and then he screamed at me to get down when the neighbors car backfired. I tried to tell him it was a car and he tackled me. It is like he is not here when this stuff happens and doesn't even realize it is me. I thought telling him it was a car would help him, but after it was over he wouldn't talk to me about it. I don't know what I am supposed to do to help him and if I understood what he is thinking it would help me a lot.I hope you don't think I'm stupid for asking this but I don't know who else to ask.

Been there and still fighting. Everyday is a struggle, but worth it in every way. Can say I haven't had a thought of suicide in almost 3 years because of friends and family. If any of you are feeling this way and need to talk feel free to send me a message. Stay strong.

Please help. In need of advice: I am a Veteran with PTSD who got out of the Military 2 years ago. Last year I suddenly became depressed and could not get out of bed. In fear of being depressed I had my wife drive me to the VA and I requested to see a Doctor. They got me over to mental health and immediately put me on antidepressants. At first they worked for about 6 months and then I had a relapse and could no longer get out of bed again. I have been prescribed every single kind of major antidepressant and I feel worse than ever. I even developed this extreme anxiety that I had never had in my life. When I am on antidepressants I cannot function through the day because I am in an extreme Zombie Mode. I recently decided to go off antidepressants completely and see if I can fight my depression and anxiety on my own. The medication is so overwhelming that my body can't function with it. I was wondering if anybody had any thoughts or had done this before and had some kind of advice for me. Thank you.

WHAT CAUSES PTSD?People are programmed to respond to threats to their safety. The biological mechanisms that encourage the

powerful and protective “fight or flight” response and maximize physical safety, such as fighting off an attacker, can

create complex problems later if they are not turned back off.

For people with PTSD, the stress response is stuck in the “on” position all the time, which leaves them feeling

constantly agitated, anxious, depressed, hateful, and unable to cope with even mild stressors of every day life.

They lose the ability to make simple choices as they feel their life has gone out of control.

Especially with severe or repeated exposure, the brain can be affected in such a way that makes a person feel like

the event is happening again and again. Repeated experience of the traumatic event prevents healing and may

induce anxiety, sleeplessness, anger, and can lead to substance abuse and suicide.

8

THE THREE PRIMARY ISSUES OF PTSD

1. HOOKED TO THE PAST - People with PTSD may not be able to release or unhook from the memories of the past traumatic event, thus it prevents them from moving forward in

their lives.

2. INTEROCEPTION - PTSD may cause people to disconnect from their bodies which leaves

them feeling numb, dizzy, and unable to recognize physical pain.

3. LOSS OF CONTROL - Having experienced an uncontrollable and traumatic situation,

people with PTSD may lose the ability to make choices in daily life as well as choices about their life direction (learned helplessness).

9

NEUROSCIENCEThe study of brain function and performance

10

The challenge with PTSD is that the traumatic event gets deeply

wired into the circuits of the brain because the event is so vivid.

This deep wiring makes it difficult to leave the event in the past.

Therefore we tend to experience the memory as if it were

happening for real, again and again.

The brain cannot tell the difference

between a memory and rea l i t y.

Therefore, when we remember a

traumatic event, the body creates the

same protective stress response,

which eventually is detrimental to

the body. Peace of mind is impossible.

Neuroimaging findings suggest that after psychological trauma biological changes are not restricted to dysregulation of neurochemical systems but involve alterations in brain function and structure. The challenge for clinicians is to employ therapies for patients with PTSD that prevent, halt or reverse these changes. Functional brain changes after successful treatment have been demonstrated in other conditions (Schwartz et al, 1996) and preliminary data suggest that the same is true for patients with PTSD (Levin et al, 1999).

bjp.rcpsych.org/content/181/2/102.long

PET SCANS SHOW THAT PEOPLE WITH PTSD HAVE SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN.

LET’S TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS!

Medications and talk therapy are the two most common treatments for PTSD today. While these seem to provide benefit in

some cases, they tend to mask symptoms, take a very long time to demonstrate improvement, or cause even more pain

because they ask the person to relive the traumatic experience.

Body-Based Interventions (BBI)

BBIs such as yoga, Pilates, and martial arts are now being used more and more because they are powerful and effective tools for addressing the specific issues of PTSD.

The use of movement, breathing techniques, and specific verbal cueing that rewire the brain, unhook people from past trauma, help them live more comfortably in their body, and re-ignite their choice-

making abilities. Why are these interventions valid?

BREATHING

AFFIRMATION

YOGAMEDITATION

MOVEMENT

HOW DOES YOGA HELP PTSD?

