The Transformative Nature of Fly-Fishing for Veterans and Military Personnel with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Authors

  • Patti J. Craig University of New Hampshire
  • Dustin M. Alger Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Residential Substance Abuse/Post-Traumatic Stress Unit, Boise, Idaho 83702.
  • Jessie L. Bennett Assistant Professor, University of New Hampshire
  • Tamar P. Martin Dr. Martin served as Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing in New York from 2010-2016. She is currently a Counseling Psychologist and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor in private practice in New York City, NY.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2020-V54-I2-9965

Keywords:

complimentary and integrative health, fly-fishing, posttraumatic stress disorder, posttraumatic growth, stress-coping theory, veterans and military personnel

Abstract

Grounded in the leisure-coping framework (Kleiber et al., 2002; 2008), this phenomenological study utilized a focus group method to explore the meaning of fly-fishing for veterans and military personnel with PTSD. This study also explored ways in which fly-fishing may serve as a coping resource in transcending negative life events, such as PTSD, as it helps move veterans and military personnel toward personal transformation and posttraumatic growth (PTG). A total of nine participants from the Project Healing Waters Fly-Fishing program participated in two focus groups to understand how fly-fishing impacts PTSD symptom management and to identify aspects of the program that may be responsible for symptom reduction and growth among this population. Four themes emerged from the data, suggesting fly-fishing: (a) serves as a breather from the negative impact of PTSD, (b) sustains coping effort and commitment, (c) restores control by alleviating PTSD symptoms, and (d) can serve as a context for personal transformation and posttraumatic growth. Implications for practice are provided.

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Author Biographies

Patti J. Craig, University of New Hampshire

I am an Associate Professor in the Dept of Recreation Management and Policy

Tamar P. Martin, Dr. Martin served as Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing in New York from 2010-2016. She is currently a Counseling Psychologist and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor in private practice in New York City, NY.

Tamar P. Martin, Ph.D., CRC, is a Counseling Psychologist and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor in private practice in New York City, NY. She is also an Adjunct Instructor at Hunter College, CUNY, Programs in Counselor Education, and at New York University, Department of Applied Psychology, New York City, NY. Dr. Martin served as Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing in New York from 2010-2016.

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Published

2020-06-01

Issue

Vol. 54 No. 2 (2020)

Section

Research Papers

License

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