A REDLANDS therapy approach adopted from Israel is helping people to deal with post traumatic stress disorder.
Aaron Goldwater said he set up Resilience Sailing two years ago after learning how the sport was used to help veterans and first responders in Israel overcome depression, anxiety and PTSD.
The Coochiemuldo Island man said he also used sailing himself to deal with the condition and to relax.
Mr Goldwater has started a program called Sail for Life to help others like him, recruiting researchers from the University of Southern Queensland to monitor the 12-week program, which began in July.
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Those taking part are taken sailing weekly on six-metre training boats borrowed from Manly’s Royal Queensland Yacht Squad.
The program had its first batch of graduates last Friday, with the results from a pilot evaluation by University of Southern Queensland researchers pointing to success.
Mr Goldwater said those taking part were happier and experienced less anxiety.
He said he hoped research would be carried out across three more 12-week programs, but the benefits of sailing were already clear.
Casting worries away to set sail and talking about problems in a relaxed environment helped people to cope with problems.
“The program underwent a two-year investigation by Israeli universities and enjoyed similar conclusions,” Mr Goldwater said.
“Sailing is peaceful, it is quiet and when you leave the shore you leave your problems on the shore.
“Everyone knows everyone there has similar issues to themselves.”
University of Southern Queensland senior lecturer Dr Erich Fein said a preliminary study was conducted on a small number of people, who may or may not have clinically-diagnosed PTSD and the results were encouraging.
Dr Fein said sailing might help prevent chronic workplace stress or be used as an adjunct therapy to the treatment of PTSD.
Mr Goldwater said funding was needed to help researchers continue their work, with corporate sponsors also sought to help keep the program free for participants.
He said people were often medically discharged from frontline service jobs and the Defence Force if diagnosed with PTSD, leaving them without sufficient funds to seek proper treatment.
“Because our target groups have no income and are reliant on social security they have no funds to help themselves out of the issue they have,” he said.
“Therefore they tend to spiral downwards and step away from community.”
Mr Goldwater said he planned to expand the program to other locations and create tailored approaches for Indigenous Australians and domestic violence victims.
The 12-week program received funding from Rotary Redlands Bayside, support from councillor Paul Golle to buy safety equipment and capital from real estate agent Catherine Goldwater.
To donate or sponsor Sail for Life, email Mr Goldwater via aarong@resiliencesailing.org.
To inquire about Sail for Life’s intake next year visit resiliencesailing.org.
