PTSD Awareness Council Brings Together Providers, Patients, and Industry Leaders to Increase PTSD Awareness
June 27 2024 - 5:00AM
Business Wire
Collective resource for organizations and media
assembled by Freespira to provide a learning advantage to better
understanding of a widely misunderstood disorder
Freespira, Inc., developer of the only FDA-cleared, at-home
treatment for panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) symptoms, today announced the formation of its PTSD
Awareness Council. With members ranging from providers and patients
to partners and industry representatives, Freespira’s PTSD
Awareness Council is designed to provide a collective resource to
organizations and media looking to understand post-traumatic stress
disorder from every perspective.
Given the growing discussion surrounding trauma and the need for
greater awareness about PTSD, Freespira is often tapped to provide
condition-specific insights and educational resources. The PTSD
Awareness Council offers a directory of individual sources that
will make PTSD expertise more accessible to media and other
groups.
“PTSD is a term that is widely used, but there remains a huge
gap in understanding whom it impacts. It’s not just
combat-related,” said Joseph Perekupka, CEO of Freespira. “Trauma,
including accidents, illness, assault, or natural disasters, will
impact approximately 70% of us in our lifetime. Not everyone who
experiences trauma will develop PTSD, but knowing the risks and
symptoms of PTSD will help individuals know if they are suffering
from this challenging condition and seek treatment. Early diagnosis
and intervention can mean the difference between a life of peace
and a life of fear.”
“In over a decade at Freespira, we’ve had the good fortune to
learn from many individuals involved in every aspect of this
debilitating disorder,” said Simon Thomas, president and COO of
Freespira.
The PTSD Awareness Council has been formed to provide easy
access to individuals with experience in all aspects of the
condition. The council’s initial cohort features 9 members with a
diverse range of expertise:
Innovators
1.
Joseph Perekupka, CEO, Freespira –
Health tech executive helping patients overcome the challenges of
accessing care by providing a non-medication at-home treatment for
PTSD symptoms.
2.
Dr. Aron Tendler, CMO, GrayMatters
Health – Board Certified Psychiatrist and health tech executive
who specializes in clinical research and development of
non-invasive neurostimulation and neurofeedback treatments for
mental health disorders, including PTSD.
Care Providers
3.
Robert Cuyler, PhD – Practicing
clinical psychologist based in Houston specializing in PTSD, Chief
Clinical Officer at Freespira, and PTSD columnist for
veteran-focused Homeland Magazine.
4.
Malika Closson, M.D. – Double board
certified adult and child & adolescent psychiatrist with
expertise treating underserved communities. She has extensive
experience in clinical practice dealing with trauma and the
adolescent community.
5.
Lisa Northway – The only female
family life chaplain serving on active duty in the U.S. Army, Lisa
has provided compassionate care to soldiers globally, including
tours of duty in Kuwait, Iraq and Europe; in addition to being a
care provider. She suffers from PTSD as a result of her service and
continues faithfully engaging any unhelpful triggers to combat for
her own wellness while advocating for the military community at
large.
6.
Natasha Dickerson-Amaya – Licensed
professional counselor, published academic on the subject of
intimate partner violence’s impact on men’s mental health, and
Freespira care coach.
Patients
7.
Scott Schaffer – A military veteran
and retired professional kickboxer who has lived with the trauma of
both his active service and the pressures and dangers inherent in
competitive sport.
8.
Mike Fahey – A former broadcast
news producer for local NBC, CBS, and FOX affiliates, Mike was
exposed to traumatic imagery and information on a daily basis while
also knowing his news teams could be put in harm's way while
reporting from hostile situations.
9.
Doug Bartlett - A survivor of a
home accident involving a chainsaw that led to a lengthy recovery
time and ongoing PTSD frequently triggered by encountering rooms,
lights, and sounds associated with the incident.
Additionally, Freespira’s PTSD Awareness Council is set to
welcome new voices by regularly adding new members. An adjacent
effort, a PTSD Resource Center, will launch in late summer and
provide Council-vetted and validated PTSD educational materials in
a single online hub.
Reporters and organizations working on relevant stories who
would like to leverage the expertise of PTSD Awareness Council
members can reach out to freespira@consortpartners.com for more
information.
About Freespira, Inc.
Freespira, Inc. is a leading innovator in mental health
treatment and the developer of the leading FDA-cleared digital
therapeutic for panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) symptoms. Over the past decade, Freespira has been dedicated
to transforming the lives of those struggling with panic disorder
and PTSD by offering personalized and accessible care through
advanced technology. Recognized as one of the top 10 most
innovative medical device companies by Fast Company, Freespira's
at-home treatment addresses the underlying physiological cause of
panic attacks and PTSD symptoms, empowering patients to visualize
and regulate their breathing patterns in 28 days. The company is
committed to breaking down barriers to mental health treatment,
such as lack of providers, long wait times for appointments, and
the stigma associated with seeking help. For more information,
visit freespira.com.
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Media contact: freespira@consortpartners.com