WOUNDED WARRIORS CANADA PTSD PROGRAM
GARNERS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
TEL AVIV ISRAEL – Wounded Warriors Canada’s COPE (Couples Overcoming PTSD Everyday) program
has garnered international recognition and will now support ill and injured Israel Veterans, First Responders
and their families. Following the establishment of a partnership with NATAL – Israel’s preeminent
trauma centre for victims of terror and war, Wounded Warriors Canada and COPE clinicians accepted an
invitation to travel to Israel to train a team of clinicians to facilitate the delivery of COPE. The training was
completed last week and the trip concluded with a special event commemorating the 20th anniversary of
NATAL – Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center.
The WWC COPE Program has been developed over the last three years by Dr. Tim Black, R. Psych. and
his team who conducted formative and summative evaluation research on the COPE Program for three
years, also presenting their data at the Canadian Institute of Military and Veterans Health Research
(CIMVHR) Annual Forum since 2015. Dr. Black is an Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at the
University of Victoria, and has been working with the military/veteran community for the last 20 years,
recently being named a CIMVHR Research Fellow at CIMVHR Toronto 2017, in part for his work in developing
and evaluating the COPE Program.
“This is an historic moment for Wounded Warriors Canada and reinforces to our supporters that their hard
earned donor dollars are translating into life-changing and family-saving programs that has garnered the
attention of our allies in the international community. We look forward to working with NATAL and their team
of clinicians to deliver this world-class couples-based program to support Israeli Veterans, First Responders and
their families who are struggling with the affects of terror and war in Israel.”
– Scott Maxwell, Executive Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
“We have been working with the military/veteran community for many years and we are proud that the WWC
COPE Program has been able to fill a gap in support by including the families alongside the veteran in combating
PTSD. It is exciting to be able to take what we have learned over the past three years at the University of
Victoria and share it internationally with our colleagues working to support couples suffering from the impacts
of PTSD in the home.” – Dr. Tim Black, R Psych, Wounded Warriors Canada National Clinical Advisor.
“NATAL is excited and grateful for the opportunity to cooperate with the WWC COPE to support veterans, first
responders and their families. Learning and implementing this innovative and unique therapeutic model is a
valuable tool in day-to-day treatment and support of relationships in the shadow of post-trauma. This program
will help to enrich NATAL’s holistic approach in helping couples with post-trauma to heal and recover.” –
Colonel (Res.) Orly Gal, Executive Director of NATAL
“It is both humbling and rewarding that we have shared our program with NATAL. To have such an honoured
institution take on COPE as part of their resources is most gratifying to Kathryn and I and we hope to further
develop our partnership in the future.” – Chris and Kathryn Linford, Co-Founders of COPE
“Since its inception, it was clear to me that the Wounded Warriors Canada COPE program is a unique and special program. I am delighted that it is getting some well earned recognition, and very proud to be sharing it internationally so that more veterans, first responders, and their families can benefit from it. It feels great to be able to share the skills, tools and hope that this program brings with more people.” – Alex Sterling, RCC, Senior Clinician, WWC COPE Program
About the Wounded Warriors Canada COPE Program
The WWC COPE Program consists of a five-day Phase One where five couples struggling with PTSD are
gathered together to work on their relationships as a group. They learn as a small community of similarly
injured people and the idea is to use this community approach to help couples recognize they are not
alone; they can improve their communication skills, manage stress as a team, and learn from each other
through this process. Phase Two offers ongoing family coaching that extends for six months and involves
three sessions per month for the duration conducted via telephone. This follow-up process within COPE
makes it a unique program and helps to solidify the new skills in the couples lives.
About NATAL
NATAL –Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center, is an apolitical nonprofit organization providing multidisciplinary
treatment and support to direct and indirect victims of trauma due to terror and war in Israel.
Founded 20 years ago by Judith Yovel Recanati, together with the late Dr. Yossi Hadar, NATAL’s mission is
to lead the way in the field of trauma, and to advance the resiliency of Israeli society through treatment,
prevention, public awareness and research.
More information can be found online by visiting: www.natal.org.il/en
