If you ask just about anyone who has served in the armed forces they will tell you that being ready for anything is pretty near the top of the priority list. Another thing many will tell you is that the deployment process can be a very difficult one for the soldier and the spouse and/or families.
Jennifer Proulx is a Military Family Navigator at Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre (PMFRC) and her job is to help prepare the soldiers and families for what what can be the most difficult aspect of their service to Country. The upcoming deployment seminar on Wednesday November 26th is the first that has been offered since COVID-19, however workshops run throughout the year designed to help families cope with the various stages of deployment. Jennifer explains the reason for offering the session:
The sense of Community is really at the heart of the sessions, says Proulx, who knows that having a room full of people who are all experiencing similar questions and anxieties is in and of itself therapeutic to a large extent:
The PMFRC recognizes that “family” means different things to different people so they are clear to point out that the seminar is open to anyone who identifies as such or is simply an important person in the life of the solider who is facing deployment.
The Deployment Ready Family Study Forum will begin at 6PM on the 26th at the South Side Community Centre and will feature keynote speaker Adrienne Carfagnini who is the Founder and Clinical Director at Connected Counselling Services in Pembroke. Following her remarks the group will move into the gym where there will be tables of experts who will be able to answer questions unique to each family’s situation.
Among those community partners will be the PSP Petawawa (Personal Support Programs) which is a division of the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (SFMWS). There is a financial element as well to be taken into consideration which is something that is also covered off for the sessions:
The Petawawa Public Library will also be on hand to talk about all of the programs and services that they provide to families involved in the deployment process. Two Chaplains will also be there to explain their role in the process and what they can offer to families who may find a need for their guidance.
Claire Batty who is also with the PMFRC says that the seminar is really for anyone at any stage of the process and not necessarily just heading into the initial phase:
For more information click on the link below.
https://cfmws.ca/petawawa/events-activities/events/deployment-ready-family-steady-forum
(Written By: Richard Evans)
