CityLine: Helping & healing, pain & perseverance
BATTLES AND INVISIBLE PAIN. POWERFUL STORIES OF PERSEVERANCE, PLUS LIFE SAVING RESEARCH IN OUR BACKYARD. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. I’M JESSICA BROWN. MANY PEOPLE WALK AROUND EACH DAY WITH INVISIBLE WOUNDS. THAT REALITY IS ALL TOO COMMON AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO THE NONPROFIT HOME BASE, MORE THAN 100,000 VETERANS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES TO SUICIDE SINCE 2001. OUR RHONDELLA RICHARDSON INTRODUCES US TO A WIDOW WHO WAS LEANING ON HOME BASE AFTER HER HUSBAND TOOK HIS OWN LIFE. I MET ERIC A FEW YEARS AFTER HE GOT OUT. SHE WAS WIDOWED 11 YEARS INTO MARRIAGE BEFORE THEIR LOVE STORY. SERGEANT ERIC JENKINS SERVED FIVE YEARS IN THE U.S. ARMY. THE LAST HALLOWEEN WE GOT DRESSED UP FOR LAST HALLOWEEN. HE KILLED HIMSELF. HE USED A FIREARM. WHERE WAS HE? HE WAS IN THE BACK PART OF OUR PROPERTY. JEANETTE JENKINS IS STILL MOSTLY COMFORTABLE IN THEIR SAME OLD. CAME HOME AFTER BEING PART OF JUNE’S TWO WEEK INTENSIVE CLINICAL PROGRAM FOR THE FAMILY OF THE FALLEN AT HOME BASE. YOU SPEND HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS A DAY IN GROUP THERAPY, INDIVIDUAL THERAPY. SERGEANT JENKINS IS ALSO SURVIVED BY THEIR FIVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AURORA, AFTER HIS SUICIDE. EVERY DAY IS LIKE A DANCE, A FEW STEPS FORWARD, A FEW BACKWARD. HOME BASE IS TEACHING THE FAMILY. RADICAL ACCEPTANCE DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU DON’T HAVE. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS OR REGRETS. IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO CARRY THAT EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG, WHILE YOU KEEP LIVING. AND EVENTUALLY THE WEIGHT OF THAT LESSONS. WHAT A GIFT THAT I CAN JUST MAKE. ALL THAT PROGRESS WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND YEARS STUCK, SCARED AND IN DEPRESSION AND DESPAIR. REALLY, AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS. SO I MEAN, HOME BASE IS IS JUST JUST A GAME CHANGER. SERGEANT ERIC MICHAEL JENKINS FOR A DECADE WAS CONSISTENTLY UNDER A DOCTOR’S CARE FOR PTSD. HE WAS AT THE TOP OF HIS FIELD CODING AS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, AND HOME LIFE WAS GREAT THAT THIS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT, BEAUTIFUL. STRONG MAN. SUFFERED IN SILENCE FOR I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG. AND THAT HE COULDN’T ANYMORE. THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN HAPPEN PRIOR TO A SUICIDE THAT EXPLAINS IT. JOHN HOME BASE GROUP, MOSTLY MOMS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU. HOW DO YOU REMEMBER ERIC? OH MY GOD. SO HIS BIG BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES. MY HUSBAND WAS SO HANDSOME. HE WAS REALLY FUNNY. DO YOU WISH ERIC COULD HAVE GONE TO HOME BASE? YES, OF COURSE I WISH I’D KNOWN THAT HE WAS STRUGGLING WITH THIS IN OCHEM RHONDELLA RICHARDSON WCVB NEWSCENTER 5. OUR THANKS TO RHONDELLA FOR THAT IMPORTANT STORY. A REMINDER HERE IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, CALL THE NUMBER YOU SEE THERE ON YOUR SCREEN. 988 HELP IS AVAILABLE 24 OVER SEVEN. JOINING US NOW IS DOCTOR MEGAN PARMENTER, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST WORKING WITH HOME BASES INTENSIVE CLINICAL PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YOU KNOW, WE JUST HEARD A REALLY HEARTBREAKING STORY. I KNOW IT’S NOT AN UNCOMMON ONE. HOW DID HOME BASE REALIZE THAT THEY NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY, NOT ONLY JUST THE VETERANS? YEAH. SO IN 2017, HOME BASE COLLABORATED WITH TAPS, WHICH IS THE TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS TO CREATE THIS FIRST IN THE NATION PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN. I KNOW IT’S A FREE PROGRAM, RIGHT? WHO’S ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS? YEAH, THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. SO WHILE WE FOCUS ON MILITARY FAMILIES, WE DEFINE FAMILIES BROADLY. SO WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO OFFER PROGRAMING FOR PARTNERS, WHICH INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO SPOUSES, FOR PARENTS AND FOR OTHER RELATIONSHIPS LIKE SIBLINGS OR ADULT CHILDREN, WHICH IS SUPER IMPORTANT, RIGHT? BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED BY, YOU KNOW, THE PASSING OF A LOVED ONE LIKE THAT. WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT ARE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE AFTER THE TWO WEEK INTENSIVE PROGRAM? YEAH, I THINK THAT’S SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. AND THE ANSWER IS TWOFOLD. SO THERE’S THE SUPPORT THAT WE OFFER AS A PROGRAM. AND THERE’S ALSO THE SUPPORT THAT THE INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE FROM ONE ANOTHER. SO WE UTILIZE A COHORT MODEL, WHICH MEANS THAT ABOUT 12 INDIVIDUALS ARE STARTING THE PROGRAM TOGETHER. AND THEY’RE GRADUATING TOGETHER. SO THAT THAT BECOMES A REALLY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THAT THEY TAKE WITH THEM. ON THE PROGRAMMATIC SIDE, WHEN INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATE IN THE TWO WEEK INTENSIVE CLINICAL PROGRAM, THAT THEY HAVE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TREATMENT TEAM THAT INCLUDES A CASE MANAGER AND A THERAPIST. SO THE CASE MANAGER IS HELPING THEM FIND RESOURCES IN THEIR LOCAL AREA SO THEY CAN CONTINUE DOING THE WORK WHEN THEY GO BACK HOME AND THE INDIVIDUAL THERAPIST AT THE END OF THE TWO WEEKS IS WRITING A DISCHARGE SUMMARY. AND IN THAT SUMMARY, IT INCLUDES PERSONALIZED RECOMMENDATIONS. THAT’S GREAT. LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT FAMILIES OF VETERANS AND ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBERS SHOULD LOOK FOR SO THAT SOMEONE THEY CAN BE REFERRED TO GET SOME HELP. YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. AND WHEN WE THINK OF SIGNS, THERE’S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SIGNS. SO THEY CAN BE EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL, COGNITIVE, SPIRITUAL RELATIONAL. SO SOME COMMON SIGNS THAT WE SEE OR COULD BE AN INDICATOR THAT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL INCLUDE THINGS LIKE SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL OR ISOLATION, LOSS OF INTEREST IN ACTIVITIES THAT YOU USED TO ENJOY. WE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE EXPERIENCE CHANGES IN SLEEP, SO EITHER THEY’RE SLEEPING MORE OR THEY’RE SLEEPING LESS. ADDITIONAL SIGNS CAN INCLUDE THINGS LIKE ENGAGING IN RISKY OR SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. SO DOING THINGS WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY INCLUDE RECKLESS DRIVING. IT CAN ALSO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE SUBSTANCE MISUSE FOR PEOPLE ENTERING OUR PROGRAM. OFTENTIMES WE SEE THAT THEY’RE EXPERIENCING INTRUSIVE SYMPTOMS. SO INTRUSIVE MEMORIES OR NIGHTMARES ABOUT A PAST TRAUMATIC EVENT OR A LOSS. AND THEN WE ALSO NOTICE THAT PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE CHANGES IN THE EMOTIONS THAT THEY’RE EXPERIENCING. SO SOMETIMES INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE MORE INTENSE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. SO MAYBE IT’S MORE ANGER AND IRRITABILITY. MAYBE IT’S MORE MAYBE IT’S CONSTANT WORRY OR FEELING REALLY DOWN OR DEPRESSED. OTHER TIMES PEOPLE WILL MENTION THAT THEY FEEL NUMB OR THEY’RE UNABLE TO FEEL POSITIVE EMOTIONS. AND THIS CAN BE A REALLY DISTRESSING COMBINATION OF SYMPTOMS THAT CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE SIGNS WE HEARD FROM RHONDELLA PIECE. THERE. JANELLE. THE STORY THAT SHE’S TRYING TO PRACTICE RADICAL ACCEPTANCE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS? YES. I’M SO HAPPY THAT YOU ASKED ME ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE RADICAL ACCEPTANCE IS SUCH A POWERFUL CONCEPT. THIS IS A SKILL THAT WE WAIT UNTIL THE VERY LAST DAY OF THE PROGRAM TO TEACH. