Getting ready for road trip to change your life

PTSD Patrol

Kathie Costos

June 18, 2020

Today starts your road trip to Happier Life! Everyday there will be videos shot when I lived in Florida that covers the parts of the vehicle you drive and how they related to the vehicle you live in. Healing PTSD is possible if you get the right road map to get you there!
#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife

Starting tomorrow, videos on this will be republished from ones shot in Florida. 

PTSD Patrol Ending Road Rage

PTSD Patrol

Kathie Costos

June 17, 2020

If you were combat. the vehicle you did your job in, was bringing you toward danger. If you were in Law Enforcement, it was taking you into danger. For firefighters and EMTs, it was taking you toward danger. If you were in an accident, being behind the wheel afterwards is hard too. 

If you have PTSD and experienced road rage because of your jobs, this may help you learn how to avoid it in the future. 

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife

Driving lessons and detours

PTSD Patrol

Kathie Costos

June 16, 2020

Yesterday I managed to put up the video, but nothing else. This post is about driving lessons and detours.

This is the video from yesterday.

Today it was one thing after another, but finally managed to do what i wanted to do. Most days are like that for a lot of people, especially living with #PTSD. If you have not done the first steps, please go back and review them, or the following will not help you as much.
#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife

Today I had to do a couple of errands. We have only lived here about six months and while I am used to driving places I normally go to without a GPS, I have to use it for every other trip.

There was a detour on my way home and I had to follow the signs to find my way. Having PTSD is a very unfamiliar road for you. With following the signs that show you the way to get where you want to go...you'll get there!

When you are trying to heal as a survivor, confusion is like running into a detour. A familiar road is not open to you, so you have follow the signs to figure out how to get to where you want to go. Healing PTSD is the same feeling, when you know where you want to go, but things get messed up. You need to follow directions and get you to your destination. #BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife

Lesson 6 resting in neutral to heal PTSD

PTSD Patrol

Kathie Costos

June 14, 2020

When the bad memory of the event, or events, park in your mind, it is necessary to go into reverse and retrieve the good memories that were left behind.

It could be acts of compassion, bravery, any other good memory that helped you get through the event and redeem your faith in humanity. 

In the video today, I mention September 11th when so many people did whatever they could to help others survive that day. There were more of them doing good than the few who decided to do something so horrible to people they did not know.

In the rearview mirror, I used an image that showed one of those moments. The thing is, what came afterwards is just as powerful when the woman in the photograph, hired the photographer who memorialize this act of compassion.

Woman Pictured in Iconic 9/11 Photo Hires Same Photographer for Wedding 17 Years Later 

Fstoppers 

by Jack Alexander 

September 18, 2018 

17 years after she became the subject of one of the most iconic photos from the 9/11 terror tragedy, a woman has hired the photographer behind the image to be her wedding photographer. 

Joanne "JoJo" Capestro was one of the lucky people who managed to make it out of the World Trade Center’s North Tower alive. As seen in photographer Phil Penman’s photo, she and a colleague were walking away from the site, clearly shaken up and covered in thick white dust and debris. 

Back then, she had no idea that it was renowned street photographer Penman that had captured her in the moment of crisis. 

The pair later formally met back in 2015 at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, where Penman’s photo of Capestro was on display. And in coming full circle, on August 11th of this year, he fulfilled the duty of capturing Capestro’s wedding day, 17 years later. read their story here

After you went into reverse, hopefully you found some memories during the event that were good. Maybe it was one, or two, or many more. They can become just as powerful as the terrible memory was. Going into neutral gear, rest and think about those good memories until they become stronger and stronger. You will need them for when we discuss going into the drive forward when you #BreakTheSilence of #PTSD and #TakeBackYourLife

Lesson five: Going in reverse to heal PTSD

PTSD Patrol

Kathie Costos

June 13, 2020

Before you automatically get upset, this is not about cognitive therapy. This is about going back to pick up memories your mind dropped off.

Survivors still struggle one year after the Las Vegas shooting

Mandalay Bay was the deadliest mass shooting in modern history.

58 killed Around 10 p.m. Sunday (1 a.m. ET), gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort on a crowd watching Aldean. Several weapons were located in the 64-year-old Paddock's hotel room. Police reported at least 58 people were killed and more than 500 people were injured in the shooting.

Horrible memories for the families of those killed, and for the wounded...but also for those who witnessed it. This is PTSD territory. No one goes there on purpose. The road is always marked by DANGER signs no one sees until it is too late.

The murderer knew what he planned but no one else did. None of the 22,000 who were there thought about anything other than having a good time, listening to music and having fun. 

That took hold of everyone. It hitched a ride in their memories. But the wondrous thing is that other memories tried to hitch a ride too. Going back to pick them up, is one of the most important steps to begin to heal.

Among all those who were killed, wounded, traumatized and went on automatic pilot for flight, there were hundreds doing whatever they could to help. They rushed to help strangers...protect others and then comfort those who needed it.

When terrible things happen, especially because of what someone does, your mind will hang onto that memory because it caused everything else. You mind and sense also took in the images of people who went on autopilot to fight, risk their lives to help others make it out of there.

Go back and get those good images back and that will let you remember that compassion was there that day too.
Here is a good place to start to understand how much power there is in that lesson.

‘I felt safe with him’: Woman marries man who saved her in Las Vegas mass shooting 

“Next thing I knew, Austin was holding my hand and we were running through the entire grounds trying to make it to safety,” she told People.

At first, both thought the noises were fireworks. Monfort said he felt compelled to protect her once he realized what was happening. 

“I felt a sense of responsibility for Chantal,” Monfort, 24, told People. “She was with me and not her friends. I felt like not only did I have to get myself out, but also her. Keeping her calm and getting her out kept me calm, and didn’t allow me to panic.”