How is Trojan’s Trek different to conventional counselling or therapy?

Whilst there are a number of current programs available for veterans and families through Veteran and Veterans’ Families Counselling Service, none of them focus on or recognize the advantage of the involvement of “warriors” in delivery or veterans helping veterans. This simple concept has been employed successfully for many years with gamblers and alcoholics.

The differences between Trojan’s Trek and conventional counselling or therapy may be summed up as follows:
–    it is culture specific
–    it involves veteran to veteran delivery
–    it utilizes the remoteness of the bush
–    the program focus is on “victim to warrior”
–    a support group is formed, and
–    the process involves partners

The approach of Trojan’s trek has proved to be a powerful driver in promoting behaviour and life style change thus assisting in return to normal lifestyle for veterans and their families.

What is the cost?
The cost of conducting one Trojan’s Trek for 12 participants is about $35,ooo compared to about $107,ooo for an average episode in Ward 17.  By preventing just two veterans from attending the Repatriation Hospital as in-patients, the savings are approximately $17,800 making the cost benefits obvious.

The qualitative results which were documented by the Australian Centre for Post Traumatic Mental Illness following Trojan’s Trek 2009 are excellent. Indeed, as long ago as 1992, the benefits of veteran treating veteran were recognized. Previous Trojan’s Trek courses bear testimony to the veracity of this hypothesis.