Point Man Pacific NW Veterans Conference
September 15 -18, 2005

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Bridget Cantrell, Ph.D.

Dr. Bridget Cantrell was appointed the 2004 Outstanding Female Non-Veteran for her service to veterans by the Governor’s Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee and the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.

She has her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and is a private practitioner. Dr. Cantrell is one of a small number of specially selected and trained mental health providers for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs PTSD Program. She is also a provider under the Mental Health Fee Service Program, Puget Sound Veterans Health Care System (Seattle VA Medical Center).

Specializing in trauma for several years her primary work now encompasses treating war veterans from all eras and their family members. She also works with those veterans who have been sexually abused while serving in the military. In 2003, she received the Highest Productivity award for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) PTSD program.

Her extensive work with PTSD has also afforded her the opportunity to provide services for the Crime Victims Compensation Program for the State of Washington. She is also a consultant and expert witness in forensic cases.

Her dissertation research entitled “Social Support as a Function of PTSD within Washington State Vietnam Veteran Populations”, was presented to the Washington State Senate Select Committee for Veterans as part of the Governor's Master Plan for the needs of veterans. Her research included a five-site sample of Vietnam veterans’ bio-psychosocial needs that was used for planning future programs for the King County Veterans Program. 

Dr. Cantrell's research findings were formally presented at the European Traumatic Stress Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland. She was also invited to present in Brisbane, Australia at the Brisbane International Traumatic Stress Conference, as well as the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana.

In the Spring of 2004, Dr. Cantrell was requested by the U.S. Army to provide mental health services to the paratroopers of the 173d Airborne Brigade stationed in Vicenza, Italy. While there, she focused upon helping these troops reintegrate with their loved ones and readjust to peacetime conditions after their prolonged combat exposure in Northern Iraq. Information and observations from this time of working with the Iraqi Freedom veterans gave birth to a new workbook course entitled “Turning Your Heart Toward Home”. The book and course is co-authored with veteran writer, Chuck Dean.

Dr. Cantrell is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS) and The International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Washington, a Nationally Board Certified Mental Health Counselor.

Presently, she provides mental health services to active duty from all branches of the military, reservists, and Washington State National Guard troops and their families. This work focuses on treating military personnel who have experienced combat exposure or trauma, family deployment stress and readjustment issues after coming home. She helps family members better support themselves and their deployed loved ones. Dr. Cantrell is also involved with veteran advocacy at the Federal and State level to uphold the rights and ensure proper treatment of veterans. 

She lives in Bellingham, Washington, and has offices in both Bellingham and Everett, Washington. 

You may read more about "Hearts Toward Home" at Dr. Cantrell's web site: 

http://www.heartstowardhome.com/

Dr. Cantrell recently co-authored "Down Range - To Iraq and Back" with Vietnam veteran author Chuck Dean.  It is a timely book dedicated to bringing the troops home and addressing the challenges of the re-integration process from combatant to civilian.

Chuck Dean

Chuck Dean's life and ministry has revolved around reaching out to hurting veterans since 1986. As a Vietnam veteran himself, it became his heart's desire to see other veterans find answers to the many problems facing them when they came home.

That same year he began a full-time ministry of teaching, writing and counseling other veterans primarily in the spiritual aspects of their long journey out of the night. In early 1987, Chuck became the Director of Point Man International Ministries, a veterans-for-veterans support organization. Through Point Man, he has ministered to thousands of soldiers and veterans not only in the United States, but foreign countries as well - including Russia and France.

In the late '90's, as a result of his popular book "Nam Vet: Making Peace With Your Past", he founded WordSmith Books, and worked extensively in the publishing industry for several years thereafter. He is the author of several books on recovery issues, including the latest work "When the War is Over: A New One Begins...Rebuilding Relationships After Trauma", co-authored with best-selling author, Bette Nordberg. It is a timely and critical book for returning soldiers and other trauma survivors.

In the Spring of 2004, he was asked by the U.S.Army to provide spiritual support for paratroopers of the 173d Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy. His focus while there was to help them reintegrate with their loved ones and readjust to peacetime conditions after prolonged combat exposure in Northern Iraq. Information and observations from this time of working with the Iraqi Freedom veterans gave birth to a new workbook course entitled, "Turning Your Heart Toward Home". The book and course is co-authored with Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D., a member of the team that traveled to Italy.

Chuck Dean served in the U.S. Army for six years as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and in the 173d Airborne Brigade both in Vietnam and on Okinawa. He later spent two years as a Drill Instructor at Ft. Ord, California. Chuck served several years as the National Chaplain for the 173d Airborne Brigade Society. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ministry, and continues to write and live in Seattle, Washington.

Chuck recently co-authored "Down Range - To Iraq and Back" with Dr. Bridget Cantrell, Ph.D.  It is a timely book dedicated to bringing the troops home and addressing the challenges of the re-integration process from combatant to civilian.

September 15 -18, 2005

Schedule

Thursday – September 15^th

8:00 – 2:00         Setup
2:00 – 7:00         Registration Table and Getting Acquainted
5:30 – 7:15**      BBQ Dinner (Provided)
7:15 – 7:30         **Break**
7:30 – 8:15         State Coordinator – Outpost – Homefront Leader Reports
8:15 – 8:30         **Break**
8:30 – 9:30         Music Ministry – David DeAndrea & the Houghton Sisters

7:30 – 9:00**     Continental Breakfast (Provided) – Registration Table
9:00 – 9:15         Welcome and Introduction of Leaders, Exhibits and Theme
9:15 – 9:45         Music ministry – Kyle Weber
9:45 – 10:00       **Break**
10:00 – 11:45      Breakout Sessions: Veterans – Spouse/Families – Q&A Interaction
11:45 – 1:15       Lunch (Provided)
1:15 – 2:00         Bob Silveria - Update on Point Man Africa outreach
2:00 – 4:00         Bridget Cantrell, Ph.D. and Chuck Dean – 
                         "A Course of Action: Effective Assistance for the Current Military and Their Loved Ones"
4:00 – 4:15         **Break**
4:15 – 5:00         Marshall Tall Eagle II - "Restoring Honor" with the Medal of Valor
5:00 – 5:30         **Break**
5:30 – 7:30**      Catered Dinner (Provided)
6:00 – 7:00         Bridget and Chuck – "The Benefits of Education and Interaction"
                          Brief on Saturday’s sessions - Introduce Matt and Lynn Huff
7:00 – 7:30         "If I had only Known"
7:30 – 7:45         **Break**
7:45 – 8:15         "A Veteran's Insight"
8:15 – 9:15         Concert & Testimonies - Russell Johnston

Saturday – September 17^th

08:00 – 09:15**     Continental Breakfast (Provided)
9:15 – 9:30            Introduction of Speakers & "How Far did You Travel?"
9:30 – 10:00          Music Ministry – The Homefront Girls
10:00 – 10:30        "Hands on Experience"
10:30 – 10:45        **Break**
10:45 – 11:15        Chuck Dean – "A View of the Combat Community"
11:15 – 12:30        Bridget Cantrell – "Revisiting Post-Traumatic Stess and the Current War"
12:00 – 1:30**      Lunch (Provided)
1:00 – 5:00           Teens Outing and 3-12 year old Outing
1:30 – 2:30           Bridget Cantrell – "War at Home" (Anger issues in Relationships)
2:30 – 2:45           **Break**
2:45 – 4:00           Bridget and Chuck – "Turning Hearts Toward Home" An Abbreviated Work Book Course
4:00 – 4:30           **Break**
4:30 – 6:00           Bridget and Chuck - "Turning Hearts Toward Home" Continued…
6:00 – 6:15           **Break**
6:15 – 8:15**        Dinner (Provided) BBQ – Raffles/Door Prizes
8:15 – 9:15           "After the Storm"
9:15 – 9:30           **Break**
9:30 – 10:30         Concert – Linda Radford & Steve Luker

Sunday – September 18^th

8:00 – 9:30           Continental Breakfast (Provided)
9:30 – 10:00         **Break**
10:00 – 10:15       Music Ministry – Evie Eggers
10:15 – 11:00       "Welcome Home" Service – Point Man Chaplain Larry Haworth
11:00 – 12:00       Goodbye and Journey Home
12:00 – 4:00         Clean-up

Directions

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