Pacific Northwest musicians, Dean and Dudley Evenson, have found a way they can “support the troops” with their music and DVD offerings. Their latest release, the Eagle River DVD has found its way to Walter Reed. This beautiful 62-minute DVD with widescreen and 5.1 surround sound features soothing music and visuals of eagles and other wildlife along the wild river in the Pacific Northwest which Dean has been videotaping for the past 15 years. Also included in the package are Guided Relaxation Bonus Features and a printed Relaxation Training Guide designed specifically to help PTSD and trauma victims.
Realizing that many people coming back from combat zones are dealing with extreme physical and emotional wounds, the Evensons wanted to put their music and media to work to help ease the suffering. For more than 25 years, they have been producing music for health and stress reduction through their independent record label, Soundings of the Planet. Their music has been so popular with healthcare practitioners that the Evensons realized it could possibly be of benefit to soldiers returning from combat. When they first contacted Walter Reed several years ago, they found that the head chaplain there, Major John Kallerson, had used Dean Evenson’s music in his own healing process so he was quite familiar with its benefits. Now he hands out Dean’s music and DVDs to his patients, often amputees suffering the results of IEDs in Baghdad.
Chaplain Kallerson told the Evensons “The music helps our patients focus on their healing and not the chronic pain they endure constantly. The soothing music of Healing Sanctuary and Healing Dreams provides a needed respite from the dreams and flashbacks of the terrors that our wounded have seen and experienced. It is helpful for them to relax and not dwell on the bad dreams or images that they can see… Some find them very helpful to get to sleep.” (Editor's Note: The Evensons have also produced the highly-rated Tao of Healing.)
Inspired by this feedback, the Evensons began to research the effects of war and the stress disorders that often plague veterans of violent conflict and learned that soothing music and visuals can offer an antidote to some of the emotional traumas experienced. They put together a Relaxation Training Guide to help returning soldiers in their healing process. In this guide, they present concepts and techniques incorporating the music, breath, muscle relaxation, visualization, meditation and mantra that can help anyone dealing with trauma and stress.
Last year at Walter Reed, Dean and Dudley Evenson performed for wounded soldiers, their families, and hospital staff. The event was televised throughout the hospital so the staff of 5000 as well as the patients in their rooms could view it. Behind them played the Eagle River DVD and the response from patients and hospital staff was very gratifying. They commented that the music and DVD were extremely beneficial in helping soldiers suffering from PTSD and other wounds of combat. The beautiful natural images of the Eagle River DVD were also helpful in overcoming the nightmares and images of war that plagued so many of them.
Video clips of the Eagle River DVD are available at the Evensons' website, linked here. Click the special section for Service Personnel which offers information to veterans about using music for health and relaxation. Soundings of the Planet has initiated a PARTNERS IN HEALING program to receive donations so they can distribute music and DVDs to VA hospitals and individuals who cannot afford to purchase them, To learn more about the Evensons’ music, DVDs, and work at Walter Reed, check out their website, linked here.
