Wish reporters had news alert that PTSD doesn't have to be like this!

I get alerts on #PTSD all the time. Honestly, one of the reasons I decided to stop focusing on veterans with PTSD and turn the attention onto everyone that survived the cause of it. Until reporters get that message, nothing will change and we will continue to lose more survivors after they should have been helped to heal.

This will give you an idea of what my email fills up with.

Iraq veteran says friends call him at 3am 'with pistol in hand' over war horrors - The Mirror The Mirror In the two decades since, many of the soldiers who served have struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For some this included calling ... 70 ptsd rating reddit - donationsva.it - donationsva.it Former POW Talks About Her Ongoing Battle With PTSD - fashiononashoestring.co.uk - fashiononashoestring.co.uk

Iraq, 20 Years Later: A Changed Washington and a Terrible Toll on America The New York Times ... 300,000 others returned home suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders. ... but what didn't were the PTSD and the traumatic brain injury.

Rosanne Cash performs at Atwood Concert Hall - Alaska's News Source Alaska's News Source ... with Creative Forces for military veterans suffering from PTSD or traumatic brain injury, writing and performing songs as a form of healing.

Deported: The Iraq War veterans denied the right to live in the US - Sight Magazine Sight Magazine But Segovia Benitez fell on hard times when he returned to the United States, struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.

Erskine veterans share Iraq war experience 20 years on - Planet Radio Planet Radio "I don't think I ever suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but my wife might say differently because there were times when I was ...

Psychological trauma does not leave the American veterans in Iraq - Globe Echo Globe Echo Like many war veterans, the experience left him with post-traumatic stress disorder and mixed feelings about the war. In an attempt to process his...

Veteran who fatally stabbed his girlfriend in Anaheim convicted of manslaughter New Santa Ana Superior Court jurors that Moseley suffered from PTSD, which stemmed from a traumatic childhood and a tour in Iraq where Moseley, a Navy medic, was ...

There are more on that one email alert but you get the idea. Grammarly freaked out with those headlines and so did my brain.

40 years ago, it made sense that I was reading clinical books in the library about what veterans carried back from wars. After all, the researchers studied WWI, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans because the government funded most of the research. Vietnam veterans pushed for more research and funding so they could understand what was going on with them, as much as they wanted to fight for all generations of veterans.

I grew up with uncles from WWII and my Dad was a Korean War veteran. Later, I married into another family of veterans from WWII and my Vietnam veteran husband. In all the years of research, I never read anything about anyone like me. I was a survivor too, but not from war. I was a multiple survivor of the events that caused it in me, but it didn't dawn on me that was the reason I understood veterans as much as I did.

When it finally dawned on me, I was furious. I had seen therapists and none of them saw it in me. I knew psychologists and other mental health professionals and they didn't see it in me. I did training with groups and no one saw it in me. Why? Because researchers are interested in studying trauma in survivors of all types of events, reporters are not.

This is one of the biggest reasons why I wrote the Ministers Of The Mystery series. The main character was a reporter. All the main characters are survivors of different events. Sure there are veterans in the spotlight but the attention they get is because they understand it so well, they wanted to pass on the hope of healing and help others along the way. That's how it should be.

The thing that got me about the first book, The Scribe Of Salem, was the reviews. Each one focused on a different genre and took away different messages from the same book.

This was my favorite one, but click the link to discover how 4 other reviewers took away different parts of it while giving it 4 5-star ratings and 1 4-star rating.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

The Scribe of Salem by Kathie Costos is book one in the Ministers of the Mystery supernatural series. Chris considered himself an expert on the Witchcraft Trials in Salem, but something is about to prove his knowledge wrong. As a newspaper reporter, Chris has traveled the world and seen his fair share of horror, but nothing could compare to what happened next. On a visit to the Bishop Hotel Bar, Salem, a series of events changes everything he thought he knew and turns his life upside down. Chris has been offered a chance to get his life back on track, and he only has to do one thing - meet a Master Minister. When Chris begins to get his life back, he should be happy, right? But he isn’t; he’s terrified. Change has never done him any good before, so why should it make a difference now? God can’t save him – can he?

The Scribe of Salem by Kathie Costos is a great start to a new series. It’s an intriguing story, blending fantasy and supernatural horror as it delves deep into the Salem Witch Trials. Plenty of novels are based on the Witch Trials, but none are quite like this. It goes into great, descriptive detail about the horrors faced in those times and touches on other themes, such as domestic violence and PTSD. It’s also about having faith, not just in God, but in yourself and the power of friendship. It is a story of horror but also a story of pain, compassion, and healing, a gripping tale that will draw you into its tight clutches. It’s clear that Kathie Costos has done her research, and her characters are realistic people, easy to identify with, and infinitely likable. This wonderful story would make a great movie, and I highly recommend this author. I am looking forward to reading book two.

Go here to discover more 

The Scribe Of Salem 5-star review

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Go here for The Scribe Of Salem

The Scribe of Salem by Kathie Costos is book one in the Ministers of the Mystery supernatural series. Chris considered himself an expert on the Witchcraft Trials in Salem, but something is about to prove his knowledge wrong. As a newspaper reporter, Chris has traveled the world and seen his fair share of horror, but nothing could compare to what happened next. On a visit to the Bishop Hotel Bar, Salem, a series of events changes everything he thought he knew and turns his life upside down. Chris has been offered a chance to get his life back on track, and he only has to do one thing - meet a Master Minister. When Chris begins to get his life back, he should be happy, right? But he isn’t; he’s terrified. Change has never done him any good before, so why should it make a difference now? God can’t save him – can he?

The Scribe of Salem by Kathie Costos is a great start to a new series. It’s an intriguing story, blending fantasy and supernatural horror as it delves deep into the Salem Witch Trials. Plenty of novels are based on the Witch Trials, but none are quite like this. It goes into great, descriptive detail about the horrors faced in those times and touches on other themes, such as domestic violence and PTSD. It’s also about having faith, not just in God, but in yourself and the power of friendship. It is a story of horror but also a story of pain, compassion, and healing, a gripping tale that will draw you into its tight clutches. It’s clear that Kathie Costos has done her research, and her characters are realistic people, easy to identify with, and infinitely likable. This wonderful story would make a great movie, and I highly recommend this author. I am looking forward to reading book two.

It is wonderful when an author receives such glowing reviews. What is even more thrilling is when I hear what readers of Wounded Times think. If you read it, please leave a comment here or review where you received your copy from. It will help other readers know it this work will be something they may want to read too!

You can read more reviews here 

The ancient art of "whatifism"

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
March 7, 2023

In the Wizard Of Oz, Glinda asked Dorothy, "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

That movie kept popping up in my head as I was writing the Ministers Of The Mystery series. There are good witches and bad ones too, doing good or, doing harm. The thing is, people have always used their spiritual gifts the same way. While God granted gifts to all since the beginning of time, unfortunately, He left it up to them to use them or ignore them.

