Edmonton program teaches military children about PTSD

John Semple and his family suffered through episodes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for years while he worked as a supply technician in military bases across the country.

Sometimesthe episodes wouldbe small,like going into a panic at a crowded bus stop.

Other times, he would turn his house into a battlefield.

His rage used to scare his wife Jennifer Semple andtwo daughtersGrace, 8, and Claire, 7.

"It wasn't just one thing," John SemplesaidThursday, surrounded by his family. "It was a million small things over time,"

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When Semple left the military reserves in 2013 for medical reasons, the family settled into a house in the Edmonton area.

Soon after, they enrolled their daughters in iStep, an arts- and sports-based program for military children whose parent or parents are dealing with PTSD.

PTSD is a family affair

"ThePTSDreally spills out at home," the mother said. "This program taught them that it wasn't their fault."

Rates of PTSD are higher among members of the Canadian Armed Forces than the general public, with 11 per cent identifying with at least one symptom of the disorder in their lifetime, according to Statistics Canada.

Veterans, serving military members and their spouses can getcounselling and other medical coverage through Operational Stress Injury clinics.But there are no specific programs for children, according toHelenaHawryluk, co-creator of a program to addressthat demand.

Hawryluk saidmany spouses asked her for PTSD programs for their children while she worked for the military as a social worker. So, in 2009, she and her twin sister Jerris Popik created the iStepcamp program.

Before enrolling children into the program, the sisters sit down with families and work withthem to understand theirPTSDtriggers.

"It's hard to know [what]everyone's going through unless they start talking," she said. "[We have] this conversation at the iStep camp throughout the year ... and then they can talk about it at home."

PTSD can be isolating, Hawryluk said, so this program gives children a sense of community.

"We don't focus on whosefamily is worse than the other," she said. "Together, if we can find a common bond, we can go through this together."

In the last seven years, the iStep program has expanded across the country and is available for children through their local military family resource centre.

iStep program helps children cope

Sisters Grace and Claireare spending their third summer with the iStep program. The two also sign up for hour-long after-school programs during the year. Over the last three years, the Semples said they've seen huge improvements in their daughters.

"They're learning about their triggers and what's setting them off," their fathersaid. "One thing they've learnedis they have more respect for each other, and they are more helpful."

The daughters will sometimes even bring him out of a panic.

"They call me out, distract me when I'm getting riled up," he said. "Like if I'm getting distracted, they'll come over and say, 'Look at this thing I just did!' "

The most important lesson has beenlearning about what their father is going through, the girls said.

"We learnedthat there is inside pain, and outside pain," Clairesaid.

The iStep program will openan after-school program on Tuesday nights at the Edmonton Garrison Military Family Resource Centrein the fall.

anna.desmarais@cbc.ca

@anna_desmarais