Yoga addresses the 3 primary issues of PTSD (refer to page 9)

1. BE HERE NOWYoga is particularly useful in helping a person unhook from the memory of a past trauma so that life can be experienced

in the present rather than in the past. This is done with specific breathing exercises, focused movement patterns, and

verbal cues that directs the person to feel what’s happening in the present moment.

2. BE IN YOUR BODYThe person with PTSD often disconnects mind from body leaving him/her feeling disconnected from his own body, from

others, and from life itself. This is called interoception. Yoga uses simple but powerful visceral techniques to help the

person reconnect mind and body.

3. BE A CHOICE-MAKERExperiencing a deeply traumatic event that a person has no control over, such as being raped, trapped in a fire fight, or

witnessing military buddies being slaughtered, can cause a loss of ability to make choices in the future. Yoga gives the

person opportunities to make simple choices about the way they move, breathe, and respond that allows them to

rekindle their choice-making abilities.

12

A great deal of PTSD research has been done by Bessel A. van der Kolk M.D., who has been active as

a clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of post traumatic stress and related phenomena since the

1970s. Dr. van der Kolk has done controlled studies demonstrating the benefits of yoga for PTSD.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Bessel A. van der Kolk M.D.

available fall 2014

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Such experiences inevitably leave traces on minds, emotions, and even on biology. Sadly, trauma sufferers frequently pass on their stress to their partners and children.

13

CLINICAL RESEARCH: YOGA AND PTSD

Overcoming Trauma through YogaDavid Emerson and Elizabeth Hopper

Survivors of trauma—whether abuse, accidents, or war—can end up profoundly wounded, betrayed by their bodies that failed to get them to safety and that are a source of pain. In order to fully heal from trauma, a connection must be made with oneself, including one’s body. The trauma-sensitive yoga described in this book moves beyond traditional talk therapies that focus on the mind, by bringing the body actively into the healing process. This allows trauma survivors to cultivate a more positive relationship to their body through gentle breath, mindfulness, and movement practices.

YOGA PROGRAM AT THE VA

I’m currently assisting Ned Timbel, my

colleague at the V.A. Hospital in Denver,

with their yoga program. It is based on in-

depth PTSD research by Bessel A. van der

Kolk M.D.

Military Vets with PTSD are participating in a

7-week inpatient program at the VA Hospital

in Denver for PTSD. The classes are based

on the three solutions from page 12.

The participants are giving great feedback

about how this type of intervention helps

them better than anything they’ve done.

Data is collected that is showing they are

increasing their relaxation and reducing their

symptoms.

14

YOGA AT THE VA HOSPITAL IN DENVER COLORADO

HERE IS THE PROGRAM I HAVE DEVELOPED

15

PROJECTFREEDOM FIGHTER You fought for our freedom. Now let’s fight for yours.

START YOUR TRANSFORMATION

Project Freedom Fighter (PFF) is an online program for PTSD. It is based on principles of neuroscience and the body-based interventions yoga, pilates, martial arts (tai chi), breathing,

meditation, and the research of Dr. van der Kolk (see page 13). These techniques help by weakening the neural connections to traumatic memories and they create new, healthy neural

connections based on rekindling the connection to the body, the breath, and the mind.

THE WORKOUTSEach mind/body workout lasts 30 minutes. Participants do one every day for eight weeks (or as often as they can). Each workout is slightly different but follows a carefully developed method with five phases (see the next page) that represent a specific progression to deeper levels of healing.

30 Minutes to Healing

1 PHASE ONE - PREPARE

2 PHASE TWO - BREATHE

3 PHASE THREE - MOVE

4 PHASE FOUR - AFFIRM

5 PHASE 5 - REST

anatomy of the Freedom Fighter PTSD daily workout

Let go of outside distractions to prepare the mind and body for focused practice.

Various breathing exercises are used to increase body awareness and focus the mind.

Yoga, core, and martial arts movements are used to create attention to the feelings and sensations of the body and the breath.

The body is now ready to rest and affirmative, present-moment thoughts are introduced into the mind.

The mind and body are now ready to rest and rejuvenate while remaining still and silent.

ABOUT 2MINUTES

ABOUT 5MINUTES

ABOUT 13MINUTES

ABOUT 5MINUTES

ABOUT 5MINUTES

16

REPETITION. 8 Weeks of daily 30-minute mind/body exercises on video that are accessed via

the PFF website. If participants do the entire program they do the exercises 56 times (7 days a

week for 8 weeks). The repetition over a period of time is what makes the difference.

CONVENIENCE. The exercises are done in the comfort, convenience, and safety of home.

Participants don’t have to attend a treatment program, hire a therapist, or go to the V.A. hospital.

There is no waiting for months to get services.

EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES. PFF shows participants effective techniques for rewiring the

brain and managing stress even when it is triggered in public, by learning techniques that activate

the body’s relaxation response and deactivates the body’s fight-flight response.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION. These techniques bring the person actively into the healing process

by observing present moment, reconnecting mind and body, and making positive choices. These

experiences rewire the brain to heal the damage of PTSD.

RECOVER. Body-based practices brings the parasympathetic system, which is the body’s

natural recovery system for stress damage, back into equilibrium. Mindfulness practices lowers

levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

SELF-EMPOWERMENT. No one heals for you. You do it yourself. PFF provides the guidance

for participants to find their inner healer which gives them effective tools for releasing pent up

frustrations, rekindling joy and happiness, and moving forward with their life.

17

1

2

3

4

5

6

6 WAYS PFF CREATES CHANGE

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

While no healing program can guarantee a positive result for everyone who uses it, yoga, martial arts, breathing

exercises, and meditative practices have been thoroughly researched. Positive benefits are well documented.

Reduced Stress Levels

Pain Reduction

Lower Blood Pressure

Deeper, Slower

Breathing

Better Balance

Increased Self

Awareness

Feeling Inner Calm

Noticing Thought Patterns

Reduction in Depression

Improved Strength and

Flexibility

Increased Shoulder,

Hips, & Back Mobility

Increased Happiness

More Energy

Improved Body

Awareness

Improved Social

Interactions

18

Participants do pre and post assessments to determine specific improvements (also to be used for research

purposes later). Participants are asked to observe how they feel and what they notice after each 30-minute practice.

After 56 sessions (7 each week for 8 weeks), amazing transformations may be just around the corner.

live every day with intention

~ do what makes you happy~ be with who makes you smile~ laugh as much as you breathe~ love as long as you live

i cheated on my fears, broke up with my doubts, got engaged to my faith, and now I’m marrying my dreams

one of the happiest moments ever is when you feel the courage to let go of what you can’t change

some days you just have to create your own sunshine

let your faith be bigger than your fears

REWARDS!

21

COMPLETED

Stress Management

101

Stress Information

Quiz

PASSED!

days completed

56

Pre-Assessment

Done

Post-Assessment

Done

days completed

40days

completed

25days

completed

10

PFF keeps participants motivated

with a cool system that lets them

earn badges (and maybe even

actual prizes???). For example,

Did you finish the basic course? Great! You just earned the Freedom Fighter badge.

Additional content will be added

that can be completed at any time,

including a great program for

spouses of soldiers with PTSD.

You'll always know how far you've

come by tracking progress on your

personal online calendar in your

private account area. Celebrating

incremental successes with small

rewards acknowledges your efforts

and helps you feel good about your

accomplishment.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS

22

SoundSleep

SLEEPGUIDE

One-MinuteMeditation

NUTRITIONGUIDE

GET STRONG4-week class

Sound HealingWorkshop

FIND YOUR FUTUREPlan For Your Success Program

Em-Wave Stress Management Tools

Additional programming will be developed and made available to all members of

PFF at no additional cost beyond the normal low monthly membership fee (with

the exception of possible equipment purchases).

BEGINNER YOGASERIES

close your eyes ~ clear your heart ~ let it go

be fearlessly authentic

will it be easy? nopewill it be worth it? absolutely

the secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new

the greatest act of courage is to be and own all that you are. without apology. without excuses. without any masks to cover the truth of who you are

there are only two days in the year

that nothing can be done: one is

called yesterday and the other is

called tomorrow, so today is the

right day to love, believe, and live

i am not what happened to me; i am what i choose to become

FUND RAISING CAMPAIGNI NEED YOUR HELP!

I’m doing a campaign to raise the funds to launch Project Freedom Fighter.

My first goal is to raise $1,200. That money will be used to pay a professional video company to produce a 3-minute promotional video of the project and a logo. This is going to be an inspirational video that will spark peoples’ interest in helping our military vets with PTSD. They also will design a great logo and help me with the Freedom Fighter T-shirt!

I will then use the promotional video to create a Kickstarter fund raising campaign, which is an online platform for supporting worthy causes, like mine!

Here’s how you can help. Go to the next page and select one or more “perks”, which are items you can purchase that will help me reach my first goal of $1,200. My bigger goal with the Kickstarter campaign is $12,000. These funds will be used to develop an awesome website that will contain the videos for the basic 8-week PTSD program, email reminder system, additional programs, reward badges, progress calendars, and more.

Read about Crowd Funding on the next page. My perks are on page 26.

24

WHAT IS CROWD FUNDING?

Crowd Funding is a very cool concept. It allows a large number of people to contribute small amounts of money to support a worthy cause. Also, supporters receive cool benefits, like being

able to participate in the program.

