The military mental health organisation, Rock2Recovery, treat some of our clients
suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and mental health difficulties.
We asked their co-founder Jamie Sanderson to tell us his story.
There I was in Afghanistan, for the second time, a rough
and tough Yorkshire man in the Royal Marines and I was
finding it hard. I was a sergeant, a leader, a sniper and
one of the people others looked up to as an example of
how to behave in difficult conditions.
This wasn’t just the strain from being in a combat zone
where every day could be your last, I was starting to
suffer mentally and didn’t feel like myself anymore.
At first, I tried to hide it but eventually I was diagnosed
with PTSD and sent to Plymouth, where wounded Royal
Marines go for rehabilitation.
I was put on a course of Eye Movement Desensitisation
and Reprogramming, which does a lot of good to many
but not me. I spent a week getting over the experience
as it made me feel worse and then a week worrying
about my next appointment. When I told my therapist
this, she responded by shutting her book and saying that
there was nothing more she could do.
Reaching my lowest ebb
and responding
My abandonment felt complete and very shortly
afterwards my wife had to stop me from taking my
own life.
Thankfully with the help of a life coach and together with
my close friend Jason Fox, from SAS: Who Dares Wins
fame, we started using non-clinical techniques to retrain
the brain into accepting the past and concentrating on
how to refocus on the future.
After some time Jason and I realised how specialist
change management coaching, combined with creative,
sporting or therapeutic activities, can motivate people
to move forward in their lives. So we got together
and merged these strands into Rock2Recovery, the
organisation which offers one-to-one coaching to help
clients refocus and find the activity, or ‘rock’ that will
help them on the road to recovery.
Our approach is to inspire, coach and motivate clients towards a more positive future. We find that this works for
many and, in particular, for those that have tried the established therapies.
There are two key parts to the work we do. The first phase is that clients reach out for help and we provide one-to-one
coaching that is specific to their requirements. The second phase puts the onus on the clients helping themselves.
This is the rock in their lives that will motivate, inspire and encourage them to positively re-focus.
So far we have helped over 350 individuals but we have no magic wand, just a caring team and some outstanding
coaches who strive to help people emerge from their shadows.
If you want to know more then visit our website rock2recovery.co.uk
Inspiring
In December, we were delighted when Jamie Sanderson
and Jason Fox came in to our Manchester office to talk
more about Rock2Recovery and the release of Jason’s
new book ‘Battle Scars’.
The event coincided with our firm wide mental health
and well-being initiative which has included a new
training programme for all of our leaders.
Their message was clear - there isn’t a single solution
that can fit every mental health problem but asking for
help is the first place to start.
In their talk to a packed room both Jamie and Jason
emphasised the importance of changing perceptions
on mental health and promoting creativity, activity and
therapy as techniques to help manage people’s needs.
A must read book
Jason’s book is brutally honest and has a strong focus
on mental health, reinforcing the messages delivered
by Rock2Recovery. Battle Scars takes the reader on
Jason’s journey and shares his personal battles through
diagnosis, medical discharge and then his road to
recovery. It provides the reader with a personal insight
into something we sadly hear on a regular basis from our
clients.
It is summed up best by a line Jason refers to time and
again – “positive change is always possible, so rethink
your thinking.”
Jason’s book ‘Battle Scars: A Story of
War and All That Follows’ is out now.
Published: April 2019
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Spring 2019
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