Perhaps the most important thing to know about Dr. Cantrell is that the warriors themselves trust her. That kind of trust is a tough to come by in a society that is racing to offer services to "wipe away" symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
The praise from the warriors and family members who have worked with Dr. Cantrell, read her books, or attended her workshops is extraordinary and the warriors know she genuinely cares about them. She understands what they're going through and she knows how to help them reintegrate.
Dr. Cantrell likes to say that, "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." This philosophy helps her gain the trust of our warriors and helps her impart true "care" for those living with PTS.
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Dear Dr. Cantrell,
I have a lot I feel I need to talk about and there are not very many people who understand. As far as people saying that they do not want to listen to a civilian who has never been deployed, I believe that your experience with the military is far more involved than some of the people who are actually enlisted. Hope to hear from you soon.
You saved my son's life.
We were fortunate to attend a Marine Parents conference in Washington, DC. My son was with me and he attended your session. Somehow the three of us ended up at the same place for dinner on the Sunday night after the conference. My son sat across from you and later told me he'd never talked with anyone that related to him like that. He continued to communicate with you, and six months later you met him on your way across country in a city in the midwest and you started an evaluation and counseling with him. Prior to that, attempts and thoughts of suicide were his standard MO. No one got through to him the way you did.
He went on to go to college and graduated in five years. It takes him longer to do everything, he still has nightmares and experiences triggers, but he's living with PTS and looks forward to waking up each morning.
Thank you will never be enough.
Hello Dr. Cantrell,
I met you yesterday at the work shop you had at Evergreen Chapel. I want you to know it was wonderful! My husband and I were actually going through a real rough period, rough enough that a day before you actually had the meetings we were going to call it quits! I had had enough of his attitude and the way he was so different. The next morning when you had the workshop with the warriors, he said he was in shock listening to you. He said he felt you were talking directly to him.
He was going through 85% of what you were briefing them on. He then called me and said he was wrong and that he wanted us to get the help we need. I agreed to go listen to you and I was glad I did. It made me understand his point of view and there were several times I just wanted to cry in front of everyone, but I held up. I was just so emotional that day with everything going on. Now he is fully aware of the situation and he is not in denial. Thank you for taking the time to do this for the families! Once again thank you for bringing our family back together, I really believe God sent you that day.
Dr. Cantrell,
I wanted to take the time to let you know that your briefing today was very informative and I could relate to much of what was discussed. We have so many reintegration briefings and surveys that all say the same things. But the subjects and situations you touched on, while along the same lines, hit closer to home with me.
I used to think that my little stresses about driving on the freeway or sitting facing the door in public places was silly considering that I only went on 21 missions outside the wire. I thought, "Who am I to feel this way when there are so many soldiers who were out there six days a week or for months at a time and all I do is sit behind a desk all day." I did not know that almost everyone who comes back from deployment feel that way.
Do not misunderstand me, I did not believe I was the only one, I just did not think I had a right to feel that way. I appreciate that you spend so much of your time away from home to help soldiers and their families.
I hope to hear from you soon, you are an amazing person and I thank you again.
Dear Dr. Cantrell,
I want to tell you that I got your book Down Range: To Iraq and Back when I was deployed and I had all sorts of ideas about coming home until I read your book. It scared the "shit" out of me. I was better prepared after reading your book.
My wife was going to stock the refrigerator with my favorite beer and all of that. I told her not to have any alcohol in the house, and I also realized I had to give my weapons to someone else for a while.
When I got home I was very angry and I knew after reading your book that I could not afford to let my anger get the best of me. My wife and I are in marriage counseling but it was your book that gave us what we needed to make some good decisions for us, from the beginning.
Your workshop was awesome, I can't tell you how much we appreciate what you have done for us, and for all of us in uniform. Please tell Mr. Dean that I also appreciate his contribution as well.
