Yes, I think you're right. There are folks in the transition program...it does include symptom reduction, but there's a need for assistance in transition to get them connected with their families and headed toward being re-employed or getting a new job and so on.
But we do process the trauma first. I need to say that. Our program has a little broader spectrum than just symptom treatment. Let me try to explain it this way. When people have psychological injuries from trauma, they cannot do anything until that's repaired. They come to our group and have symptoms such as flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, depressive reactions, inattention, and so on. Their families are fed up with them and they are going to get fired from their jobs, so we have to say, “Okay, let's get this symptoms management reduced first”. They call it dropping the baggage, and that often means telling stories of what happened to them, of what they witnessed, what they saw, and of what they have to let go.
Then they have relief from the intensity of the symptoms and they can concentrate on getting their families back. They can say: “I want a life. I don't want to live out in the bush country in a cabin by myself with an ammunition store. I want to come back into the community”.
That's what I really want to convey to the people today: that the psychological injury from war-related traumas is so serious around disorganizing people's ability to function. They can't do anything, so it's not helpful to offer courses or training until they drop the baggage and engage in trauma repair. Then they can move on. I know that's a long answer to your question, but that's exactly how the transition program works over the three months.