PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused from trauma. Samantha’’s daughter Jaden had been missing for three weeks before she received the news she was dreading, that she had been murdered.
Rinze, a former military photographer, suffered with debilitating traumatic symptoms for over 16 years, after being in many war zones around the world.
Bert Van Hedel had served with the military for decades. When he retired he began to struggle more and more with complex PTSD. He had been sectioned and tried to take his own life. Taking 17 tablets daily he thought there was literally no hope of getting better. He flew to the UK to see Nik & Eva.
Ever since she was violently attacked by two women on her way home from school when she was 15, 22-year old Karlette Palmer has battled with debilitating PTSD symptoms of dermatillomania, anxiety, panic attacks, low self esteem and self confidence. She had to move away from her hometown to constantly stop reliving the attack.
Matt’s wife was desperate to get him help with The Speakmans because his life had spiralled into a black hole and he had said to her, “I don’t feel like being here anymore.”
RAF Flight Lieutenant Paramedic Michelle Sanderson was the first female to work on the Afghan frontline, during that time she was routinely flown by helicopter into the heart of the fighting to care for military and civilian casualties.
Russell Dean was a police officer who was left traumatized and terrified after an attack on duty.
After multiple Iraq tours, Dorian Donnelly developed CPTSD. He gradually became more frightened of crowds and leaving the house.
In 1989, the IRA detonated a time bomb at a Royal Marines School in Kent. 10 marines died, another 21 were seriously injured.
Former transport police officer Paul Curran’s life was left in tatters, after witnessing first-hand the horrors of the London bombings on 7/7/2015.
During a night shift, police officer Gareth Roberts responded to a domestic violence incident, where a young man had been stabbed by his girlfriend. He alone carried out CPR for 20 minutes. The young man’s mother was shouting to Gareth to save her son, but he didn’t survive.
A 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, resulting in the deaths of 86 people, and the injury of 458 others.
Zoe and Paul Thompson had been left traumatised with crippling PTSD, after surviving the Tunisian beach terror attack on 26th June 2015.
After working with individuals from the Sousse terror attack, a support group from the Tunisia attacks approached Nik and Eva requesting their help.
Holly Taylor was first on the scene of a fatal car crash, of which one of the passengers had been dismembered. Due to what she witnessed and the traumas she endured since, she was diagnosed with PTSD.
In October 1980, Mo Lea’s life changed forever, when she was brutally attacked by a man she believes to be Peter Sutcliffe or the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’.
In March 2000, Anita Williamson suffered an unimaginable loss when her 3-year old son was killed by a dustbin lorry.
Andrew Osbourne set off for his job as a security guard at the supermarket, where he had worked for over 20 years. But just over an hour into his shift, Andrew was attacked by a man who had a hockey stick with a modified blade attached to it, a shield, plus a builder’s utility belt with five kitchen knives attached.
In March 2003, Gillian witnessed a car accident. As the car burst in to flames, she watched helplessly as the elderly couple perished in the car consumed by flames.
PTSD or PTSS is an anxiety disorder caused by being involved in, or witnessing a traumatic event. Marion Elsinor suffers with PTSD, panic attacks and claustrophobia since her sister's disappearance, murder and burial in a shallow grave.
Louise McDonald developed severe PTSD, after she donated a kidney and incurred several complications. In addition to this, her younger brother died unexpectedly in his sleep, leaving Louise with an all encompassing fear of dying too.
Five years ago a road accident changed Jo's life forever. Jo was riding her Vespa scooter when a car pulled out in front of her. Whilst she is gradually learning to live with her disabilities, living with PTSD is becoming more and more difficult as she has anxiety and panic attacks. She also hasn't been able to travel to see her family for over five years. Can Nik & Eva help?
In March 2016, Bryan and Jo Shirley were burgled by two armed intruders. The harrowing events of that night have deeply affected Bryan and Jo ever since.
Taking high doses of Mirtazapine and Diazepam, things reached crisis point when Stephen tried to take his own life three times. Desperate for help, Stephen’s wife sent a video plea to The Speakmans.
Danielle and her friend took a 6-month dance contract at a hotel in Egypt. After arriving, it became obvious that the job was nothing like what was advertised, and both girls almost became lost into the world of trafficking.
Kerry and her husband were getting ready to go out, and her father was taking her son downstairs, then there was a bang. They ran to the stairs, to discover her son face down at the bottom of the stairs.
At 15, Victoria was controlled and groomed by an adult, who subjected her to months of psychological sexual abuse and rape.
Sarah was the victim of a sex attack 14 years ago. She was left so traumatized, she struggles to talk about it and has not been able to leave the house alone since.
Sue and her husband were travelling home after a long weekend. They were 25 minutes from home when out of the blue, a silver car driving in the opposite direction mounted the grass curb, and came flying through the air and on top of their car.
Whilst on duty, Cliff Goodwin, a father and former prison guard, was brutally attacked by a prisoner. He was punched in the face and required reconstructive surgery on his nose.
Zara Ashton’s life was shattered in a split second, when she found her sister Linzi’s battered body hidden under a duvet on 29 June 2013.
Brooke Kinsella’s 16-year-old brother, Ben Kinsella, was stabbed to death by a gang of 3 youths in London.
Laura McGoldrick is possibly one of the worst cases of PTSD imaginable. Laura lost 3 family members who were shot and killed in front of her by her stepdad, she herself was shot in the tragedy, but survived.
This Morning catch up with Russell Dean, five years after The Speakmans worked with him to cure his Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and save his life.
Andrew recaps on his therapy with The Speakmans and how after moving 35 times in 30 years he has now finally made a home. He also shares how he was he able to attend the annual memorial for his lost comrades for the first time and he played in the band too.
After therapy, The Speakmans took Molly back to where the attack happened in Nice, France. Molly now says “this has changed my life completely” as she is now able to leave the house and travel the world.