Tampa Tribune Highlights USF Nursing Recognition from First Lady Michelle Obama for College’s Veteran Healthcare Efforts and Research on Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

Tampa Tribune reporter, Howard Altman, highlights in an article First Lady Michelle Obama’s recognition of the Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) study currently being researched at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. First Lady Michelle Obama acknowledged the College’s efforts during a speech at a national summit addressing health care for veterans at the University of Pennsylvania on April 11, 2012. The ART study aims to treat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“At the University of South Florida College of Nursing, they’re even testing a new therapy to treat PTSD. And one of their patients is a veteran named Josh Thomas. And since returning from Afghanistan, Josh had been suffering from insomnia, anxiety, nightmares, high blood pressure, depression. But after just two therapy sessions, he saw dramatic improvements,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “And as he put it — and these are his words — he said, ‘before the therapy, I didn’t feel I had any control over my life, or the sinking feeling of drowning. But after the second session, I feel I have some control, and am actually swimming — getting somewhere. This therapy changed my life.’ Those were his words.”

ART is a revolutionary intervention used in one of the five sub-studies of the RESTORE LIVES grant, which is part of the RESTORE LIVES Center at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. The RESTORE LIVES grant is funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (TATRC). ART is a therapy-based study focusing on veterans and military service members suffering from PTSD.

To read Tampa Tribune’s full article go to: “New therapy helps prevent PTSD for traumatized troops”