New PTSD clinic opens in Fredericton on Monday

A new clinicto help people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic painwill be opening in Fredericton next week.

Trauma Healing Centers will open its fourth clinic on Monday in Fredericton.

"Basically what I call it is my one-stop-shop for post-traumatic stress and chronic pain," said Trevor Bungay, who is the vice-president of Trauma Healing Centers.

Bungay served for 17 years with the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment based at CFB Gagetown.

He did seven overseas tours before being diagnosed with PTSD in 2013 and retiring last year.

Bungay said he was on about 18 or19 pills a day at one point.

"I was on pills to wake up, pills to fall asleep," he said.

"My son who was four years old at the time came in and said, 'Daddy I couldn't wake you up last night,'" he said. "And from that day forwardI was like, 'That's it.'"

Range of services offered

Since then, Bungay has sought other modes of therapyand has become the face of Trauma Healing Centers.

The range of services offeredinclude massage, nutrition, psychologyand help with accessing medical marijuana.

"The medicinalcannabisis a great tool when it comes to dealing withPTSDand chronic pain.Itgives you basically the tools to get to where you're going to get your therapy," said Bungay.

The Fredericton clinic will be based out of the office of psychologist Joan Wright. A medical doctor will come in to the centre to prescribe medical marijuana.

"For lots of these guys medical marijuana is the most appropriate intervention for them," said Wright.

"There's about 35 per centof people who don't benefit from the traditional medications, or from the traditional psychotherapy interventions."

Meanwhile, Oromocto-based Marijuana for Trauma is opening new offices too.

It is currently suing Moncton marijuana producer OrganiGram over the profit share from Trauma Healing Centers.

Last year Veterans Affairs Canada paid veterans more than $5 millionfor medicinal marijuana.

New Brunswick veterans received more than 40 per cent of that money.