In this brief written essay assignment you will meet a real person who has lived with PTSD by reading their story or watching their video.

Utilizing reliable internet sources, locate a video or article in the form of a story published by a person who has experienced PTSD. A search of the Veterans Administration, other PTSD-related websites, and YouTube should help you locate a wide array of stories from PTSD survivors to select from.

This individual can be at any stage in his or her experience with PTSD. S/he may still be experiencing PTSD, or may be in treatment currently, or may have come through to the other side of full or partial recovery. Here are the parameters for choosing your source.

• Your chosen story cannot be a part of assigned readings or videos for this course.

• You must include the full APA formatted citation for the website or journal/magazine where you located this article or video. (If an article, the article must be freely accessible for purposes of evaluation and grading.) YouTube and other reputable video websites are permissible for this assignment.

• You are responsible to choose a story that is factual and reputable.

Once you have chosen your source, write a 2-3 page brief essay that addresses the following:

• In 1 paragraph, briefly describe the person profiled in this personal story (e.g. gender, age, background, and any other pertinent information that will put the person's experience with PTSD into perspective).

• In 1-2 paragraphs, write a brief summary of this person's experience with PTSD. This should not exceed one third of the overall body of your paper.

• Describe 3-5 connections you were able to make between our course materials (descriptions, diagnostic criteria, theoretical frameworks, treatment models, etc.) and this individual's personal experience with PTSD. For example, were you able to identify classic symptoms of PTSD from what they described? Was the cause of their PTSD clearly identifiable? To what extent was any treatment described identifiable as an evidence-based best practice?

• Please describe at least 1 thing you might have done differently, or recommendations that you might make for this person to minimize long-term effects of exposure to trauma, based on what you have learned this term.

• Close your essay with 1-2 well thought-out final reflection paragraphs that share what you learned in reading this person's story.

Include 2-3 questions in your closing that you would ask this person if you had an opportunity to interview them and learn more about what they have been through.