Love After War

FAILED INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE LEADING CONTRIBUTOR TO MILITARY SUICIDES

People who return from deployment with a serious mental or physical disability experience more marital stress and divorce than their non-disabled peers. Furthermore, failed intimate relationships contribute significantly to suicide, intimate partner violence, child abuse, substance abuse, and homelessness.

BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY

LOVE AFTER WAR: Saving Love, Saving Lives is a feature-length documentary that introduces viewers to catastrophically wounded veterans and their partners who candidly share how they restored emotional closeness and physical intimacy after surviving combat related injuries. With insightful commentary from experts in sexuality and disability, this film sensitizes the public, provides hope to our heroes, and serves as an educational tool for those whom our veterans rely on for their care.

LOVE AFTER WAR

Shows real life examples of disabled veterans reclaiming healthy, fulfilling relationships despite their injuries.

Provides a voice bringing a vital issue into the national conversation.

Serves as an educational tool for the medical providers whom our veterans rely on for their care.

Will be the nucleus of a community and a portal to resources for those in need of help.

17 VETERANS A DAY DIE BY SUICIDE

OVER 600,000 MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED SINCE 9/11 ARE LIVING WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AND/OR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE SUSTAINED CATASTROPHIC PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.

PEOPLE WHO RETURN FROM DEPLOYMENT WITH A SERIOUS MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY EXPERIENCE MORE MARITAL STRESS AND DIVORCE THAN THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.

THE MOST COMMON FACTOR IN BOTH SUICIDE AND SUICIDE-ATTEMPTS ARE DIFFICULTIES WITH AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE EVENT.

A STRONG RELATIONSHIP PROVIDES A CRITICAL SENSE OF BELONGING AND MOTIVATION FOR LIVING – THE STRONGER A RELATIONSHIP, THE MORE OF A BUFFER IT AFFORDS TO PREVENT SUICIDES.

WAYS TO ACCESS THE FILM

Love After War: Saving Love, Saving Lives is a moving 57 minute documentary that introduces viewers to veterans and their partners who candidly share how they won the battle to restore emotional closeness and physical intimacy after surviving catastrophic combat-related injuries. The inspiring film also features insights from experts in the field of sexuality and disability.

Bring love after war to your community or watch at home.

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Educators & Librarians

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What people are saying

"I applaud the filmmakers for shedding light on this sensitive, yet highly relevant, subject. This film highlights the hope that lies beyond the visible and invisible wounds of war."

-Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mike Linnington CEO, Wounded Warrior Project

"LOVE AFTER WAR takes a hard topic that people don't like to talk about and normalizes it.”

-Lee Woodruff, Author of In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing. Read more at: leewoodruff.com

"A must-see for everyone who wants to honor the men and women who serve our country...and help them find their way - all the way - home."

-Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, Former Executive Director PREVENTS Task Force; Founder, Give an Hour

"An amazing and impactful documentary that beautifully shows the impact that physical & mental trauma can have on love and relationships for Veterans while highlighting ways to heal."

-Lisa Chandler, LCSW, Assistant Director, Adult Learner & Veteran Services, Colorado State University

"A powerful and moving documentary that sheds light on the often overlooked challenges faced by veterans and their partners...One of the film’s remarkable achievements is its ability to resonate with a diverse audience."

-Erica Marsh, Manager, Southeast Region, Travis Manion Foundation

Meet the Filmmaker

Dr. Mitchell Tepper, Executive Director, Director, Producer, and Writer, is a sexologist who has been living a full life with spinal cord injury for over 40 years. He has long been personally and professionally dedicated to ending the silence around sexuality and disabilities. Dr. Tepper has been working with wounded veterans since speaking at the Road to Recovery Conference for wounded veterans in 2006. Through spearheading the Wounded Troops and Partners: Supporting Intimate Relationships Conference in Washington DC in 2008, he was successful in getting the issue of sexual health and intimacy for wounded warriors on the national radar. He assisted the Bob Woodruff Foundation in organizing their High Impact Collaboration Conference, From Injury to Intimacy, in 2014. He has been instrumental in the implementation of couple's retreats within the VA system and in training members of the Sexual Health and Intimacy Workgroup at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Dr. Tepper has published peer reviewed articles in medical and sexual health journals on comprehensive sexual health care for catastrophically injured warriors.

THE STORY OF INJURED VETERANS AND THEIR ROMANTIC PARTNERS WHO ARE WINNING THE BATTLE FOR LOVE