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE’VE ALL HEARD OF ACCEPTANCE, RADICAL ACCEPTANCE IS SOMETHING THAT’S REALLY PROFOUND. I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO SUMMARIZE THE SKILL IS BY THINKING ABOUT THE SERENITY PRAYER, WHICH MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF. SO IT’S GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS THAT I CANNOT CHANGE. THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS THAT I CAN, AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. SO WHEN WE’RE THINKING ABOUT THIS SKILL, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE COME INTO OUR PROGRAM AND THEY SAY, I CAN’T ACCEPT THIS. I CAN’T ACCEPT THE FACT THAT MY LOVED ONE IS NO LONGER HERE, AND IT BECOMES REALLY POWERFUL TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS THIS TRANSFORMATION, WHERE BY THE END OF THE PROGRAM, THEY’RE SAYING, I DON’T LIKE THIS. I WISH THIS NEVER HAPPENED. I WISH I DIDN’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT I CAN ACCEPT THAT THIS IS THEIR REALITY AND MOVE FORWARD. WOW. IT’S LIKE A SIGN OF THE PROGRESS OF THEIR HEALING, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. DOCTOR MEGAN PARMENTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH WITH HOME BASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU’RE DOING AS WELL. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THIS PAST WEEK, WCVB HELD AN ALL DAY TELETHON TO SUPPORT THE VITAL SERVICES OF HOME BASE. YOU CAN STILL HELP VETERANS HEAL BY DONATING AT. WCVB.COM. HOME BASE. UP NEXT, ERASING THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY. MEET A COUNSELOR WORKING TO NORMALIZE CARE AMONG PEOPLE OF COLOR AND AN ARTIST PROVIDING THE MATERIALS AND THE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BUI
This week on Cityline, stories of visible health battles and invisible pain. Rhondella Richardson introduces us to widow Janelica Jenkins, who shares how non-profit Home Base helped her carry on after her husband, a veteran, died by suicide. Dr. Megan Parmenter, a clinical psychologist working with Home Base’s Intensive Clinical Program for Families of the Fallen, explains how the program is saving lives.
NEEDHAM, Mass. —
This week on Cityline, stories of visible health battles and invisible pain. Rhondella Richardson introduces us to widow Janelica Jenkins, who shares how non-profit Home Base helped her carry on after her husband, a veteran, died by suicide. Dr. Megan Parmenter, a clinical psychologist working with Home Base’s Intensive Clinical Program for Families of the Fallen, explains how the program is saving lives.
Mental health in the Latine community
Erika Tarantal shares the story of Licensed Mental Health Counselor Dulce Orozco, who is amplifying the conversation about mental health in the Latine community. Yanellys Martinez welcomes people into her business, Crafty Beings, to connect with creative expression.
Breast cancer stories and research
Jessica Brown shares the story of oncology nurse Paula Campbell, who goes from treating patients to becoming one. After Campbell’s breast cancer diagnosis, the Ellie Fund helps her navigate difficult times. Regina Barzilay, a Susan Komen Scholar and MIT professor, uses AI to improve breast cancer detection.