PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Army veteran Forest Spall says he’s come a long way thanks to alternative therapy sessions.
“These therapies have changed my life. No doubt about it.”
Experts say accelerated resolution therapy, or ART, reprograms the way people store bad memories in the brain, changing how they react to those memories.
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“I had no meaning purpose in my life and through ART, yoga and eye rest I have purpose and meaning in my life.”
Former Green Beret Brian Anderson used these techniques too.
Now, he helps local veterans deal with their issues too at the Veterans Alternative, a non-profit he founded in Holiday.
“46% reduction in PTSD. 61% in depression. 56% in anxiety," he said rattling off statistics of the successfully treatments he's seen.
Anderson is very encouraged about a new bill that will finally cover alternative therapies under Veterans Benefits.
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"They set the foundation for us to build something really big. And what I mean by really big is, now we are talking about mental health and psycho social well being decentralized," said Anderson.
Florida is now the first state in the country to cover ART treatments for veterans.
“These alternative that we have inside the bill, these are therapies with great results. Warriors are testifying to how they have helped them on their path to recovery post-war," said Anderson.
The Veterans Alternative will continue to serve those in need in Holiday.
And now they say they’ll be able to help many more when a new center opens in Tampa in September.
For more information on the Veterans Alternative click here.
