Big Plans! Funding Drive to Support Trager® Research through the Special Forces
New developments! Over the past 10 months, Trager Instructor Michael Lear has connected with the Special Forces Foundation, toured the THOR3 Advanced Training facility and, by invitation, attended the US Special Operations Command Warrior Care Program conference. Trager practitioner, Angela Darling, and Level 2 student and veteran, Roberto Rangle, owners of Solvum Health Center in Colorado Springs, have been instrumental in making these connections. Their shared focus is to explore incorporating the Trager Approach as standard care for active duty service members, Veterans, and their families.
Michael has also connected with a manager within the US Special Operations Command (Preservation of Force and Family program) about submitting a proposal to have the Trager Approach evaluated. Michael was informed that he’ll need to bring funds for this proposed research, and so he has made arrangements for fundraising. Donations will be administered through The Special Forces Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which serves the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and their families.
The scope of how the Trager Approach could be used in the military is wide-reaching, from service members injured in the field, to Veterans with PTS related musculoskeletal pain, to suicide prevention, to family dynamics, to training armed forces members in an efficient and effective use of their bodies. Per Moving Medicine, by Jack Liskin, Milton Trager, himself a Veteran (and recipient of three battle stars!) taught Mentastics to his fellow service members during World War II.
The proposed research could measure the impact of the Trager Approach on the traumatized brain and nervous system, pain reduction, and the resulting psycho-socio-emotional benefits. This pursuit also includes assessing musculoskeletal awareness enhancement toward prevention of injury as well as recovery from injury sustained during military training. If the proposal is accepted, the Special Forces would determine the focus of the research, including the location and method of research.
Another proposed tier of activity is to conduct a pilot training program for Special Operations Combat Medical Teams to use Trager in the field after an operation to de-escalate the nervous system in real time rather than have the trauma effects accumulate to a potentially devastating degree.
It is hoped that eventually the work would expand to Veteran Professional training in Trager, so Veterans can work in clinics to help their own community.
As a fall-back, if these goals cannot be initially reached, monies raised can go to individual clinics to offer Trager to Veterans, gather anecdotal research and create case reports.
The funding drive has just begun, both in the Trager community and in the Veteran community. Initial funding has yielded $1500, largely by word of mouth. Information on the target goal will be forthcoming and requires a follow-up meeting with Michael’s contact at the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Preservation of the Force and Family Task Force (POTFF-TF).
In the meantime, if you are interested in supporting this project, please see Michael Lear’s website https://michaellear.com/sff-potff-research/ Per Michael, even a small donation can go a long way to moving this mission forward.
Many thanks to Trager Student Linda Eisenman, wordsmith extraordinaire, for writing these articles!
