Service, PTSD, and Support
85 Minutes
Resource Review(minus 15 minutes if completed before class)
Fighter
Guided Discussion
Chained
Guided Discussion
Closing Thoughts and Evaluations
Participants will be able to:
Read and discuss clinical information about PTSD
Draw conclusions about protagonists, make interpretations about films, and demonstrate empathy through reflection and discussion
Compare different ways in which PTSD can impact different people
Analyze the impacts of stigma surrounding experiencing symptoms of PTSD and seeking support
"Service and PTSD" invites students to reflect upon their own experience with posttraumatic stress disorder through a short drama depicting one man's felt experience of PTSD symptoms, and a short documentary about a family of three generations of firefighters. Students are invited to read and reflect on an overview, list of symptoms, and treatment information about PTSD. Using that knowledge, they will watch, reflect on, and discuss the films, that both explore how PTSD might feel for those who live with the condition. The class concludes with a chance to reflect and set intentions around supporting ourselves.
Note: This class includes supplementary materials that can be completed at the start of class or assigned as homework. If assigned as homework, the class duration may be approximately 15 minutes shorter.
topics covered
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
aom nutrients
Empathy, Honest Self Reflection
casel sel
Self-awareness, Self-management, Responsible decision making
wellness wheel
Emotional
identities
White, Man / male, Adult
film style
Documentary, Drama
Films Included
Fighter
Fighter asks the tough, awkward, and infrequent questions about mental health to three generations of firefighters. Home movies and impromptu conversations are woven into interviews in this deeply personal reflection on intergenerational connection, trauma and coping, and how expectations of masculinity in firefighting have an impact on mental health.
film style
Documentary
identities
White, Man / male, Adult
Chained
A man fights his battle with PTSD. Only after his breaking point does a moment of clarity come, and he discovers help is there and it’s closer than he thinks.
film style
Drama
identities
White, Man / male