Veteran Torben Louwen-Skovdam opens up on how Invictus training has helped mental health journey

Following the end of his 16-year career, an army veteran wasn’t sure where his transition out would take him. Now an incredible sporting opportunity has helped point him in the right direction.

Adjusting to civilian life can be a difficult journey for many defence force members, but an opportunity to compete at the Invictus Games is helping one Townsville veteran take small steps on his transition following the end of his Army career.

Torben Louwen-Skovdam first joined the Australian Army in July 2008, and 16 years later, he was medically discharged after a 2016 deployment to South Sudan caused him post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“I really still don’t know who I’m going to become post-army because that has been such a significant part of my life,” Louwen-Skovdam said.

Throughout his career, Mr Louwen-Skovdam served primarily as a Logistic and Operational Planner and served in commanding positions at the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion and 10th Force Support Battalion.

However, the father of four has said his recent selection to participate in the Invictus Games, which will take him all the way to Canada in February, has allowed him to regain a bit of his “spark”.

“I had no expectations, I put my hand up and committed to go to the selection camp. That in itself was a huge step for me, and I thought if that’s all I get out of this, just putting myself out in that environment and putting my hand up, then that’s enough for me,” Louwen-Skovdam said.

“Anything beyond that is just going to be amazing, and after being notified (of selection), I was pretty pumped.”

(L-R) Brian Heilbronn, JCU Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Science and Exercise Physiology and JCU Veterans Physical Activity and Sports Performance Program co-ordinator and Torben Louwen-Skovdam, Townsville veteran and Invictus Team Australia athlete

Louwen-Skovdam will be competing in wheelchair basketball, nordic biathlon, indoor rowing and swimming.

As part of his training schedule, he has been working with the James Cook University Veterans Physical Activity and Sports Performance Program, which helps veterans reconnect with exercise and improve their mental health.

The program coordinator and JCU Exercise Physiology Lecturer Brian Heilbronn has been helping Louwen-Skovdam prepare for the upcoming games.

“We just try to generalise the training as much as we can to physically prepare him for the demands of the sports, and then we’ll just have to deal with the conditions when they’re over there,” Mr Heilbronn said.

“It’s going to be summer in Australia when we leave to go to Canada, then we get into Winter in Canada where we will be getting music colder temperatures in the snow so we can get him physically ready, and then hopefully his mental fortitude will get him through the rest of it.”

With less than four months until the games kick off in Whistler, Louwen-Skovdam said there was one thing he was most looking forward to outside of competing.

“I’m probably most excited about just being there on the competition stage and looking up into the stand and seeing my family supporting me. I think that’ll be pretty special,” he said.

Originally published as Veteran Torben Louwen-Skovdam opens up on how Invictus training has helped mental health journey