We offer three phases of clinically sound three-day programs hosted in the heart of rural Alberta, away from triggers and crowds.
Can Praxis is designed for Veterans/First Responders diagnosed with PTSD/OSI and their spouse/partner/family member. It provides an intense nine day program, divided into three phases each of which is three days long.
Can Praxis Veterans Three Phase Program
Phase 1
Three-day/night program
Equine-Assisted therapy
Veteran with Family Member/Spouse/Partner -OR- First Responder with Family Member/Spouse/Partner.
Maximum 12 participants (six couples)
Offered January – November
Attended by up to 6 couples, veterans and Family Member/Spouse/Partner.
Family Member/Spouse/Partner are equal, always.
The content is divided between:
1) A critically acclaimed mediation practice designed to promote the resolution of conflict between Family Member/Spouse/Partner
2) Equine Assisted Learning is a federally recognized equine discipline. Horses are animals of prey; they instinctively assess if other animals or people are friend or foe. The comfort level of the horse, as demonstrated by its body language, provides participants with instant and accurate feedback about themselves. The horse’s behavior is an invitation to have a conversation. Participants walk alongside the horse and do not ride.
Phase I is run from a private facility near Red Deer, AB.
Click Here To Apply
Phase 2
Three-day/night program
Equine-Assisted therapy, some riding
Veteran -OR- First Responder -OR- Family Member/Spouse/Partner
Maximum 10 participants
Offered June – August
Attended by up to 10 veterans or 10 Family Member/Spouse/Partner who have attended Phase I (participants attend without their Family Member/Spouse/Partner; this provides opportunities to know others who are in a very similar situation and develop a nationwide network of support). Participants can attend Phase II months or years after attending Phase I.
Participants spend three days in central Alberta with an established and experienced horse outfitter, learning to ride and care for horses in a private, relaxed ranch setting. A debriefing by the camp fire each evening with facilitators are times to recall lessons learned on Phase I and discuss how to continue using accumulated knowledge and experience. These three days are also an opportunity to understand, and be understood by, peers from all over Canada. Accommodation consists of small, basic but comfortable cabins for three people.
Click Here To Apply
Phase 3
Three-day/night program
Equine-Assisted therapy, outdoor adventure
Veteran -OR- First Responder with Family Member/Spouse/Partner.
Maximum 12 participants (six couples)
Offered June – August
Pre-requisite: Phase 2
Attended by up to 6 couples, veterans and Family Member/Spouse/Partner who are sufficiently stable in their relationship to achieve three days in the wilderness without disruptive conflict.
Click Here To Apply
What Phase 1&2 are for
After Phase one, participants become a part of the alumni peer-support network, a growing group that supports the sustainability of lessons learned in treatment.
We reduce as many triggers as we can for Phase one and two.
What happens during Phase 3 & how it works
Then we intentionally reintroduce controlled triggers in Phase three, so we can help participants understand the nature of their injuries, and allow them to practice their self-mediation skills in a controlled setting.
Psychoeducation, group therapy, and experiential learning to teach awareness, communication and conflict resolution.
Horses are experts at reading body language and pick up on all the non-verbal cues we bring to an interaction.
Can Praxis uses familiar training methods to help Veterans and First Responders recover.
We aim to help participants regain hope, increase awareness of themselves, and improve their quality of life by reducing the prevalence of crisis and conflict and negative impacts of OSI on the sufferer and those around them.
After the Program
We teach participants long-term strategies and skills to reduce and manage symptoms.
We continue to build a network of support by engaging participants in a shared experience, and providing them with a virtual network of comrades nation-wide.
In addition, we connect participants with community supports (such as local OSI clinics and medical professionals).
Click Here To Apply
The Injury & The Injured
Doctors now recognize that PTSD / OSI is a physical injury as well as psychological condition; using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), radiologists have demonstrated that the brain injury is visible. The irony is that in everyday life the injury is invisible and is often discounted. “You’re not in a wheel chair, so you’re not injured.”
Of course, the reality is that the daily life of one with PTSD / OSI is in many ways turned upside down: reliving trauma while awake and nightmares while asleep cause anxiety, racing heart or sweating.
People with PTSD / OSI avoid places, events or anything thing that reminds them of the trauma.
They are easily startled.
Depression, suicidal tendencies, hyper-vigilance are normal features of PTSD.
So, too, are crisis and conflict.
Marriage and family relationships suffer greatly.
Family Member/Spouse/Partner
Are spouses and family members be effected by the veterans’ PTSD?
Spouses attending Can Praxis report that they also experience symptoms of PTSD. This is known as secondary PTSD.
As the saying goes, ‘If you’re standing next to a puddle and someone throws a rock in, everyone gets splashed.’
So, spouses and children are often anxious, hyper-vigilant and experience other difficulties too.
At Can Praxis, it becomes clear that the Family Member/Spouse/Partner are absolutely vital to the recovery of the veterans and that the spouses’ needs are of equal importance to the veterans’ needs.
Click Here To Apply
Canadian Veterans and First Responders (Serving OR Retired) have to of been diagnosed with Operational Stress Injury (OSI), such as PTSD.
If you are looking for support, have been Diagnosed with operational stress injury such as PTSD…
Then this is the right PROGRAM for you!
Click Here To Apply
Couples who suffer the effects of PTSD /OSI experience increased crisis and conflict.
All activities at Can Praxis are designed to reduce conflict and crisis by increasing Couples’/Spouses/Partners/Family Members ability to manage them with a proven, practical strategy.
Click Here To Apply
Programs are free for participants.
We pay for the program, as well as flights, meals, accommodations, and childcare (in hardship situations) so participants can attend.
We are proud to host our Phase one programs at Horse in Hand Ranch Ltd, home of the Central Alberta Equestrian Federation in Blackfalds, Alberta.
Bringing participants to a new environment and removing the stressors and demands of daily life allows them to focus on the program.
We want to set up our participants up for optimal success, so we have intentionally designed an experience away from triggers, chaos, and crowds, so they can focus on themselves.
Click Here To Apply
Equine-Assisted Therapy
Horses are hyper-vigilant “flight” animals and are experts at reading body language.
Our programs use horses as a teaching aid.
Veterans'
Programs
Military culture and family life is unique, so we host programs specifically for Veterans and their Spouses/Partners/Family Members based on which branch they are coming from.
Program Goals & Outcomes
To help participants regain hope, increase awareness of themselves, and improve their quality of life by reducing the prevalence of crisis and conflict and negative impacts of OSI on the sufferer and those around them.
We teach participants long-term strategies and skills to reduce and manage symptoms, rather then just teaching you how to put a band-aid on the issue and ignore it.
We continue to build a network of support by engaging participants in a shared experience, and providing them with a virtual network or comrades nation-wide. In addition, we connect participants with community supports, such as local OSI clinics and medical professionals.
We aim to help the participants renew their interest in life, improve their ability to communicate and experience more positive relationships.
We aim to help participants recognize what is a crisis vs. conflict, when to press and when to release.
Our aim is to help with overall symptom reduction, increase resilience, and help with the long term ability to manage OSI effectively long after you have left the program.
Even after you have left the program, active membership in a network of continued peer-support will continue which will help with increasing awareness and acceptance of additional interventions, such as addictions counselling, where applicable.
Therapies
Psychoeducation, Group Therapy, and Experiential Learning to teach awareness, communication and conflict resolution.
Goals
- To help participants regain hope, increase awareness, and improve their quality of life!
- To teach long-term strategies rather then giving band-aids.
- To continue building our community of supports for all!