Maybe you're like me? I'm not normal. I never have been and never will be. I am unique and I embrace that uniqueness because I am the only one who lived my life as my life unfolded. When someone says they just want to fit in, I cringe, because there is always a price to pay for that.

We end up giving up parts of ourselves to fit into what others appear to be. That was made clear to me when I wanted to fit into what others expected my work to fit into.

I didn't want to fit into what others thought over 40 years ago when I first invested my life toward defeating #PTSD. It was bad all the way around. Fitting into what had already been done repulsed me since none of it was working. Too many were suffering and too few were healing.

It is the same way now. For all that has been reported on, talked about, and sadly, fundraised for, too many have settled for "easy" instead of what is accomplishable.

Too many with PTSD are not part of the conversation and that is the greatest sin of all. I guess you could have called me a bad witch back then when someone asked me why I didn't focus on average people with PTSD as well as veterans. I responded with something along the lines of veterans were unique and we owed them all we could do to help them recover from doing what we asked of them.

I finally became a good witch when I realized that was the key to healing veterans! With the number of other survivors out there growing every year, just from living as a civilian, there is power in that. When veterans, and current military members, finally understand they have also been exposed to the same traumatic events the rest of us are, and then exposed to the traumatic events in war, they begin to open their eyes.

That is the biggest reason why all the characters in the series were survivors of different events, and yes, including veterans.

Life as a survivor doesn't have to be as hard as it is. Suffering does not have to follow surviving when healing is ready and waiting to fill up the room with hope. Once you see how much we all have in common, even if our experiences causing PTSD were different, the road toward healing, is the same. We don't get too far doing it alone. When we accept the fact that others will not understand the world we traveled to is much different than anything they will be able to understand, we begin to find others that do understand. When we allow them to help us reach the magical world of healing, we understand we helped them too!

At the end of The Wizard Of Oz, the Scarecrow asked Glind why she didn't tell Dorothy about having the power inside her all along to go home. She replied that Dorothy wouldn't have believed her. She had to learn it on her own, and do you! You've always had the power in you too!

They say history is written by the victors

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 12, 2023

"They say history is written by the victors, but what if the victims are the ones with the pens?

I needed a break from writing after finishing the first three books of the Ministers Of The Mystery series. Working on the fourth book has drained me. I thought it was time to venture into other areas of how people used faith like power, not as it was intended to benefit other people, but use it as a weapon to gain money and power other others. After all, isn't that what Christian leaders have done since the day Christ sacrificed His life?

History provides a brutal account of what far too many did in His name but not as He said they should live their own lives. The Vikings encountered Christian opposition to the power they sought to blame all they did on their god Oden so they could go to Valhalla with the Valkyrie coming to take the worthy there.

Considering I am Greek and Scottish, and my husband is Italian, we have our own history of brutality in our bloodlines just as most people do. The truth is, the above quote is correct. The ones with the pens hold the power over history proving in the long run, "the pen is mightier than the sword."

How the Vikings Saved Europe and Got a Terrible Reputation

The Daily Beast
William O’Connor
Travel Editor
Updated Jul. 12, 2017

History teaches us that the Vikings were brutal, thieving invaders, but much of that history was written by Viking victims: European monks. New evidence says otherwise.

They say history is written by the victors, but what if the victims are the ones with the pens?

That is the bizarre circumstance surrounding the history of the Vikings since the centuries-old myth that has come down to us about their brutal savagery originated with their victims—monks and priests—who had the monopoly on writing at that time.

As a result, the image we have today of the marauding Vikings is both wildly off the mark and ignores the major contributions they made in shaping Europe during the Middle Ages. That demystification and deep dive into the world of one of history’s most iconic people is the subject of a new book, The Age of the Vikings by Anders Winroth. Not only are the Vikings completely misunderstood, he argues, but they may have saved Europe.

The Vikings weren’t picky about their raiding targets, but the short-term gains in booty and ransom achieved by attacking monasteries resulted in the Vikings being relegated to the “vicious barbarian” category of history. The monks in those monasteries were the only historians around at that time.

“Since [the Vikings] attacked those with a monopoly on writing, it is their deeds … that have gone down in history as infamous, irrational, and bloodthirsty,” writes Winroth.
read more here
Vikings

Vikings: Valhalla

What do the Vikings have to do with PTSD? What they lived through and what their enemies also had to live through to tell the stories of what happened to them. Today we see people with large followers using their pens to make people believe we are broken, (that is when they bother to think of us at all,) and then ask for money to raise awareness the suffering is causing veterans to commit suicide. First, they use a number of "22 a day" and yet did not bother to read the report from the VA stating clearly it was a study from just 21 states with limited data.

The VA points to the known number of veterans committing suicide going down but fails to point out, the veteran population has also gone down. As bad as that is, reporters didn't seem to care and grabbed the headline of 22 a day. Non-veterans, in their eyes, do not exist. 

Now we all have pens in our hands but these pens are tied to keyboards and able to reach the world in seconds, achieved by us and others, and preserved for history. Our understanding of the world we live in, what our surroundings are and our struggles are worthy tales to tell. 

The question is, do we allow others to tell our stories with their own point of view, focusing on what they want people to know, or do we tell our stories for ourselves so others will know how we survived long enough to tell the tales?

What we see today is people using their faith as a weapon against anyone with different beliefs. People use us to conjure up all kinds of imaginary monsters but the ones we fight are real. What they continue to ignore are the facts that we not only survive, we thrived and helped others heal too. Now that, that is a powerful message we can and must use our pens to record for history, or we will become the work of fiction to entertain instead of inspire with the truth.

We survived, therefor we are the victors and should make sure our stories are remembered. Maybe then, the veterans will see they are only human too. With how many events they survived, knowing we struggled after just one event, it may help them understand that very simple fact.

Ministers Of The Mystery: Where PTSD and the Salem Witch Trials Meet

The Crossroads Where PTSD and the Salem Witch Trials Meet

Contributor: BookTrib
BookTrib
February 6, 2023 

Kathie Costos and Murray

The Scribe of Salem by Kathie Costos

Most people who have the slightest interest in the occult, hard-to-believe historical occurrences or early settlers of North America will be familiar with the Salem Witch Trials. In The Scribe of Salem: Ministers of the Mystery, the first book in the Ministers of the Mystery series, Kathie Costos takes readers on a wild fictional journey that has one foot in reality. Filled with suspense, historical intrigue, magic, and scripture, this supernatural thriller discusses the horrors of those legendary trials and how they impact the town to this day.

We spoke to Katie Costos about her inspiration for The Scribe of Salem, as well as her own personal connection with the infamous town.

Q: What first drew your attention to the Salem witch trials?

A: I grew up near Salem and at least once a year, I’d go there to visit the museums and walk what I called the trail of tears knowing so many innocent people were accused of witchcraft, imprisoned, tortured and 20 of them were legally murdered because of hatred by people claiming to be Christian. That most of the accusers were dealing with what we now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — PTSD.

