Offering Jessup Veterans Waves of Hope
A few weeks before the start of the fall semester, Give:24 funds enabled six student veterans to attend the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation’s (JMMF) ocean therapy program at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. This unique ocean therapy was started by JMMF and is an adaptive surfing program to assist individuals coping with mental, emotional and physical illness by accessing the ocean environment. One of the populations JMMF serves are military members who suffer from post-traumatic stress (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries as well as anxiety, depression, and addiction as a result of mental and physical trauma suffered during their service.
All too often, trauma and addiction tend to isolate people, but this program offers a sense of solace, peacefulness and connection within an ocean environment. The experience demonstrates the power of working with something greater than oneself while providing a sense of purpose and accomplishment. This deeply impactful and life changing trip allowed Jessup veteran students to connect and ultimately build lasting bonds well beyond the classroom.
On an overcast morning, the session began as participants formed a therapy circle before heading to the surf. To quote Psychotherapist and Founding JMMF Program and Clinical Director, Kevin Sousa, “This isn’t surf therapy, it’s ocean therapy and it starts the instant participants step on the sand. This is like six to seven months of talk therapy in one afternoon.” During this time, students and other participants were led in a discussion as each member shared their desire to be intentional in their recovery process. The next step allowed the six-member student group to form another huddle and go deeper regarding issues they were processing.
“The therapy circle was particularly moving since we discussed something similar during our devotional time the night before,” said Jessup Advancement Gift Officer and Lieutenant Colonel (CH USAR), Des Nelson. “Having the chance to share at this level helped integrate the process once we were in the water. In the ocean, you can’t control the waves, so to ride them successfully, you have to learn to work with them. Much like we can’t control things that happen in life, we have to learn to trust and get up again to move forward. The process is similar to our walk with Jesus.”
“There’s no doubt this formidable experience created an environment of healing for our veterans,” said Veteran Services Coordinator Travis Orth. “This trip was possible because of the generosity of our donors who have not only provided a pathway for our veterans to get an education, they also have access to programs that help overcome challenges so they can heal, grow and build a future.”
“So much of what happens in the ocean can’t be controlled,” said business major Jesse Urbina-Gil. “It’s really about learning to let go. Circle therapy and our topic of the day (intentionality) helped me learn different perspectives and made me remember my own intentions. It was an amazing opportunity working with JMMF.”
Sierra Tsygankov put it this way, “It was truly a transformative time and an unforgettable part of my healing process. I was able to overcome fears and experience being in the ocean for the first time. I’m so grateful for this opportunity because it left such a huge imprint on my heart.”
“For me, it was the car rides, meals, and time I spent with people who shared my experiences, some of whom had done the work I still had to do,” said graduate student Noah Throssel. “The Holy Spirit used those times to renew my military experience using Christian mentorship, which I had never received in the service. It resulted in the subsiding of the resentment and bitterness that had come to define my experience, something I wouldn’t have achieved alone.”
Master’s in counseling psychology student Shaun Ranney said, “This was an amazing opportunity to come out and connect with the ocean, surf, and build some comradery with other Jessup veterans. JMMF was very supportive and it was a great time.
“All the people at JMMF were warm, caring, and interactive in their efforts to create a safe space for us, and being able to surf was fantastic,” said Christine Pinnick. “The feeling of being in the ocean water while being supported by a team of surfing professionals made me feel like I could conquer anything. Surfing is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and being able to do it with other veterans at Jessup and the team at JMMF was a memory I won’t ever forget. I’m so appreciative of everyone who made this possible for us.”
“This trip reinforced the love Jessup University has not just for veteran students, but for all students,” said nursing student Bill Roe. The group was speechless many times, shedding tears of compassion as experiences and challenges were shared and prayed over. Roe continued, “We look forward to how God will use this in the paths He has planned for us and future endeavors for ourselves and the veterans coming after us. Thank you will never be enough to express our profoundly endearing gratitude.”