Crowd Funding can be highly successful if done correctly. The campaign has to look professional, be thoroughly planned, and it has to be marketed to family, friends, and acquaintances (warm

market) prior to the actual online campaign beginning. With this approach, the campaign gets early support from trusting friends. Then the campaign has a better opportunity to gain

momentum. Campaigns are usually 30 days in length which is like a whirlwind of activity to raise as much money as possible for the cause. It can be intense because if you don’t meet your

designated goal, you don’t get to keep any of the money that was pledged!

There are many crowd funding sites on the web. The most common ones

are Indiegogo and Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a little harder to qualify for but it has millions of followers who contribute frequently. Check

them out at indiegogo.com and kickstarter.com. Some campaigns raise $500 and some raise $500,000!

25

PERKS

$10 Thank you on the website and receive project updates

$35 Freedom Fighter T-shirt (plus S&H. Shipping and size info will be collected later)

$50 8-week Freedom Fighter PTSD program for ONE PERSON

$75 Fundraiser wine & cheese party in Denver for two people. At the party we will have demonstrations of the PTSD yoga techniques and guest speakers.

$100 8-week Freedom Fighter program for TWO PEOPLE

$200 8-week Freedom Fighter programs for FOUR PEOPLE

$500 8-week Freedom Fighter programs for TEN PEOPLE

$1000 8-week Freedom Fighter programs for TEN PEOPLE, program advisor

$5000 8-week Freedom Fighter programs for TEN PEOPLE, program advisor, corporate sponsor

GO TO projectfreedomfighter.jigsy.com TO PURCHASE YOUR PERK(S).

DEADLINEIf you could make your contribution by Friday July 25th, that would be incredibly helpful. Let’s get this thing going. Thank you for your support of my project and of our military vets who deserve our support.

QUESTIONS? Contact me. I’d love to talk! Drew Overholser303-884-2540drewoverholser@gmail.com 26

When you choose one or more of the Freedom Fighter 8-week Programs, you can use the program yourself (it’s awesome for any kind of stress relief or general well-being), you can designate your friends and family to receive the program or a military vet who you know, or we will find a military vet with PTSD to give your program(s) to. You will be his/her sponsor!

APPROXIMATE PROJECT TIMELINE

27

Create promotional video and logo for Kickstarter campaign

30-day pre-campaign promotional blitz

30-day Kickstarter campaign

Website Development

Video shoots and editing

Testing and finalizing

Go live!

JUL 2014 SEP 2014 FEB 2015 MAR 2015OCT 2014

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

I’m incredibly excited about PFF. But I can’t do it without your help. Let’s do it together!

Military PTSD is a huge problem. We need to do something about it.

If we all pitch in we can help the people who fought for our freedom to fight for theirs. They really need our help.

Drew

28

ABOUT MEDrew Overholser, M.A., C.Y.T.

PTSD is serious business and I’m serious about helping military vets get through it as best as possible. Having said that, I’m a fun-loving guy. I enjoy playing golf, hiking, and travel. I’m a huge dog lover. I still miss my buddy Sophie who I lost in the summer of 2012. We were best pals. I’m a Colorado native, born and raised in Montrose. I’ve been living in Denver for the last 25 years.

I have a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology, with an emphasis on cognitive science, statistics, and research methodology. I completed a master’s thesis on learning disabilities.

After college I spent eleven years as a research analyst for Craig Hospital, which is a rehabilitation hospital for people with spinal cord and brain injuries. My education in statistics and research methodology came in handy as I conducted psycho-social research on people with spinal cord and brain injuries. I traveled to national conventions in Seattle, San Antonio, Boston, Orlando, and Vail to present my findings.

My current career is in the yoga field. I completed yoga teacher training in 2000. I owned a yoga studio from 2002 to 2007, and I was the general manager for two others. I have taught thousands of classes, and given many workshops on yoga, health, and healing in the last 14 years. As a yoga teacher I have worked with all kinds of people, from teenagers to seniors, men and women, and people with varying disabilities including MS, Parkinson's, arthritis, and yes, PTSD.

In 2010 I wrote a book called BVibrant, which is a home workout program that helps people take better care of their bodies. I also published a home DVD workout program called 15Minute Fit.

Now I’m looking forward to focusing my efforts on Project Freedom Fighter.

29

You are the

FREEDOM FIGHTERYou took care of us.

Now it’s time to take

care of you. It’s time

get on your happy. It’s

time to reconnect with

your purpose. You only

have one life to live. It’s

time.

True freedom lies in

happiness. It is found

in smiles. It’s found

when joy is shared with

family and friends. The

journey isn’t easy. But

you can do this. You

are a Freedom Fighter.