Q: What kind of research did you do in writing this book?

A: The witchcraft trials have been a lifetime hobby but PTSD has been my vocation for 40 years. It is a battle between what is good within us that leaves us asking if God did it to us or if God saved us. I tried to look at the trials in a different way and discovered that they had to find something or someone to blame for the calamities they could not explain. They blamed Satan and outcasts at first but then greed and hatred took over so no one was safe. It made me wonder what finally got through to the people and the trials ended, as much as if God tried to prevent it from happening ahead of time.

Q: What can you tell us about Chris’s character and his journey?

A: Chris was brilliant but his mind could not stop his soul from being wounded after surviving a bomb blast leaving him covered with scars on the right side of his body, and the scars in his soul. He could begin to lose his faith in God and friends as PTSD was eating away at hope and was pushed over the edge after his wife tried to kill him. By the 7th anniversary of the blast, he had given up, and with no hope left, he decided to end his suffering on his terms but God had other ideas. The time had come for the reason he was sent to this world to begin. His friends came back into his life, strangers came into it and he followed where he was being led. He met a woman named Mandy, a Master Minister of the Mystery, able to see into his soul and guided by God to bless his healing so he could do what she was unable to do. read more here

Time to give yourself the gift of love to heal #PTSD

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 3, 2023

There are all different kinds of love, so I thought it was appropriate that The Visionary Of Salem be offered for free until Valentine's Day.

THE VISIONARY OF SALEM at Barnes and Noble or wherever you read eBooks.

Never underestimate the power you have within your skin! While your body came from your parents, your soul came from God. With it came everything you need to do for the purpose you were sent here to do. In Chris's case, he was sent in a time of darkness sweeping over the world to light the darkness with the flame of hope.

Chris and his friends face more battles as he struggles with trying to finish his third book. He's haunted by terrifying dreams of a woman. He is stalked by a fraud who passes himself off as a reverend while having hallucinations of Reverend George Burroughs who was hung during the witchcraft craze in 1692.

Chris always wondered what those people would think about what Salem turned into as a tourist destination. He just never thought that real witches were all around him and he wasn't the only one keeping secrets.

He discovered that the people in his life were there for a reason and a higher purpose. He had to fight to heal, reconnect to his spiritual faith, and believe in miracles again. The only thing standing in his way was his inability to believe in himself. It took a witch named Mandy to show him the power within himself. He healed, became a best-selling author of two inspirational books, a series being filmed, reunited with friends, and had more wealth and fame than he ever dreamed of, but still, he fought against changes in his life. His new psychologist was trying to get Chris to figure out what she already knew about him. She gained his trust, but he had no idea what she did in her free time.

This book explores possibilities and empowerment, especially if you have survived child abuse, in whatever form. Bullies at school, parents that should have never been parents, adult predators, and even those who simply refused to show you all the wonderful things inside of you. Your possibilities are endless.

The characters in this book tell the story of what happened to them when they were young. All grown up, successful leaders, and inspirational lives, they still carry pain from when they were young. The difference is, that pain does not limit them from what they can do. They carry it with them so they have the fuel to do even more! It is about defeating the #PTSD demon trying to remove all hope.

War of Powers in Washington DC

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 6, 2023

While the American people are accustomed to the simple fact that all politicians have an ego, we should never be willing to accept them putting their own self-interests ahead of the people and the country they take an oath to serve. We have seen a war of powers being waged beyond comprehension for the last two years that has resulted in the chaos in Washington DC. 

Some of them use their claims of "faith" to justify lying and hating, seeking revenge against anyone seeking to hold them accountable for their actions. Others, also people of faith, hold to the truth and are willing to fight for what is right against those only claiming what they want people to believe they are.

To believe an entire body of those elected to serve as Republicans is all contemptible will surrender all hope for this nation. There has to be some among them still willing to do what is right for the sake of the country and put the country first. It is ever more apparent the majority of members of the GOP side of the house would rather have a divided party, as well as a divided House. As President Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Two years ago, we were warned about people claiming to be "loyal" to the country, while they were only loyal to those only loyal to themselves. Selfish people always existed, and sadly, always will. The thing is, the American people used to be able to discern which selfish people were able to at least serve the country with equal measure toward themselves. That became frighteningly apparent two years ago this day.

We were warned about giving those selfish people power with no limits would cause great harm to this nation they claimed to love. We saw that on display over and over again leading up to the inability of GOP members of the House to elect a Speaker of the House, third in line to the President. They put their self-serving interests ahead of the good of the country. The fringe wants to have everything their way and McCarthy is willing to give them whatever they want so he can have the power he craves. Nothing else matters to Kevin McCarthy more than Kevin McCarthy. It doesn't matter what the country will pay in the end as long as he gets what he wants, and the rest of them are following the same goals based on their own self-interest.

McCarthy fights to lock down a deal in longest speaker contest in 164 years

CNN

Kevin McCarthy is locked in a fight for his political future as the California Republican attempts to win the votes he needs to become speaker of the US House of Representatives in what has now become the longest contest in 164 years.

McCarthy suffered a string of defeats on Thursday as the House took round after round of failed votes. The longer the fight drags on, the more dire it becomes for McCarthy as it risks further defections and a loss of confidence in the GOP leader. House Republicans are scheduled to hold a conference call Friday morning, a source familiar told CNN, and the House is set to reconvene at noon ET.
read more here

Read the article on NPR as a reminder

And this is why those who sided with evil, should not be in charge of the House they were willing to allow to fall for the sake of what they wanted for themselves. The question is, who among them is willing to put the country first and serve her, instead of themselves in that party? Who among them is willing to renounce the R after their name and declare independence from them to caucus with the Democrats when they can agree on Bills and Laws instead of serving vindictiveness and hatred? 

This is Kevin McCarthy on video addressing what happened two years ago today.

If you are wondering what this has to do with #PTSD then you haven't been paying attention since many of those serving in the House on that day, have been fighting it ever since. The only way we know to begin to heal when someone harmed us is for them to be held accountable.

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
January 4, 2023

My neck hurts right now. As I was reading the following article, I found myself nodding my head in agreement so much so, I need to share this. Since most of the readers are struggling with #PTSD, we all know that the spiritual battle comes in with the list of things we must overcome to heal. Too many of us know what it is like to seek spiritual help from "houses of worship" and sadly, find no help within those doors.

We are not alone on this. Jesus was not welcomed either. His "house of worship" leaders hated Him because they feared His messages.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were all about money and power. They charged people for everything, from buying the sacrifice, and paying them to do the sacrifice after they paid for a ritual bath before the rest would be done. If they did not have the ability to control the people, they would lose power and thus lose the wealth they gained. Jesus was preaching about a direct connection between them and God, Their Father.

John the Baptist did not charge money to baptize anyone. They hated him too.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matthew 3:7

Jesus preached about love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and taking care of the needy. He preached outside among the people and spoke of how they could seek God directly on their own. Studying scripture, often stuns me how much was left in the approved books of the Bible supporting the fact that we do not need a building to connect us to God. We only need the Son He sent to us.

