Off Switch

by Kevin E Lake

Jennifer Hutton, a counselor for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Beckley, West Virginia, has been helping veterans who struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.) for fifteen years. She enjoys providing treatment in a ‘veteran centered’ fashion, preferring emotional counseling and behavior modification over medication and institutionalization in spite of VA protocol. And then she meets Corey Prine, a 28 year old veteran recently home from the war in Iraq. Corey eerily reminds Jennifer of her father, a Vietnam vet, who died in a single vehicle accident when she was only four years old. Corey is intelligent, insightful, and angry- unhappy to have returned to a life resembling nothing of the one he lived before deploying. Jennifer provides counseling for Corey as he tries to put his post-deployment life together. As their sessions progress, and with Corey’s inability to cope and reintegrate, his anger turns to rage and his emotions begin to show potential for physical manifestation in the form of dangerous, if not deadly, behavior. Exhausted by her own efforts, Jennifer consults Dr. Jerry Barnes, the ‘God Father’ of P.T.S.D. research and treatment. Dr. Barnes leads her to the unpleasant fact that before she can treat Corey or her other patients properly, she must first face her own demons- the truth about her father- the man he had really been after coming home from war- and whether or not his death was indeed an accident, or in truth, a well-disguised suicide, and, either way, if his death was unfortunate or a blessing in disguise. Jennifer’s vision quest leads to a reunion with her mother, where she learns the truth about her father, a truth that will rock all of the beliefs she previously held about treatment of veterans with P.T.S.D. to the core. Then she must return and deal with Corey Prine, in the hopes of finding the ‘Off Switch’ for his condition, if one exists, and hope it’s not too late for him or those around him.

Paperback

First published October 12, 2012

Reviews

[Christine Blissett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and as a Counsellor I longed for Corey to recover. I was surprised that he only had monthly sessions with his Counsellor. I live in the U.K. and I know from colleagues that the appointments are far and few in the NHS. I don’t know how it works for our military except when my brother (who was in the Royal Navy), was on the edge of a breakdown he was given six weeks leave and told to go home. ‘Home’ was in Portsmouth but he came home to our parents.

I worked in private practice and would prefer to see my clients weekly. Twice weekly if they were very distressed. I would oftewaive the cost or reduce it as I thought their therapy was more important.

My only criticism would be the bad language. I understand why it was necessary but the F word just grates on me so much. It’s often used because folk cannot think of a better way to describe their feelings. A darn good book and definitely worth a read.