Resiliency Programs

The American Red Cross offers resiliency programs to members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families:

○ Coping with Deployments

○ Reconnection Workshops

○ Mind-Body Workshops

The programs are similar in their mission to teach effective resiliency skills as preventative tools for the challenges and stress of military life. All resiliency programs are available free of charge, confidential, and led by licensed mental health professionals with additional Red Cross training.

For more information and to schedule a training for your Family Readiness Group (FRG), spouses' club family group, Veteran and Military Services Organizations or other groups, get in touch with our office!

Coping with Deployments

Developed to support military families during the deployment cycle, these courses teach participants how to build their own and others' resilience. Attendees learn to use psychological first aid to support themselves and others, help children cope with stress, locate resources and make referrals when needed. These courses are intended for the immediate and extended family members, significant others and friends of services members and veterans. Service members and veterans may also attend along with their family members.

Coping with Deployments courses include:

▪︎ Introduction to Psychological First Aid and Resilience

▪︎ Using Psychological First Aid and Building Resilience in Military Children

The courses can be taken separately or as a joint session are available as in-person, instructor-led courses or as a self-guided online courses through the Red Cross Learning Center.

Service members, veterans and their families are taught how to improve their wellbeing through skills that connect the body with the mind. Attendees learn the foundational tools from which they can build a mind-body practice for themselves to reduce stress and improve personal wellness.

Introduction to Mind-Body Skills teaches:
▪︎ Breathing
▪︎ Mindfulness Techniques

▪︎ Stretching and Movement
▪︎ Body Awareness and Functioning
▪︎ Guided Imagery

Using Mind-Body Skills teaches:

▪︎ Drawing
▪︎ Journaling

▪︎ Meditation and Mindfulness
▪︎ Body Awareness of Self

These workshops offer a relaxed environment and encourage participants to practice and reflect on each technique. The focus is on personal growth with minimal discussion around each person's experiences with the skills.

Mind-Body Workshops

Service members, veterans and their families learn how to cope with the challenges that come with military-related transitions, such as readjustment after deployment, training missions, relocation and separation from service. Each session addresses a topic relevant to readjustment.

For adults:
▪︎ Communicating Clearly
▪︎ Exploring Stress and Trauma
▪︎ Identifying Depression
▪︎ Relating to Children
▪︎ Working Through Anger
For children and teens ages 8-18:
▪︎ 10-4: Confident Coping
▪︎ Roger That! Communication Counts
For children ages 5-8 with an adult buddy:
▪︎ 10-4: Confident Coping Buddy Group
▪︎ Roger That! Communication Counts Buddy Group

These workshops utilize small-group discussions to help participants learn to reconnect with their family members, work environments and communities.

Reconnection Workshops