When you read the following, please go to the link and read the rest of it. Understand that your problem with God may have more to do with what you have seen men do here than what God has done from Heaven. 

Healing spiritually added to mental health help expands your recovery!

JESUS Would Be Considered “NEW AGE” By Today’s CHURCH

Christian Meditations

If Jesus Were Here Today, Would He Be Considered “New Age” by the Modern Church?

As a spiritual leader and teacher, Jesus has had a profound impact on millions of people around the world for centuries. His message of love, compassion, and forgiveness has resonated with people of all faiths and backgrounds, and his teachings have been a source of inspiration and guidance for countless individuals.

But what if Jesus were alive today? How would he be perceived by the modern church, and would his teachings be considered “new age” or outside the mainstream?

To explore this question, let’s take a closer look at some of the key aspects of Jesus’ teachings and how they might be perceived in the modern world.

Jesus’ emphasis on personal transformation and inner growth. One of the central themes of Jesus’ teachings was the importance of personal transformation and inner growth. He encouraged his followers to look within and seek to transform their lives from the inside out. In the Sermon on the Mount, he says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). This suggests that Jesus saw true happiness and fulfillment as being a result of inner transformation, rather than external circumstances or achievements.

In the modern world, this emphasis on inner growth and transformation might be seen as “new age” or outside the mainstream. Many modern Christians tend to focus more on external forms of faith, such as attendance at church services or adherence to certain religious practices, rather than on inner transformation and spiritual growth. Jesus’ emphasis on love and compassion. Another key aspect of Jesus’ teachings was his emphasis on love and compassion.

In the modern world, this emphasis on inner growth and transformation might be seen as “new age” or outside the mainstream. Many modern Christians tend to focus more on external forms of faith, such as attendance at church services or adherence to certain religious practices, rather than on inner transformation and spiritual growth. Jesus’ emphasis on love and compassion. Another key aspect of Jesus’ teachings was his emphasis on love and compassion.
read more here

Ukraine's children fighting PTSD--teaching all of us how to heal

Providing Psychological Support to Ukrainian Children

United Help Ukraine Through a unique international collaboration, United Help Ukraine is sponsoring and raising funds for the Hibuki Therapy Project. “Hibuki” means “Open Embrace” in Hebrew.

First developed by Israeli child psychologists in 2006, the Hibuki intervention uses a specially designed toy dog to support the mental health and recovery of children impacted by war trauma. Now we are bringing Hibuki dogs to Ukraine and countries of relocation to help countless children who have experienced the unimaginable.

This play-based intervention brings comfort and helps children share their emotions, which are often hard to process or communicate to adults who can – and want – to help. Hibuki dogs and therapy are provided to all families free of charge through a network of specially trained mental health professionals.

In Ukraine, children are one of the most vulnerable groups and are severely impacted by the ongoing crisis, and UHU is committed to providing psychological aid through the Hibuki Therapy Project.

All of the Hibuki toys and therapeutic support is provided to Ukrainian children free of charge through a network of specially trained volunteers and mental health professionals.

Israeli innovation helps Ukraine's PTSD-afflicted children

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Published: DECEMBER 6, 2022

Kinder Velt Child Trauma Center in Ukraine

(photo credit: Courtesy)

The children's trauma center in Ukraine draws on experience from another country that knows war and terror too well: Israel.

As war rages on in Ukraine and a season of bitter coldness and erratic electricity commences, a center started by an Israeli-Ukrainian is administering developmental and psychological therapies to the nation's children.

“When we began seeing how deeply the children were suffering, we resolved to take action,” said David Roytman, who splits his time between Israel and his native Odessa, and founded the Kinder Velt (Children's World) Center nearly three years ago.

Roytman, an internationally-acclaimed artist and multimillionaire whose luxury Judaica company earned him the reputation as the ‘Jewish Louis Vuitton,’ is familiar with anxiety and trauma from war.
read more here

From me,

We learn how to heal after others did so we can learn from them. We can learn from their mistakes and pass on their successes. The most important thing we gain from listening to other survivors battling PTSD is hope! Our world may be dark one day but does not have to stay dark forever. Their struggles shine a light on the way to healing.

Canadian veteran's best therapist has four legs, and really big ears!

A friend named Bert: A Canadian veteran living with PTSD finds hope in a donkey

CTV News Canada
Joel Haslam
CTV News Ottawa Multi-Skilled Journalist
December 27, 2022

Karen is living with PTSD. She is a veteran of the Canadian Forces, doing her best to live with a painful past.

Karen Stacey, a Canadian Forces veteran living with PTSD, enjoys a gentle stroll with her friend Bert (Joel Haslam/CTV Ottawa)

Karen Stacey swings wide a creaky, stainless steel gate, announcing her arrival.

“Good morning, Bert. Are you still sleeping?”

She’s come to see a friend; a soulmate of sorts, who’s changed her life.

“Hi, buddy,” she says with a smile.

Bert turns his head toward her, clearly recognizing his visitor.

His ears point to the sky.

“Hello, handsome,” Karen whispers.

She locks her arms around his neck and gives him a gentle peck between the eyes.

“He’s a blessing. I couldn’t have asked for a better success story than to have a donkey as my best friend.”

Karen and Bert’s friendship began at the Women Warriors Healing Garden in Blackburn Hamlet.

“It still hurts. So, finding this place and being able to let everything go is fantastic. This is 52 acres of freedom that I can wander as I want. No judgment, no stress, no pain. Just a lot of love,” she says.

Co-founded by an American military veteran, Erin Kinsey, and an Ottawa psychotherapist, Elaine Waddington Lamont, the garden is a place for veterans to heal.
read more here

if you can't find a miracle for yourself, give one to someone else

Wounded Times

Kathie Costos

December 18, 2022

Yesterday I intended to put up a post I had been working on for a couple of days. Usually, before I post, I like to take a break in between finishing it and publishing it. I love to share funny posts, especially about cats, dogs, and other animals. I also love to share uplifting stories. I went on Facebook to check my feed and saw a post that made me cry.

On Today Show. Santa came a few weeks early for a daughter who shared her Christmas wish for her mother on social media.

Taco-Bout-Joy's located in Glenview, Illinois, owned by sisters Joy Milan and Kack Keomanivong.

“It breaks my heart to see my mom watching the door every day, waiting for a customer to walk in,” reads the TikTok's on-screen caption. “I wish I could give her customers for Christmas.”

As of this writing, the TikTok has garnered over 38.5 million views, six million likes and more than 69,000 comments from those sharing their empathy about the situation and saying how much they want to try the restaurant’s offerings.

I cried so hard after I shared it, that I closed down the computer and walked away. I was crying for a reason I didn't expect. I cried for myself. 

