In past blogs, I’ve mentioned the use of mindfulness in military pre-deployment training.
As this process is in its infancy, there are many service people who will never come across mindfulness training as part of their military experience.
One organization that is trying to rectify this gap, at least upon reentry into civilian life, is the Coming Home Project.
The Project provides care, support, education, and stress management tools for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, service members, their families, and their service providers.
Their programs address the psychological, emotional, spiritual, and relationship challenges experienced during all stages of deployment but especially reintegration.
The Coming Home Project provides a safe place – a community – for families, their veterans and service members, and their service providers to come together and share their stories, struggles and accomplishments.
During retreats, participants are introduced to new skills (like mindfulness and yoga) for reducing stress and anxiety and enhancing well-being, and are invited to use expressive means such as writing and drawing for issues that can’t easily be verbalized.
It’s just one program linking mindfulness practices to psychotherapy and trauma treatment.
For more information on how mindfulness can be an effective treatment for trauma, check out our other programs here.
What mindfulness-based methods have you utilized to reconnect someone to their community?
Please leave a comment below.
Deep thought! Thanks for coiibnruttng.
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely comeback.
Mana, I wish I had a way to contact you.
Allan, thanks for bringing it to my attention that they are using EFT in the barracks. Its nice to see that this is happening.
Aloha Mana,
It is wonderful to hear of the heartfelt work you have been doing in Asia and Iraq.
When you are home in Hawaii it may be helpful for you to contact the Schofield Barracks Health Clinic. They are providing EFT for soldiers coming home from deployment.
Blessings,
Allan
I have been living in Asia, teaching and working with refugees…Burmese, Camboian and yes…Iraqi. I have learned too much. Yes, that is what I mean. I am returning to my home in Hawaii and intend to offer my services to returning vets with a program using EFT. Im not sure if having lived a taste of Iraqi world is good or not, but I will offer my experiences to anyone who wants help.
I do many things but EFT is an amazing tool and is already a project in motion. God Bless the men and women who helped us so we would not have to know what we cannot begin to imagine. May they eventually find peace in their hearts…they will never be the same, and we, most of us, cannot begin to imagine. Mana