PTSD Impairs Detection of Emotional Cues

This article has significant relevance for first responders, especially police.  Police are often a traumatized population.  In the last few years they have made many mistakes interpreting motives and danger levels of people they are responding to.  Here in Portland several mentally ill or traumatized individuals have been shot, some fatally, because officer misread cues about the suspects' danger levels.  Now we can see that first responders themselves may become impaired. This new information highlights a need for increased training and psychological awareness on the part of police and others.

Nature, the best healer!

I could say it's the Vitamin D from the summer sun, or the slower pace, or even the sesquiterpenes from the pine trees that are the source of so much healing in Nature. But I'd be wrong.  Nature is just pure magic when it comes to healing from PTSD and other stress related ailments. Swimming in rivers and lakes of pure prana; biking over luscious terrain, or just sitting around a campfire in a fire induced trance, find a way to bring nature into your life on a regular basis. Even just one day will bring noticeable benefits! (credits to daughter, Maya, for this beautiful picture)