I was thinking that the miracle that happened for this woman, is something I have never known. For 4 decades I tried to make a difference to help others heal #PTSD. I watched as all the work I did was pushed out of the way for younger people, and accepted it, but I didn't let it stop me from doing what I could. I kept reaching out for help for myself, but it never came. I just kept doing what I could. I figured if I couldn't find a miracle for myself, then at least I could be a small part of making one for someone else.

I wish God granting a miracle was as easy as Him snapping His fingers. But it isn't.

Unlike Samantha on Bewitched, able to wiggly her nose or snap her fingers to change something, He has to have a human willing to participate in the delivering of the miracle.

The way I figure it is, I need to be responsible for myself and what I do. Everyone else is responsible for what they choose to do, or not do. I have a choice to think that all my prayers are just going into the air, or that God isn't interested in someone like me, or believe He's trying to help but the people who are supposed to help, won't.

When I know someone needs help, I do what I can, and what I can't do, I'll pray for them because I'm listening to my soul. I know the feeling I get inside having made a difference for someone else. Reading the story about the daughter helping her Mom, I knew how the daughter felt witnessing a miracle she hoped for happen because she tried out of love to help.

People like me, have a choice to make all the time. Do we stop helping because no one is helping us, or do we keep trying to make a difference because we not only know what it feels like to need miracles that don't come, but we know what it is like to be a part of someone else's miracle happening and keep doing what we can?

I won't tell you that it is always an easy thing to do. There will be times when it tears you apart. You will help someone and they will not be grateful at all. They may walk away from you, refuse to help you when you need it, or worst of all, betray you. When that happens, grieve for a while, then realize it happens to God all the time. It also happened to Jesus. They didn't give up and neither should we.

Hang onto the times you knew you made a difference in someone else's life and keep doing what you can because you know you should. Then remember that feeling because the people that will not help you, will never know what that feels like. That is what I've hung onto all these years. It is a priceless gift I did for someone else, and ended up giving even more to myself.

Remember what it was like when you discovered you had PTSD, feeling all alone, confused, and trying to figure things out for yourself. Then you found information because someone else shared it. You found hope because someone else offered it. You found hope because someone else shared how they healed. They were strangers, but they helped you without knowing anything about you. Chances are, you never thanked them or returned their kindness unless you passed on what you learned from them.

In the end, if you can't find a miracle for yourself, give one to someone else.

If I helped you, can you help me?

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
December 7, 2022

Amazing what a good therapist can do. I have rewritten these books so many times now, that I am dreaming about the characters as if they are real friends of mine. I am working on the next part but taking my time. The thing is, had it not been for my therapist, there is no way The Ministers Of The Mystery Series would have been finished.

If I helped you over the last 40 years, or since 2007 on Wounded Times, can you help me?

I wrote before about how the beginning of this year started out with the heartbreak of losing one of my best friends. I don't get much support, and to tell you the truth, most of my life has been that way. To lose someone like Gunny to COVID was like losing a part of myself. He believed in me when no one else did. He encouraged me, corrected my notorious typos, and let me know when something I wrote was spot on or totally missed the point.

So there I was, trying to rewrite the books when I felt more connected to the darkness and suffering of the story and the loneliness than I did to the hopeful messages. What made it worse, was, a lot of people liked the story but it didn't fit in with what most people believed. That meant I was struggling on every side.

I needed help to get passed that grief of losing Gunny to be able to just finish the work I started a year ago. Being an author is a lonely thing to do as it is. Add in living in a new state, having moved in 4 months before the pandemic hit, and then politics getting in the way of everything, and the loneliness grew to the point where I just couldn't trust anyone that I had not known for years. The biggest thing was, I couldn't trust myself after I lost faith in so many others and figured it had to be because I wasn't worthy of making friends or finding support like Gunny gave me.

Being able to open up to a therapist helped enough so that while I miss Gunny, my heart is no longer broken and I don't cry several times a day. Now we're working on getting me to the point where I am able to reach out again. This is the first step.

If you are dealing with #PTSD or know someone, so is everyone else in these books. They don't focus on the doom and gloom but make room for healing and hope that you can too.

If you shoved people out of your life when you needed them the most, everyone in the books did too. They all had to learn how to trust again. They all had to be encouraged, inspired, and supported by someone letting them know they were worthy of being happier.

If you wonder where God was or why He didn't prevent something, so did everyone in these books until they understood He does not mess with freewill and that includes those who choose to harm others, as much as those who refuse to do what they can to prevent something from happening.

The premise is, God tried to get the protagonist Chris to listen to Him so he wouldn't suffer. He tried over and over again but ended up having to be blamed for everything Christ went through.

So how did Chris go from, "I would have told you what I thought about God,” he looked down, “that He’s a vindictive son of a bitch playing around with people’s lives and making us suffer for fun. Now I don’t know what to think,” kind of thinking? His friends opened his eyes because they suffered too, blamed God, and suffered until someone helped them.

I couldn't put these books into "The Christian" genre because they claim it goes against "the church" when in fact, scripture supports the direct connection we all have to God and do not need a building to do it for us. If you go to church, that's fine too, as long as you accept the fact that Jesus prayed and preached outside most of the time, and then you'll understand how others who chose to not belong to a church still love God. If you have a problem with some claiming to be witches, also claim to be Christian, but can understand that the miracles in the New Testament were thought to be "witchcraft" or "sorcery" topped off with Jesus being accused of serving Beelzebub by the Pharisees then you'll be able to understand how many people used the gifts of their spirit to help others.

Ministers Of The Mystery you can also find this series on Books2Read

The Vision Awaits Prophecy: "The 13th Minister shall arise from the shadow of Proctor’s Ledge and demons will dread the sword of truth in the hands of the powerful scribe."

In modern-day Salem, The Master Ministers were preparing for the most powerful one of all would take his place as the 13th Minister. All they had to do was convince him to do it.

Ministers Of The Mystery Series explores the miraculous power within all of us to help one another achieve the purpose we were all sent here to fulfill.

Some churches say that no one can be a Christian and a witch at the same time. Are Christian witches, witches, or ministering spirits? “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7. The churches point out the passages condemning witchcraft while ignoring the fact that in each case, those practicing witchcraft were accused of doing it for evil purposes. In all the other passages, someone using gifts of the spirit was accepted because they were using their gifts to help others. So are these Christian witches, really witches or are they ministering spirits empowered by God to do good in this world?

We know evil exists. The question is, why did God let it happen? Did God try to prevent the Salem Witchcraft Trials? Did He try to prevent the suffering of His servants here on earth? If you believe the Bible then you know that God does not create evil, but He does create miracles. What if Reverend George Burroughs was sent to Salem Village to prevent the trials but the people who were supposed to help him, turned against him?

What if there is someone on this earth today sent to help heal the world and prevent suffering but is receiving the help he needs to do what he was sent to do? What if everything is in place for it to all happen, but he decides to not do it? The Scribe of Salem is book one. The Visionary of Salem is book two. 13th Minister of Salem is book three.

