Book Reading
An engaged group gathered at The White Rose Bookstore in Holyoke on 6 November for a reading and demonstration by Tom from his book,
Combat Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Holisitic Approach. (Levellers Press 2012). Great questions and great conversation. Thanks to the White Rose for hosting this event in recognition of Veterans Day and to the amazing group of folks who braved the rain to attend.
Tom's book can be purchased at The White Rose in Holyoke, at Collective Copies in Amherst and Florence, or online at the Levellers Press website or amazon.com.
Less Good News
As you may remember from past newsletters, in early April, Tom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized extensively to the bone. Until a few weeks ago, treatment was doing really well to keep the cancer under control, Tom was teaching KNSA classes twice weekly in Holyoke, and we continued outreach and working with folks across the country interested in starting KNSA programs, and other activities as reported in past newsletters. Unfortunately, that treatment is no longer working effectively, so Tom will be starting chemotherapy soon. We have a strong medical team in place and his oncologist tells us that, often, the more aggressive the cancer, the more aggressively it responds to treatment, so we remain optimistic and will continue to move KNSA forward. If you have contacted us and not heard back yet, please feel free to contact us again. We want to assure everyone that we are still here and committed to helping all of you who want to do this important work.
Our commitment remains the same as it was when the cancer diagnosis was first made: to ensure that Tom has enough time and energy to bring KNSA to a self-sustaining place, capable of continuing to develop and teach effective principles and methods for bringing Aikido to vets and enabling aikidoka to establish successful programs based on those principles and methods. We do not yet know how the chemotherapy will effect him, but we are committed to making KNSA as strong and sustainable as possible and Tom is determined to hang around long enough to see that it happens. With your patience, healing energy, and continued support, it will!
Holyoke Class
The number of vets and their families who were attending the KNSA classes at the War Memorial Building in Holyoke had been growing, so we are very sorry to announce that those classes will not be meeting for a while. Our hope is to start the class again as soon as Tom's health and treatment are stabilized. We will certainly let you all know when classes resume.
Aiki Extensions National Conference
KNSA has been invited to conduct a full-day pre-conference Train-the-Trainers workshop on 27 March 2015 at the Aiki Extensions National Conference in Fredericksburg, Virginia, 28-29 March. The workshop will train attendees in the KNSA approach to teaching Aikido to veterans with combat-related PTSD. Further information about the conference and workshop will be available soon.
Support KNSA
As you think about your end of the year charitable donations, please consider KNSA as one of the organizations to support. Your contribution will help make it possible for KNSA to continue to bring the healing power of Aikido to those who have give so much.
Make your donation here.
KNSA is a 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Research opportunities
Qualitative and quantitative research analyst graduate students: We would also be very interested in working with a graduate student[s] interested in researching the effects of Aikido on people with PTSD. One of the sources of resistance to getting recognition from the VA and other major sources of funding is the lack of objective data. There is a wealth of anecdotal evidence and subjective reports supporting Aikido’s effectiveness, but hard evidence from well structured, scientific research is lacking.
