A warm hello to veterans, family members, service providers and Coming Home Project friends. This is the first issue of our electronic newsletter, a way to stay connected and share news and information about our programs. 

It's been a busy first quarter as we've been planning a number of new programs. In 2009 we will host retreats for: women veterans, families with a deployed loved one, as well as service providers and veterans and family members. We also plan to offer live video teleconferences this year with top notch presenters on Spirituality, Substance Abuse, Children in Deploying Families, and Women Veterans. Check out details in Schedule of Events.

We're planning a train the trainers retreat for later this year that will enable Coming Home Project retreats to be offered regionally around California and in a couple of locations around the country in 2010. In the offing is also a pilot project in which our retreats would be the cornerstone of a wrap-around support program for families and their service members throughout the deployment cycle beginning with pre-deployment. 
More News & Updates from our founder, Joseph Bobrow

Retreats
~ Service Providers, December 2008
We had an excellent weekend at Mercy Center with 60 Veterans Service Providers from 11 states in attendance.  Thank you to everyone who made this retreat a success!

Trainings
~ Treating PTS in Military Families, December 2008
See the video here.  A look at Post Traumatic Stress and it's impact on the family.  This educational video is geared toward mental health professionals but can be a useful tool for anyone dealing with the ramifications of PTS.

If you are interested in this program please contact our Clinical Coordinator, Loren Krane, at 415.563.3540 or e-mail him at wyloren@yahoo.com.

For more information visit our website.

This is a fresh and funny/sad American love story of overcoming differences in marriage when the family's  military commitments increase with the Iraq war.

The Real Warriors Campaign is a national, multi-year public education campaign sponsored by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE).  With the slogan, "Real Warriors, Real Battles, Real Strength," the campaign strives to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking psychological health treatment; encourage service members to seek treatment; and help service members, families and friends access information and resources for psychological health. The campaign will feature stories of real service members who have sought treatment, from classes to support or retreats to counseling, and are continuing to achieve successful military careers.
The Coming Home Project is partnering with the DCoE on this campaign to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking care and to increase access to a continuum of services including education, support and counseling. If you would like to contribute your story to this worthwhile effort please contact us at contact@cominghomeproject.net. 

 Okay I suppose the heading seems a little dreary, but life has never been easy so you have to (as a wise woman once told me) make roses out of ashes.  Otherwise life will take you down with a hard thud.  So here are my thoughts on what life has handed me and how I have made roses out of ashes.
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