WE ARE PTSD – jared
Photographically Touching the Soul Deeply (PTSD) is an interdependent organization of veterans and their families that practices therapeutic photography as a method to develop alternative coping skills, restore relationships and cultivate self-sustainability.
Our Mission – Ahmed
Raise public awareness and inform citizens that all veterans who live with post-traumatic stress are not dangerous, and to improve the quality of life of veterans and their families who live with post-traumatic stress.
Our Action:
We do this by educating our veterans in the process of symptom relief through therapeutic photography by teaching the art of photography through evidence-based therapeutic photography processes.
Our Core Values:
Interdependence through friendship, and trustworthy partnerships together we will cultivate friendliness, honesty, accountability, transparency, and decency.
How This Works?
Within the context of photography, we are framing our fellow veterans with improved coping skills through therapeutic photography. By producing a higher level of mindfulness, this process helps develop strong discipline and artistic skills through fellowship, managing the impact of post-traumatic stress through our therapeutic photography programs. These positive outcomes empower our veterans by helping them cope and enabling their families to communicate with their loved ones on a deeper meaningful level.
What Is Therapeutic Photography?
Therapeutic photography is the term used for photographic practices where in order for a practice to be truly “therapeutic”, there should be a benefit to the end-user in terms of deepening understanding of the self with an aim to reduce inner conflict and enhance coping strategies (Borden, 2000). An extensive description of therapeutic photography includes the application of photography to increase self-knowledge, awareness, well-being, relationships, and to challenge societal issues such as exclusion, isolation, intercultural relations, conflict, social injustice, as well as informing research.
Gibson, Neil. Therapeutic Photography (pp. 22-23). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Aaron Mahlon
FOUNDER and President OF ptsd
LOUIS – A photographer, a documentarian, an educator, teaches disabled veterans photography in Dallas / Fort Worth Texas specializing in Therapeutic Photography for the United States Disabled Veterans with PTSD.
Experiences
Brookhaven Collegiate Class
2016 – 2017
Instructed collegiate level high-school students in Adobe Illustrator Creative Cloud Computer-Aided Illustration
Brookhaven Community College
2016-2020
Professor of Advanced Digital Video I/II and Advanced Digital Imaging I/II. Instructing visual storytelling in digital photography and printing. Instructing digital video production, studio lighting, NLE editing.
Founded PTSD Help for Veterans
2016 – Present
Photography inspired me to study therapeutic photography as a complement to clinical treatment, and that is when I discovered the field of academic research on therapeutic photography. Photography is a pleasurable and is a different way to control my thoughts. The pleasure photography provides requires intense and enjoyable concentration. The pleasing engagement takes power away from my ever-present symptoms.
Founder and President / Trainer of PTSD
2016 – Present