After the War
Surviving PTSD and Changing Mental Health Culture
Description
After serving in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide and civil war, Lieutenant Colonel Stéphane Grenier returned to Canada haunted by his experiences. Facing post-traumatic stress disorder and an archaic establishment, he spent ten years confronting--and changing--the military mental health system from within.
Coining the term “Operational Stress Injury” to allow the military to see mental injury in the same light as a physical wound, Grenier founded the Operational Stress Injury Social Support program that provides help for mentally injured soldiers and veterans.
Since retiring from the military in 2012, his groundbreaking approach has been adopted by civilian society. Through his social enterprise Mental Health Innovations, Grenier delivers his direct “walk the talk” method to improve mental well being in government and business.
Reviews
"Grenier's prescription for change includes eliminating stigma, creating less toxic workplaces, and introducing situation-specific supports that bypass what he calls the rigid and outmoded approaches in military and psychiatric hierarchies. As psychologically wounded warriors continue to return home, this surprisingly hopeful addition to the growing body of post-trauma literature will prove valuable for soldiers and civilians alike. " - Publishers Weekly
“[A]n honest, visceral account of Grenier’s struggles with PTSD, from onset to recovery, and ultimately his experience as a mental health advocate. ” - John Conrad, Quill & Quire