A Petaluma360 Blog

Peters Perspective

Thrive in today's world

Resilience Cafe

Wednesday, at 2:19 by

Petaluma’s Aqus Café was filled to capacity November 11th for the first meeting of Resilience Café, a public forum for the discussion and healing of trauma. Community members of all kinds – veterans, treatment professionals, ordinary individuals – came to learn about trauma and how it might be impacting their lives. Billed as an opportunity to “Listen, Share, Heal”, Resilience Café was created jointly by the Bernstein Institute and Aqus Community. Together, we want to fight the stigma often associated… Read More »

Meet Me at the Sebastopol Copperfield’s on Saturday, November 2nd!

Tuesday, at 4:28 by

On Saturday, November 2nd, from 12:00 to 2:00 PM I will be signing copies of my new book, Trauma: Healing the Hidden Epidemic, at Copperfield’s Books, 138 N Main Street in Sebastopol.  Please drop by.  I would love to meet you and personally autograph your copy. As I’ve mentioned in recent posts, I’ve written my book to describe trauma—its nature, symptoms, and effects—in terms everyone can understand. I’ve included very practical actions you can take to begin to heal the… Read More »

Inaugural Issue of the Trauma Newsletter

Wednesday, at 2:19 by

I’m excited to announce the arrival of the first issue of our newest publication, the Bernstein Institute Trauma Newsletter.  Each issue of the newsletter will contain helpful, practical articles on the subject of trauma, along with a personal note from me on a vital issue catching my attention.  My aim is to consistently provide accurate information and positive inspiration for everyone who has been touched by what I’m calling the “hidden epidemic” of our time. This first issue includes two… Read More »

A Lone Star State PTSD Debate

Thursday, at 3:08 by

In 2014, George Bush will run for the office of Texas Land Commissioner.  He’s campaigning already, according to a recent article in the Mid-Valley Town Crier, and, as a veteran, he has plenty to say about PTSD and other issues regarding military service. Julie Silva’s Crier article first caught my eye for an obvious reason—is Former President George W. Bush running for Texas Land Commissioner?  After my double-take, I discovered that US Navy Reserve Ensign George P. Bush (and nephew… Read More »

Meet Me at Copperfield’s on Saturday, August 3rd!

Tuesday, at 3:51 by

On Saturday, August 3rd, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM I will be signing copies of my new book, Trauma: Healing the Hidden Epidemic, at Copperfield’s Books, 140 Kentucky Street in Petaluma.  Please drop by.  I would love to meet you and personally autograph your copy. As I’ve mentioned in recent posts, I’ve written my book to describe trauma—its nature, symptoms, and effects—in terms everyone can understand. I’ve included very practical actions you can take to begin to heal the often… Read More »

6 Hurting Women

Wednesday, at 7:25 by

On February 26, 2012, trauma and tragedy entered the lives of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.  It entered the lives of the Martin and Zimmerman families.  And on June 24, 2013, trauma and tragedy entered the lives of six anonymous women called to civic duty in Sanford, Florida. For 14 days, they listened to and watched the unfolding testimony of violence.  For three weeks, they spent their evenings isolated in a motel room. At the end, to the best of… Read More »

Would You Talk to a Virtual Therapist?

Wednesday, at 3:43 by

On June 20th, I attended the day-long “Brain at War” conference in San Francisco presented by NCIRE – The Veterans Health Research Institute, in cooperation with the San Francisco VA Medical Center, UCSF, and the US Department of Defense.  Annually hosted by the stately Marine’s Memorial Club & Hotel, “Brain at War” reports on the “ongoing examination of the physical and neurological consequences of military combat duty”.  Experts in medicine and science present “the latest innovations and emerging technologies” in… Read More »

Freedom on the Inside

Thursday, at 9:20 by

In 1970, I left New Jersey for California.  This was not a decision freely made.  I was forced to leave because my life was at risk. When I arrived in San Jose, I felt like a fish out of water.  Seeking some kind of familiar territory, I started working in prisons and juvenile detention facilities.  These were definitely not places where freedom “reigned”. I had wanted to make a new life for myself in California, but the “New Jersey” in… Read More »

PTSD Awareness Day

Thursday, at 9:14 by

The United States Senate has designated June 27th as National PTSD Awareness Day.  Every day in my practice I’m doing what I can to bring more awareness to trauma and the “invisible wounds” that contribute to post-traumatic stress. It isn’t just the military who suffer from PTSD.  Anyone and everyone who has experienced overwhelmingly traumatic events can find themselves suffering from hidden, emotional wounds.  Firefighters, EMTs, police, nurses, emergency room personnel, crime victims, abuse victims—all of these and many more… Read More »

Honored by the Argus

Monday, at 2:54 by

I feel deeply honored to be the subject of a feature article in the June 20th issue of my award-winning hometown paper, the Petaluma Argus-Courier.  Here’s how it all came about. A little over two weeks ago, John Burns, the Argus publisher, contacted Steve Rustad, my marketing consultant.  Would I be willing to give them an interview, John asked, to discuss my new book, Trauma: Healing the Hidden Epidemic?  I was more than happy to oblige. Next, I received a… Read More »