Red Cross Releases New Mind-Body Workshops to Help Military Heroes Heal

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To help members of the military and their families recover and heal, the American Red Cross has created a new set of workshops teaching easy-to-use skills that connect the body with the mind to help participants cope with stress and trauma.

"There is no magic formula for healing both the visible and invisible injuries caused by the challenges of a military lifestyle, and that's why the Red Cross is excited to work with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to create this complementary and integrative program," said Koby Langley, Senior Vice President for Service to the Armed Forces at the Red Cross. "The Red Cross is constantly looking for innovative methods that we can employ to assist our warriors ? and these workshops are another tool we can add to that arsenal."

Red Cross Mind Body Workshops focus on the interaction between the mind and body, and the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social and spiritual factors can directly affect health. Used together these alternative methods can help address common stress reactions.

The first workshop, Using Mind-Body Skills for Performance, guides participants through ways they'd like to improve their performance, whether at work or at home. It explores the use of breathing, mindfulness techniques, stretching, movement, body awareness and guided imagery to aid healing. The second workshop, Using Mind-Body Skills for Growth, guides participants through ways they can use mind-body techniques for personal growth and healing through drawing, journaling, meditation, mindfulness, body awareness, mirroring and self-directed imagery.

"The Red Cross Mind-Body Workshops will afford service members, veterans and their families an opportunity to learn practical relaxation techniques to improve their emotional, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing," said Alison M. Whitehead, MPH, RYT, PMP, VHA Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation.

These Mind-Body Workshops are an extension to the well-established Reconnection Workshops and resiliency programs that have been offered by the Red Cross for years. The extensive Red Cross presence in communities and on military installations around the world will allow easy access to this new program for both members of the military and veterans.

"The Bob Woodruff Foundation supports programs that promote a holistic approach to healing for those recovering from the hidden wounds of war," said Anne Marie Dougherty, executive director of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. "This grant empowers service members and veterans, while facilitating collaboration between the Red Cross and our partners, to provide complementary therapies."

To learn more about the new Red Cross Mind-Body Workshops go to redcross.org/mindbodyworkshops.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

About the Bob Woodruff Foundation
The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) was founded in 2006 after reporter Bob Woodruff was hit by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Since then, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has led an enduring call to action for people to stand up for heroes and meet the emerging and long-term needs of today's veterans. To date, BWF has invested more than $42 million to find, fund and shape programs that have empowered more than 2.5 million impacted veterans, service members and their family members. For more information, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org or follow us on Twitter at @Stand4Heroes. 

SOURCE American Red Cross