The Scribe Of Salem Kindle eBook and paperback, also from other book sellers

Chris thought he knew all there was to know about Salem and the Witchcraft Trials. He was about to discover how wrong he was. He began to feel as if his life was a horror novel the ghost of Thomas Aquinas started and Edgar Allan Poe was put in charge of the ending. He was about to discover how right he was about that!

He hated changes since most of the ones that already happened made his life worse. In one single night, at Bishop Hotel bar in Salem, a series of changes began that had him terrified. Chris didn't know how right he was to be afraid.A Master Minister was waiting for him in New Hampshire.

There was a time when people claimed to be Christians but proved they did not follow the values faithfully. They made false accusations against over 200 people and rejoiced when 20 were put to death because Puritans decided to hate them. It wasn't a new phenomenon. The Pharisees accused Jesus of serving Beelzebul and their lies were responsible for nailing Him to the Cross. The Puritans may have given up the persecution of so-called witches but their use of the power of lies was a lesson far too many learned. The people with gifts beyond nature were forced into hiding knowing a time would come when they too would be vindicated. The Master Ministers were preparing for when the most powerful one of all would take his place as the 13th Minister.

The Visionary Of Salem

Never underestimate the power you have within your skin! While your body came from your parents, your soul came from God. With it came everything you need to do for the purpose you were sent here to do. In Chris's case, he was sent in a time of darkness sweeping over the world to light the darkness with the flame of hope.

Chris and his friends face more battles as he struggles with trying to finish his third book. He's haunted by terrifying dreams of a woman. He is stalked by a fraud who passes himself off as a reverend while having hallucinations of Reverend George Burroughs who was hung during the witchcraft craze in 1692.

Chris always wondered what those people would think about what Salem turned into as a tourist destination. He just never thought that real witches were all around him and he wasn't the only one keeping secrets.

He discovered that the people in his life were there for a reason and a higher purpose. He had to fight to heal, reconnect to his spiritual faith, and believe in miracles again. The only thing standing in his way was his inability to believe in himself. It took a witch named Mandy to show him the power within himself. He healed, became a best-selling author of two inspirational books, a series being filmed, reunited with friends, and had more wealth and fame than he ever dreamed of, but still, he fought against changes in his life. His new psychologist was trying to get Chris to figure out what she already knew about him. She gained his trust, but he had no idea what she did in her free time.

13th Minister Of The Mystery

Chris’s battles were growing. He became so famous, he had to hire security just to be able to go out in public. After taking down Haman Cain, he was getting death threats from his cult. He hated the fame his books brought to him, as much as he hated the changes that were coming non-stop. The series from his first book, making wedding plans were only the beginning of his torment. He was shot and feared he’d never be able to use his hand again.

The worst came when he received a Master Minister of the Mystery warning.

“Dark forces are already at work writing your wedding dirge. Your assailant has been chosen but so has your avenger.”

The help I need from you is, I have the eBooks at $2.99 and the print books are priced as low as I can too. If you can, please buy one and let me know what you think. Did they give you hope you can heal too? Inspire you to help someone else? Encourage you to feed your spiritual connection to God again? Did they help you see the Salem Witchcraft Trials in a different way?

You can leave a comment on the sites you purchased the books from or you can email me at woundedtimes@aol.com.

‘Scars for the rest of my life’

‘Scars for the rest of my life’ victim suffering from PTSD after BK subway attack

PIX11 News
by: Magee Hickey
Posted: Dec 2, 2022

“I don’t think I’ll ever be fully OK. This was a traumatic experience,” the victim told PIX11 News. “I have a few signs of PTSD. So mentally and physically, there’ll be scars on my face for the rest of my life.”

PROSPECT LEFFERTS GARDENS, Brooklyn (PIX11) — A woman who suffered burns to her face after someone threw a chemical substance at her in a Brooklyn subway station spoke out about the attack Friday night, telling PIX11 News she will be scarred for the rest of her life.

“She was aggressive with her words and with her body language,” the 21-year-old victim told PIX11 News.

The victim wants to remain anonymous to protect her safety, but she shared pictures of the severe burns to her face. Police said it happened early Friday morning. The victim was heading to her job at Kings County Hospital. In a video taken by the victim, the suspect splashed an unknown chemical substance on the victim’s face.
read more here

When you consider that and understand that PTSD hits survivors, it seems an injustice when you read this headline,

Fewer Patients with PTSD Survive COVID
UCSF-VA Study Shows Psychiatric Disorders Increase Risks for Deaths, Hospitalizations

The first paragraph was fine,

Patients with COVID-19, who also had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were more likely to die or be hospitalized than those without a psychiatric disorder. And for patients with other mental illnesses, the risks were substantially higher.

Yet in the second paragraph, you discover the only patients they considered were veterans.

Researchers from UC San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Health Care System found that veterans with PTSD had an 8 percent increased risk of death if they had COVID and a 9 percent increased risk of hospitalization, compared with patients with the virus and without a psychiatric diagnosis, adjusting for age, sex, race and co-occurring medical conditions.

In other words, this university does not consider the rest of us. Maybe they should read the National Institute of Mental Health?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.

It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened, even when they are not in danger.

There was a time, a long time ago, when I focused on just veterans with PTSD. At first, it was because all the reports I read were always about veterans dealing with what they lived through. I survived over ten events just as a civilian, and I had no clue the term applied to me too. 

I had no clue what I was dealing with was a "rare form" of PTSD because, for me, the first time, I was only five, and then it was one event after another. The thing that gets me now is, with all that has been learned over the last 40 years or so, how is it that a college still fails to learn that survivors of the events we live through and the need to know we matter too are just as real? Our scars are carried for the rest of our lives too and with help, those scars heal but we won't search for hope if we don't know how many more of us there are.

All of this is also a disservice to veterans because if they understand we get hit by PTSD too from just one event, they will understand just how human they are too!

PTSD: Photography and filming became "like a lifeline."

If you have PTSD, no matter what caused it, it helps to know the differnt things that have helped others. What may work for someone you know, may not work for you. The only thing to take from that is, if it helped them, there is always something out there that can help you too!

Mental health therapy is for everyone. Some people need medication. Others don't. Some need different medications, so there are so many different ones.

Everyone also needs to take care of their "other parts" and yet again, there are many different things for you. Yoga, martial arts, walking, running, hiking, swimming, art, music, and yes, even photography. For me, it is writing.

I found this article from the BBC inspiring. I hope you do too.

PTSD: Photography helps police officer manage condition

BBC
By Helen Burchell
November 28, 2022

Photography and filming became "like a lifeline."

On Christmas Day 2017, a traffic police officer's life began slowly to unravel after he was injured during a pursuit. Two years later he underwent surgery and was told he could no longer do the job he loved. His mental health took a nosedive but he found solace in his long-time hobby - photography.

"As a traffic officer I saw things no-one should see," Det Sgt Colin Shead says.

"Now I see things I want everyone to see."

