The self-help industry appears, from its name alone, to be a good thing: who doesn’t want to help themselves? Who doesn’t want to be more independent and self-sufficient? However, as I discuss in this week’s blog and podcast, it does have a darker side, and can often make us more self-involved and isolated, which, in turn, can have a negative affect on both our mental and physical health.
In many cases, the $45 billion dollar a year self-help industry is problematic because it promotes the idea that to be better you have to focus on the self as an individual, which is only half the picture. Yes, we do need to take the time to see to our own health and work on ourselves, both mentally and physically (as I have mentioned many times before!), but this is not the be all and end all of life. A “me, myself and I” mentality tends to distort our perspectives and values, impacting the way we see and interact with those around us and setting up negative feedback loops in the brain that impact our overall health and wellbeing.

​“Some of my earliest childhood memories revolve around dogs & horses"  says Sandra LaFlamme, a Iowa native from Mt. Pleasant, and head injury survivor who serves as President for National PTSD Service Association. "Success through guided recovery has always been one of my greatest teachers and now I am giving that gift to those who served our Country.”

Today Sandra fondly recalls how her grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins would all gather to ride & show horses, sitting around in a horse show arena with a judge in the center. “Working with dogs to assist people is like opening presents on Christmas morning—I know the gift of getting out of confusion and achieving success brings the whole family together in celebration like horses did for me.”

In 2016, Sandra and her husband Mark LaFlamme USAF Retired collaborated to form NPTSD.org and plant the gift that they both have so richly received.  Helping 100's and striving to help 1000's of lives affected by PTSD.

It’s estimated that 6.8% of the U.S. population will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. For veterans, that number increases to 12.9% of just the veteran population. With this increased number, it’s important for veterans, especially those with PTSD, to have methods for coping with their traumatic experiences. While there are many ways to aid veterans with PTSD, having a high-skilled service dog can help veterans with PTSD function and even flourish in daily life. 

Benefits of Service Dogs for Veterans

Veteran trauma may present itself as anger, depression, angression, and general stress as well as physical limitations and disabilities. This expression of trauma is not only problematic for veterans, but it can affect their family environment, other relationships, and their work performance. 

Service dogs can provide support in a multitude of ways. 

Physical Assistance

These highly-skilled animals not only provide consistency and comfort, but they can offer physical aid through small tasks such as turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors or cabinets, and aid the visually impaired as well as giving assistance in public spaces. 

Emotional Assistance

Dogs can also provide emotional support. For some, dogs can help foster communication and assertiveness when veterans use commands for their dogs. These dogs may also support their veterans who experience nightmares or anxiety in public. In certain situations, these dogs may be able to provide a buffer between veterans and other people or circumstances. 

Beyond these benefits and giving support, service dogs can help veterans return to a life that is mostly normal. They can function in society and in their workplace with confidence. Organizations like the National PTSD Service Association aim to help as many qualified veterans as possible through the aid of their highly trained dogs and staff. 

​

With the growing need and use for comfort animals, there has been some confusion about whether these animals are service animals and should be given the same protections and access to different environments. While emotional needs are important, service animals tend to have a bigger role in the daily life of individuals who need them. Service dogs, such as the ones trained by the National PTSD Service Association, are specially trained to support their owners not only emotionally, but physically and mentally to ensure stability throughout the day. 

Using the Right Terms
Animals used to comfort their humans are not the same as service animals. Often incorrectly referred to as Emotional Support Animals (ESAs, a type of service animal), comfort animals are meant to provide comfort to their humans while ESAs provide a service to their owners who have a disability. ESAs and service animals perform specific tasks and work functions such as guiding the visually impaired, detecting seizures or blood sugar levels, and in the case of those who suffer from PTSD, these service animals can prevent traumatic thoughts and responses to daily situations. 
One important distinction is that service animals are not pets. Service animals are trained for specific tasks. Often people will deem their pets emotional support animals for comfort, but these animals are not trained to help those with disabilities. Many times, this lack of distinction causes unintentional discrimination toward those with service animals in workplaces, housing, and shopping centers. 

Avoiding Unintentional Discrimination
When it comes to discriminatory or unfair practices, usually the intent is obvious. However, discrimination can be unintentional. If practices, policies, or using terminology incorrectly results in the unfair treatment of people, they are discriminatory regardless of intent. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that we do not refer to comfort animals as service animals. It’s important that we do not say our pets are ESAs in order to bring them with us into the grocery store, for example. This overload of false action can and has put restrictions on people with disabilities who actually need service animals to perform and live their lives. 

