What is shooting therapy?

[proud2BlibKansan]

Report: "American Sniper" Author Shot, Killed at Gun Range

A decorated former Navy SEAL who authored the book "American Sniper" was one of two people shot and killed at an Erath County shooting range Saturday, according to a newspaper report.

The Stephenville Empire-Tribune reported Saturday that Chris Kyle and another man were shot and killed at a shooting range at Rough Creek Resort and Lodge in Glen Rose late Saturday afternoon.

The other victim has not yet been identified.

The newspaper reported that Eddie Ray Routh was arrested in connection with the fatal shootings.

Empire-Tribune reporter Sara Vanden Berge told NBC 5 that it did not sound like an accidental shooting but appeared to be an intentional shooting.

Vanden Berge said Kyle was at the shooting range with the suspect and another man. She said her understanding was that Kyle had an open invitation to visit and use the range at Rough Creek and did not have a guide with him.

A source told her that the man suspected in the shootings was a veteran and may have been doing some sort of shooting therapy, she told NBC 5.

more ... http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50681926#.UQ3w1Y7iLrB

[ananda]

1. Geezus

What on earth would make a person use shooting as therapy, especially with a PTSD victim?

[jmowreader]

3. It would be a form of recreational therapy

A lot of people think target shooting is fun. These PTSD victims didn't get their disease from shooting holes in paper, they got it from shooting live human beings that, in many cases, were shooting at them. So yeah, if the guy liked shooting targets before he went to war and he asks to be allowed to shoot targets during his therapy, why not?

[dballance]

2. Didn't It Used to Be Common to try to Make Patients Re-Live Events That Were Causing...

them to have a disorder like PTSD? I could swear they use to do it to try to make people "face their fears" in order to help them get over them. Not sure if that's done any longer but something called "shooting therapy" for a vet with PTSD makes me think some form of that type of therapy is still practiced.

[FarPoint]

5. If this is some type of therapy role playing then why use real bullets?

Additionally, in this event, where exactly was the facilitator or clinical professional during the therapy? I sense no where to be found.

[Recursion]

4. Target shooting involves concentration on posture and breathing

It's often compared to yoga in that sense; I've heard of a few people who have a "shooting therapy" course. I've never known it suggested for people with combat-related PTSD, personally.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. kicking this for more discussion

[FarCenter]

8. Shooting sports at Rough Creek

http://www.roughcreek.com/shooting-sports/

[mainer]

9. Archery is far better therapy

I've shot guns and shot arrows and there's no comparison. Archery is silent, contemplative, requires focus, and builds upper body strength. It's also cheap because you reuse arrows. I never got the so-called therapeutic value of blasting your eardrums with noise.

[ribrepin]

10. It's called desensitization therapy

I have PTSD from a bad auto accident. I really, really don't like driving or riding in cars. It brings up all kinds of bad memories. I saw a therapist for this and he eventually brought up desensitization or Immersion therapy by facing my fears and doing the dreaded thing. The difference was that he had given tools to deal with the adrenal rush and other bad things that flood your blood stream. I also knew my therapist well by then and trusted him.

I'm not sure any preparation was done in this case.

I am somewhat more confortable with driving now, but I would just as soon avoid it.

[easttexaslefty]

11. A trained therapist should

be doing any type of therapy.
Because you had PTSD does not mean you are trained to treat PTSD.
Kyle was not a therapist.

[tjnite]

13. 'Shooting therapy' is...

Probably not something you will find much in many medical books. Target shooting is a skilled hobby theraputic to alot of people, for various reasons. It is relaxing, relieves stress, takes your mind off other things, etc.
Some folks its taking a Harley on a cruise or sitting in a hot tub or mountain biking. Personal preference, and I say people should not ridicule others for doing what makes them happy- as long as it is legal. If go around punching people in the face with a soldering iron works for you, then you might want to get that checked out.
But for enhancing the pistol shooting skill, to improve accuracy, you have to replicate proper stance, grip, sight picture, breathing and the way you squeeze the trigger. A wholet more factors have to be accounted for when shooting at long range targets.

[BainsBane]

14. I think it was meant to be a kind of exposure therapy

to acclimate him to the conditions that set off his PTSD. But that should be done with a licensed therapist rather than military buddies.