Here, he speaks candidly about his mental health, and shares some of the images that have helped him cope.

The 51-year-old officer has clocked up more than 30 years on the force, joining Essex Police's roads policing unit (RPU) in 2010.

"I'd always wanted to do traffic work, because I wanted to protect people from harm on the roads," he says. "When you start, there's the great thrill and excitement of flying around all over the place - then you get the serious side - and the fatalities.

"You're the first at the scene when someone's been killed - you see that first-hand and it takes its toll."
read more here

OK, confession, I found filming and photography healing too!

Ministers Of The Mystery Series, a time for you!

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 25, 2022

Ministers Of The Mystery is for anyone trying to heal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. All the "people" in these books are recovering from different life-altering events. I believe the most important thing to take away from this series is simple, yet the empowering fact is, all of them healed with the support of someone else.

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!"

Audrey Hepburn

MINISTERS OF THE MYSTERY
Series Description:
The Vision Awaits Prophecy: "The 13th Minister shall arise from the shadow of Proctor’s Ledge and demons will dread the sword of truth in the hands of the powerful scribe."

In modern-day Salem, The Master Ministers were preparing for the most powerful one of all would take his place as the 13th Minister. All they had to do was convince him to do it.

Ministers Of The Mystery Series explores the miraculous power within all of us to help one another achieve the purpose we were all sent here to fulfill.

Some churches say that no one can be a Christian and a witch at the same time. Are Christian witches, witches, or ministering spirits? “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7. The churches point out the passages condemning witchcraft while ignoring the fact that in each case, those practicing witchcraft were accused of doing it for evil purposes. In all the other passages, someone using gifts of the spirit was accepted because they were using their gifts to help others. So are these Christian witches, really witches or are they ministering spirits empowered by God to do good in this world?

We know evil exists. The question is, why did God let it happen? Did God try to prevent the Salem Witchcraft Trials? Did He try to prevent the suffering of His servants here on earth? If you believe the Bible then you know that God does not create evil, but He does create miracles. What if Reverend George Burroughs was sent to Salem Village to prevent the trials but the people who were supposed to help him, turned against him?

What if there is someone on this earth today sent to help heal the world and prevent suffering but is receiving the help he needs to do what he was sent to do? What if everything is in place for it to all happen, but he decides to not do it? The Scribe of Salem is book one. The Visionary of Salem is book two. 13th Minister of Salem is book three.

If you have PTSD, you'll understand what it was like for Chris in his darkest days. You'll be able to feel the fear he has facing more changes. What I hope you also feel, is having friends come to help you heal, believing in you because they know you and care about you.

If you think God did it to you or didn't prevent it, you'll understand Chris.

“If you’re supposed to find her, trust that and you will.”

Chris shook his head. “You have no idea how strange that sounds to me right now. Up until you guys walked into the bar at 7:00, I would have told you what I thought about God,” he looked down, “that He’s a vindictive son of a bitch playing around with people’s lives and making us suffer for fun. Now I don’t know what to think.”

“You suffered for seven years, so ya, I get how you would feel that way. I did too for a while. The thing is, the explosion happened at 7:00 too, so maybe this time, He’s moving things around so you open your eyes to how wrong you were. Come on Bill is still waiting for us.”

Chris isn't a veteran. He was a reporter covering the war in Afghanistan when a bomb nearly killed him.

If you don't go to church, but believe in God, and even if you don't, you'll understand Chris and all of his friends. None of them go.

If you are a veteran, there are several you'll understand including Vietnam veterans and a female MP.

If you are a police officer, you'll understand one of the people in these books.

If you like books about Salem witches, you'll understand the master ministers of the mystery using the powers they were born with while forced to keep secrets.

If you are a Christian witch, feeling vilified by the "church" you'll understand these incredible people doing whatever they can to help heal others. After all, the one Chris needed to meet was called a witch too!

Read The Scribe Of Salem and let me know what you think. I value your opinion as much as I value your time reading my posts. Now that the three books are done, I'll have time to focus on this page again. To tell you the truth, I missed it, and you.

Twisted history lesson of Salem Witchcraft Trials and PTSD

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 21, 2022

If you have PTSD, then you know what it's like to have something terrible happen. If you're like me, you also know what it's like to wonder where God was when it did. I mean, it's really easy to wonder what He was doing when something horrible happened to you. It's not easy getting an answer from Him.

This series is a twisted history lesson since history is often twisted between what is perceived as "known" with the simple fact that what we think we know, is not all that is known by others.

I went beyond wondering why it happened, and full swing into wondering why the hell did I survive it? We all do that but not all of us end up like the people in the new series I wrote called The Ministers Of The Mystery.

Don't look for the book yet on Amazon. I'm not releasing it until the end of November, (hopefully, if I have the other two ready)

If you read the Lost Son series, I apologize. Instead of writing them the way I intended, I tried to conform to what other people thought. Big mistake. In a way, I'm really glad only a few people read them. These books are different because I went beyond what we perceive as all there is to know and fill in what could have happened.

Start with the Salem Witchcraft Trials. When I read about a minister being hung as a witch, a child went up my spine. Maybe I knew that when I was young and grew up near Salem, going there often, along with loving New England history. If I knew it back then, I forgot all of it.

His name was George Burroughs.

Burroughs graduated from Harvard University in 1670 and, in 1673, married his first wife Hannah Fisher.

In 1674, Burroughs moved to Falmouth, Maine where he served as the pastor at the Falmouth Congregational Church. He continued to serve as the pastor until the town was attacked and destroyed during a Wabanaki raid on August 11, 1676.

A lot has been said about what was behind the accusations against the townspeople of Salem. One of the factors behind it was that the accusers were suffering from PTSD tied to the attack Burroughs and others survived. This link goes to one of those claims along with a history lesson. I'm pointing that out because while Burroughs survived, he did not arrive in Salem Village until 1680 and served as their minister. He was only there for two years before he left after the villagers decided to not pay him.

Long story short, but even after he left, resentment held tempers strong and in 1692, they ordered his arrest to stand trial as an accused witch. What is even more telling about their determination to put an end to his life was the fact they had to go all the way up to Wells Maine to get him. Guess it didn't matter to them that he had been gone for ten years.

The more I researched what happened to him, the more questions popped into my mind. I started with the fact that this guy survived a lot of things, including losing three wives, on top of the slaughter of the people in Falmouth. Then, still holding onto his faith, he was sent to Salem as a spiritual leader trying to bring peace to people who seemed to enjoy fighting with one another. That was an easy assumption to make considering what they did to Burroughs was only part of it. They accused 200 others of witchcraft, hung 19, and crushed one to death. They got away with it simply by saying "they believed" something and never had to prove a single word of it.

The following is from SALEM WITCH TRIALS CHRONOLOGY

August 19- George Jacobs, Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John Proctor, and John Willard are hanged. Although George Burroughs recites the Lord’s Prayer perfectly on the gallows (task witches were allegedly unable to complete without error), Cotton Mather insisted that “…the Devil has often been transformed into an Angel of Light.”