Be Part of the Mission, Learn More
By visiting our website, www.NationalPTSDServiceAssociation.org you can learn more about the programs we offer, donate, or learn more about our training facility. Our organization is a social media forward company, and we can be reached via Facebook as well. 

Any other questions can be emailed to me at: ptsd.assistance@gmail.com. You can also call me at 941-961-5069.

Best wishes,
Sandra

​As the COVID-19 crisis lingers, food scarcity has become a prevalent problem people and our beloved pets. We are proud to partner with Mayor’s Feed the Hungry for a food drive that benefits both people and their pets. The Pets Are Hungry, Too! Food drive will be on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 9AM to 12Noon, 1036 6th Street West Sutton Park in Palmetto.

Over the years, the National PTSD Service Association has worked to help veterans with PTSD return to a normal life through the aid of their highly trained service dogs, and now, by partnering with Mayor’s Feed the Hungry, we will be able to ensure veterans and their service animals are fed as well.

Be Part of the Mission, Learn More
By visiting our website, www.NationalPTSDServiceAssociation.org you can learn more about the programs we offer, donate, or learn more about our training facility. Our organization is a social media forward company, and we can be reached via Facebook as well.
​
Any other questions can be emailed to me at: ptsd.assistance@gmail.com. You can also call me at 941-961-5069.
Best wishes,
Sandra

Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Partners with National PTSD Service Association
 
Palmetto,FL–February 8, 2021 – Mayors’ Feed the Hungry is partnering with the National PTSD Service Association in a “Pets are Hungry, Too!” people and pet food drive. The food drive will benefit families and veterans struggling to feed their four-legged fur babies due to the COVID–19 crisis on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 9AM to 12Noon, 1036 6th Street West Sutton Park in Palmetto.
 
Local Mayors and other officials will officiate a ceremony at 10 AM to celebrate the event.
 
"Our organization is proud to provide highly skilled service dogs to qualified military veterans with PTSD, empowering them to return to life with confidence and independence, says Sandra LaFlamme, president of the National PTSD Service Association.  “We are delighted to team up with Mayors' Feed the Hungry for the Pets Are Hungry, Too! food drive."
 
The National PTSD Service Association and Mayors’ Feed the Hungry both serve families and veterans throughout southwest Florida and understand the dire need to provide pet food assistance for families that are also trying to put food on the family table. 
 
Mayors’ Feed the Hungry will showcase their newly donated refrigerated truck, which was a gift of Impact 100 SRQ. The organization is now accepting all kinds of  food: fresh, frozen and non-perishable as well as pet food.
 
“Since our founding in 1987, the Mayor’s Feed the Hungry Program has collected and distributed over 600 tons of food and over$4,000,000 in food gift cards given to the hungry in Sarasota and Manatee counties,” says executive director Scott Biehler. “It’s more than appropriate that we also consider the faithful companions who also need support.”

Please help us feed as many as you can. Make your tax-deductible donation now: Text the word GIVE to 941-275-203. Donate online at our secure website, mayorsfeedthehungry.org/ Mail a check to Mayors’ Feed the Hungry, PO Box 1992, Sarasota FL 3423

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PTSD SERVICE ASSOCIATION
The National PTSD Service Association, Inc. is a nonprofit agency that provides service dogs by clinical referral at no cost to veterans and public safety personnel in need, empowering them to live fulfilled lives. With 22 suicides a day to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the National PTSD Service Association is providing a solution that works: highly trained service dogs for veterans and first responders with PTSD.
​To learn more, visit https://www.nationalptsdserviceassociation.org/. 
 
ABOUT MAYORS’ FEED THE HUNGRY
Since its beginning in 1987, the Mayors’ Feed the Hungry Program has raised over 4 million dollars, feeding over 765,000 members in need throughout the local communities. This volunteer organization launched with the mission to collect funds and distribute them during the holiday season, and has since expanded to include food drives, community feedings and food gift cards for those in need. To learn more, visit https://mayorsfeedthehungry.org/.
 
ABOUT IMPACT100 SRQ
Impact100 SRQ is one of more than sixty chapters worldwide and joins its sister chapters in embracing the local collective giving model. Formed in 2017, Impact100 SRQ brings together a diverse group of women that annually fund transformational grants to local nonprofits in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties.  The model is simple. At least 100 women each give a $1,000 tax deductible donation, and together they collectively award grants in increments of at least $100,000 to local nonprofits in five focus areas: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment & Recreation, Family and Health & Wellness.  Each member’s annual donation strengthens the power of giving and funds the innovative projects that make a high “Impact” and sustainable difference in our community. To learn more, visit https://impact100srq.org. The 2021 Impact100 SRQ Membership Drive is underway. Click here to become a member.

