Menomonee Judo Club: Judo Without Limits

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Many veterans return from service with physical injuries that are often easy to discern. However, countless more return with psychological wounds that can be invisible and can often be ignored. More recently, however, providers of veteran services have been much more proactive in the area of military mental health, especially with so many soldiers returning from service after numerous and lengthy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Specifically, the military and veterans have been more open to discussing issues like severe stress, anxiety, PTSD and/or depression.

While there is clearly conventional drug and/or talk therapy for dealing with such conditions, such treatment does not appeal to or is ineffective for many veterans. Consequently, veterans often seek alternative methods in order to cope and/or aid in reintegration into society. Judo has become one such mechanism that has proven successful. The combination of physical activity, competition, universal accessibility, and the unique life philosophies and lessons espoused by judo, make it an attractive and effective tool to treat many issues associated with both veteran physical and psychological health.