Last week, I attended a delightful get together at the NewYork-Presbyterian Military Family Wellness Center in New York City.  Directors JoAnn DiFide and Yuval Neria discussed promising new initiatives designed to help Veterans and their families cope with PTSD and TBI.

Dr. Neria is Professor of Medical Psychology at the Columbia University Medical Center and “Scientific Advisor” to Stand for the Troops (“SFTT”).  Found below is a photograph of Dr. Neria together with Eilhys England, the CEO and Chairperson of SFTT.

Yuval Neria and Eilhys England

Dr. Neria leads a PTSD and Trauma Research and Treatment Program at Columbia University designed to “improve the lives of individuals exposed to trauma through premier mental health services, innovative translational research and education and training of the next generation of lead physician-scientists.”

At Columbia’s research center, Dr. Neria is spearheading several projects “aimed to advance research on the neurobiological mechanisms of PTSD and the brain’s resilience to its effects.”  In particular, SFTT was deeply involved in helping to fund a program (fMRI study) that helps traumatized individuals develop the mechanisms to distinguish between safe and dangerous situations.

More recently, Dr. Neria has become interested in evaluating the benefits of equine-assisted therapy.    The Man O’War Project is the outgrowth of that initiative and was launched in partnership with The Earle I. Mack Foundation, Columbia University Medical Center, The New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Bergen County Equestrian Center.

The Man O’War Project is the first-ever clinical research study to determine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy (“EAT”) and establish guidelines for the treatment of military veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”).

The goal of the Man O’War Project is to “develop a manual for EAT-PTSD that can be delivered in a standardized fashion.”  In an initial test program 8 Veterans experienced a reduction in PTSD symptoms of between 26% and 74% over eight weeks in a non-riding group.

This year (2017), the Man O’War Project hopes to test 60 Veterans using a rigorous standardized clinical testing procedure and then to publish their findings in the hope of seeking grants for larger scale research projects and the dissemination of standardized training to other equine facilities that support Veterans.

With the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) “missing in action” to help Veterans with PTSD, it is reassuring to see our prominent Universities and  Medical Centers taking a vital role in helping to develop new therapy programs for Veterans suffering from brain trauma.

If you would like to learn more about the Man O’War Project please CLICK HERE.    SFTT is honored that Dr. Yuval is an important member of our Medical Task Force.  To learn more about the promising therapy programs supported by SFTT, visit our Rescue Coalition.