October 29- With public opinion turning against the trials, Governor Phips dissolves the Court of Oyer and Terminer

October 3- Boston minister Increase Mather, the father of Cotton Mather, addresses a meeting of ministers in Cambridge to warn against reliance on spectral evidence. Mather writes, “It were better that ten suspected witches should escape than one innocent person should be condemned…”

It all got me thinking about what if God called him to become a minister, saved him in Falmouth, and brought him to Salem Village to prevent the witchcraft trials? What if the people with power, position, means, and ability to help him in 1680 did it instead of turning against him?

That all fit with the story of Chris Papadopoulos in Salem on September 13th, 2019. He was a reporter covering the War On Terror. There was a bomb blast that he survived but ended up suffering for it. His body was scared and he had to have help to recover, but his wife regretted he came back home. She hated him. He survived her trying to kill him. He survived 7 years of agony and decided to end it all his way because he lost all hope. The thing is, God had other ideas. 

Now, no matter what God wanted him to do with his life, he wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing if the people sent to help him refused to do it. The long list of characters in these books includes Master Ministers of the Mystery with the ability to use their gifts far above what is "normal" and were, at one time, called witches. Everyone sent to help Chris was ready, willing, and able. The only thing they had to do was convince Chris to do it!

The other thing they have in common is, they all have PTSD! No one understands what you're going through better than someone else struggling to make sense of it too, no matter what it is. While we know we're all different, those of our kind, are the only ones that know what it is like to live with the heartache of unanswerable questions, or what it is like to rejoice when we discover a fuller life than we thought we could have.

I found comfort over the last 40 years, by reading about others like me and being inspired by them. Whatever we know today, was written by authors and reporters. Chris was a reporter, turned author, created as a scribe to translate the messages from God to help heal the world.

This series is a twisted history lesson since history is often twisted between what is perceived as "known" with the simple fact that what we think we know, is not all that is known by others. It is the same when we live with the reality of surviving the cause of PTSD. What we know is not what the general public knows. To them, PTSD only hits veterans, because that is all the reporters focus on. They ignore the rest of us. What chance do we have to open our eyes if no one is talking about us?

It was so bad for me, that after 40 years of helping people heal PTSD, I had no clue I had it. I never read anything about someone like me. Getting help for myself was impossible because I couldn't explain it enough that anyone would understand. I finally found a therapist that did get what I was saying.

She's helping me heal after losing one of my best friends and it was a grief I couldn't just get over. He died at the beginning of the year. I was writing these books, feeling more connected to the dark parts of the story than I did to the hopeful parts. After a while, she got me to see that I did need to connect to the darkness so that I'd feel the hopeful parts more. She was right!

If people see our pain, and struggles and understand how much power they have to help us, this world will become a better place for all of us!

Series Description:
Whenever something terrible happens, we all wonder why God let it happen. Have you ever wondered why God allowed the Salem Witchcraft trials? What if someone had been sent to prevent them from happening? What if the one sent, didn't get the help he was supposed to have waiting for him?

It was a time when people claimed to be Christians but proved they did not follow the values faithfully. They made false accusations against over 200 people and rejoiced when 20 were put to death because Puritans decided to hate them. It wasn't a new phenomenon. The Puritans may have given up the persecution of so-called witches but their use of the power of lies was a lesson far too many learned. The people with gifts beyond nature were forced into hiding knowing a time would come when they too would be vindicated.

In modern-day Salem, The Master Ministers were preparing for when the most powerful one of all would take his place as the 13th Minister. All they had to do was convince Chris to do it.

The Scribe of Salem is book one. The Visionary of Salem is book two. 13th Minister of Salem is book three.

Coming next week!

Finding spiritual clarity with PTSD

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
October 24, 2022

Pick any religion, and what you will find is spiritual people among the "religious" ones that were free to choose what group they belong to. The difference is, anyone can be spiritual but not belong to a religious group. I am churchless but not Godless. Whenever I am in a group and asked about my faith, I am unashamed of the answer I give. The problem is, those that who attend church have a problem with that. I am constantly invited to their houses of worship when I choose to worship in my own house.

What the ‘spiritual but not religious’ have in common with radical Protestants of 500 years ago on The Conversation is a good place to start this.

The spiritual but not religious are independent seekers, many of whom pray, meditate, do yoga, and other spiritual practices outside the confines of a particular tradition.

I am a Christian and became a Chaplain in 2008 but as a Chaplain, I had to choose between faith and helping others heal PTSD. I chose to help on their terms, no matter where they were on their spiritual beliefs. When I addressed anything that was based on scripture but they did not believe in God or Jesus, I told the person I was helping that was what I believed but if they did not, they should regard it as a story. If they believed, which over 90% did but did not consider themselves "religious" it was easier to open their eyes to what they did not know was in the scriptures.

Most of them knew John 3:16 but they did not know the rest of the passage. Nicodemus was one of the leaders of the Jews. While he was among those who wanted to put Jesus to death, he was a man with an open mind and a wise spirit. He decided to talk to Jesus and find out what He was all about.

John 3:1-21 3; There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

In other words, while others used their "religion" to end the life of Jesus here on earth, He came to believe that Jesus was the Son of God and provided a place for Him, not just in his tomb, but in his heart.

Many parts of the Bible discuss how we are in fact spiritual creations. While not all spiritual people are Christian, they do agree that there is something within them that is empowering. The same applies to you and is vital if you are trying to heal PTSD. It strikes the emotional core of what makes you "you" and then infects it with all that is attempting to destroy you.

That was the reason I rewrote my last books and turned them into The Ministers Of The Mystery because there is what we think we know, and then there is the amazing truth about what else there is to discover. It is a battle of good against evil, fact against fiction within fictional works of The Scribe, The Accused, and The 13th Minister Of The Mystery.

These are spiritual people, healers that were regarded as "witches" much like many of those hunted down during the Witchcraft Trials around the world. They were judged by "religious" people in their time but vindicated by ours. The story is about fighting against what the protagonist believed about himself and friends fought to help him find the purpose of his very strange life. If you know anything about the miracles in the Bible, you may think they stopped happening but when you think about how each of the deliverers of the miracles was given their gifts to achieve the results, it makes it easier to realize they are still going on in today's world.

Some think that PTSD only strikes veterans, but the truth is, it strikes survivors of all types of traumatic events. All of the "friends" survived different things, suffered afterward, and healed enough they wanted to pass on that gift to others. It was a gift they were willing to give freely because others gave it to them first in the same way. 

If you like supernatural, paranormal, and psychological splashed with real history, the spiritual gifts of the soul, empowerment, peer support, good witches, and miracles, I hope these books fill that and entertain you. Above all, I hope they strengthen the power within you!

The Scribe is available on Kindle Vella with the first three episodes. 

The Scribe, The Vision, and The 13th Minister will be released at the end of November on Amazon Kindle and paperback.