Exercise Assisted Psychotherapy: For the Treatment of PTSD, Anxiety, Depression and Pain.

BY: DANIEL R. GAITA, MA, MSW, LISW-CP

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Mount Pleasant, SC: Combat Veterans advocacy and mental health agency, Operation Vet Fit, is successfully implementing exercise prescription in combination with psychotherapy in the fight to stop veteran suicide. With zero suicides since its inception in 2012, Operation Vet Fit seeks to share the research and science that has led to this groundbreaking mental health modality which couples clinical mental health, evidence-based interventions, with exercise science guided fitness prescription in a first of its kind mental and physical health initiative that has produced significant acute and long-term reductions in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and pain amongst its served combat veteran population. 

With the Operation Vet Fit interventions, combat veterans also benefit from improved physical health, reductions in obesity, diabetes, heart disease, reduced resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, improved body fat composition, lower BMI, weight loss, increased flexibility and improved endurance, strength and stamina. Furthermore, of our veterans that have tested positive for COVID-19, all have had little to moderate symptoms and have recovered without need for hospitalization or therapeutic medications.

“Combining exercise prescription with psychotherapy is not rocket science” ,says Operation Vet Fit Founder and lead clinician, Daniel R. Gaita. However, it does require the ability to conduct both clinical mental health interventions with exercise prescriptions simultaneously. That requires an agency with the knowledge, credentials, qualifications and certifications in both Personal Fitness Training and Clinical Mental Health. Two areas of science that, when combined, can unlock our absolute human potential. Literally, mind and body.  

Hospitals, universities, institutions or agencies wishing to learn more about this exciting convergence of exercise science and mental health are encouraged to contact Daniel Gaita at dan@operationvetfit.org.  We look forward to sharing with you.