This interactive presentation will blend the fields of history, science and psychology with an in-depth look into the trauma of captivity at the horrific Andersonville Prison during the Civil War.  How did prisoners cope with their deadly environment? How did captives utilize their own self-care mechanisms in order to survive at the deadliest of Civil War prisons, where nearly 13,000 perished in just the 15 months of its existence.

Michael P. Gray, Professor of History at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and Stephanie A. Stathas,  a Licensed Professional Therapist with the Pennsylvania Counseling Cooperative, will blend their professional specialties in hope of creating a dialogue with the audience, in hopes of a lively conversation in connecting the trauma of Andersonville to the treatment of PTSD in modern times. The conversation will begin with the Civil War, but will demonstrate the evolution of present day tactics in coping with PTSD, connecting the use of self-care strategies, including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing.