Addictive disorders can be particularly challenging for clients. Not only do these disorders typically interfere with a client’s ability to function in daily life, but they also often manifest as nega

Levy Family: Episode 3 Levy Family: Episode 3 Program Transcript JAKE LEVY: We'd be out on recon in our Humvees, and it would get so hot.\ We used to put our water bottles in wet socks and hang them right outside t\ he window just so the water would cool off of a bit, and maybe then you cou\ ld drink it.

Man, it was cramped in there. You'd be drenched, nowhere to breathe. It'\ s like riding around in an oven. And you'd have your helmet on you, 100 pounds \ of gear and ammo. I swear, sometimes I feel like it's still on me, like it'\ s all still strapped on me.

FEMALE SPEAKER: How many tours did you do in Iraq?

JAKE LEVY: Three. After that last recon, I just-- There were 26 of us. Five marines in the Humvee I was in. I remember I was wearing my night vision\ goggles. We passed through a village and everything was green, like I wa\ s i n a dream or under water.

And then there was a flash, bright light just blinded me. There was this\ explosion.

I can't-- I can't- - FEMALE SPEAKER: It's OK, Jake. Take it easy. I understand this is diffic\ ult.

There's something I;d like to try with you. It's called exposure therapy\ , and it's a treatment that's used a lot with war veterans, especially those struggli\ ng with anxiety and PTSD.

JAKE LEVY: Exposure therapy?

FEMALE SPEAKER: Yes. It's to help someone like yourself to confront your\ feelings and anxieties about a traumatic situation that you've experienc\ ed. It's a- - It's meant to help you get more control of your thoughts, to make sense \ of what's happened, and to not be so afraid of your memories.

JAKE LEVY: Put that in a bottle and I'll buy 10 cases of it.

FEMALE SPEAKER: Well, one part of it is learning to control your breathi\ ng. And when you practice that, you can learn to manage your anxiety, to get mor\ e control of it, not let it control you, to protect yourself. Do you want \ to try it?

JAKE LEVY: Right now?

FEMALE SPEAKER: Sure.

JAKE LEVY: Why not?

1 Levy Family: Episode 3 FEMALE SPEAKER: OK. Well, I know this sounds crazy, but a lot of people \ don't breathe properly. And it really comes from bad habits. When they inhale \ and exhale, all the effort is here in their chest and shoulders. And the pro\ blem with that is you get a really short, shallow breath. And that really increase\ s the stress and anxiety in your body.

Instead, a more natural breath should always involve your diaphragm, rig\ ht here in your abdomen. When you breath in, your belly should expand. And when you breath out, your belly should fall. OK?

JAKE LEVY: OK.

FEMALE SPEAKER: So, let's practice. Close your eyes. Now, I want you put\ one hand on your abdomen and the other across your chest. Good. Good. Now, I just want you to take a few breaths, just like normal. What are you feeling? \ JAKE LEVY: I feel my chest moving up and down. But my belly, nothing.

FEMALE SPEAKER: OK. So that's what I was just talking about. That's OK. \ Let's try this. I want you take a breath. And this time, I only want you to al\ low your abdomen to expend when you breathe in and to fall when you breathe out. \ OK, let's try it. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

You feeling better? More relaxed?

JAKE LEVY: Yes.

FEMALE SPEAKER: And the more you practice it the easier it will become. \ So when you find that stress and anxiety coming on, just do your breathing.\ You can keep yourself from getting swept by all those bad thoughts. OK?

JAKE LEVY: Yes. Thank you.

FEMALE SPEAKER: So, do you want to try to go back to what you were telli\ ng me about before?

JAKE LEVY: I can try. It was night. We were out on recon. It was my thir\ d tour in Iraq.

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