The nice thing about working with the National PTSD Service Association is we provide working dogs to veterans and first responders with PTSD. Despite common beliefs, a service dog is not a family pet—it is a high-skilled and trained dog with the American with Disabilities Act
(ADA), and a person requires a real disability to have one. Not only do veterans and first responders with PTSD benefit from the aid of their service dogs, but their families do as well.
Accompanied by his service dog, one husband has gone from isolation to winning volunteer of the year at his son’s elementary school. A service dog can mean a return to normalacy, but also a means of flourishing in society. With your continued support, we can provide 100 dogs to persons with PTSD, allowing them a chance to thrive. It takes $7500 and 2-4 months to train the handler and service dog, and a donation is one small step to changing a veteran’s or first responder’s life along with their families.
We appreciate your support, and we continue to go long and strong!

Be Part of the Mission, Learning More
By visiting our website, www.NationalPTSDServiceAssociation.org you can learn more about
the programs we offer, donate, or learn more about our training facility. Our organization is a social media forward company, and we can be reached via Facebook as well.
Any other questions can be emailed to me at: ptsd.assistance@gmail.com. You can also call me at 941-961-5069.  Wishing you and your family best wishes,
Sandra 

Every critical mission has a price. In this case, we're talking about the financial investment necessary for
the very best training and care for a National PTSD Service Association service dog as well as the costs
associated with matching and training a qualified veteran to trust and live with their dog.
Among the ways your generous donation is put to work:
Food / Veterinary care / Boarding / Equipment (leashes, service dog identification, etc.) / Trainer Fees /
Veteran dog training
With your help, our work will help bring help them navigate the daily obstacles that come with PTSD.
Learn more, visit Nationalptsdserviceassociation.org.
Be Part of the Mission, Learn More
By visiting our website, www.NationalPTSDServiceAssociation.org you can learn more about
the programs we offer, donate, or learn more about our training facility. Our organization is a
social media forward company, and we can be reached via Facebook as well.
Any other questions can be emailed to me at: ptsd.assistance@gmail.com. You can also call me
at 941-961-5069.
Best wishes,
Sandra​

Veterans and the family members who love them, being together at home for the holidays should
be a time of joy and peace. However, those dealing with PTSD, being at home and navigating the
holiday hustle and bustle can feel like anything but joy and peace.
At the National PTSD Service Association our mission is to match highly skilled Service Dogs
with qualified military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury,
and/or military sexual trauma by empowering them to return to life with confidence and
independence through a bonded partnership with their assistance dog.
With your help, our work will bring holiday cheer into veteran homes this very season.
The National PTSD Service Association is a Sarasota, Florida-based non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization providing service dogs to qualified military veterans throughout southwest Florida.
Be Part of the Mission, Learn More
By visiting our website, www.NarionalPTSDServiceAssociation.org you can learn more about
the programs we offer, donate, or learn more about our training facility. Our organization is a
social media forward company, and we can be reached via Facebook as well.
Any other questions I can be emailed to me at: ptsd.assistance@gmail.com. You can also call me
at 941-961-5069.
Wishing you and your family warm holiday wishes,
Sandra

A post-deployment veteran may struggle with depression and anger, leaving them at greater risk for divorce, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide. In a veteran’s daily life, they have challenges that therapy and medication cannot address, which is why the National PTSD Service Association believes service dogs are so important.

Our Mission
Based in Sarasota, Florida, our organization, the National PTSD Service Association, provides trained service dogs to fit a veteran's emotional and physical needs. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, it’s our mission to help veterans through their struggles by empowering them to return to life with confidence and independence through their partnership with their service dog.
​
The National PTSD Service Association supports the PAWS Act of 2019 and provides service dog grants and assistance to qualified veterans with PTSD in Florida from Charlotte County to Hillsborough County. We work with veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma. We hope to help veterans regain as much of their pre-deployment lives as possible.

Our Service Dogs
Our service dogs are trained to read the feelings and the mindset of their handlers. Through this partnership, our service dogs help veterans navigate the daily obstacles that come with PTSD. When triggered, these service dogs act to help bring their handlers' attention to the present moment. This distraction acts as a comfort to reduce stress and anxiety, allowing veterans to calmly get through situations that trigger PTSD symptoms.
​
Be Part of the Mission, Learn More
By visiting our website, www.NationalPTSDServiceAssociation.org you can learn more about the programs we offer, donate, or learn more about our training facility. Our organization is a social media forward company, and we can be reached via Facebook as well.
Any other questions I can be emailed to me at: info@NationalPTSDServiceAssociation.org. You can also call me at 941-961-5069.
Wishing you and your family warm holiday wishes,
Sandra