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To schedule an appointment call us at 1-888-737-5577 or make an online request. In crisis and need immediate support? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (Veterans: Press 1)
​Virtual Wellness Center
A Healthy Connection for People 

*See our Calendar of Events Below*
We all deserve to live our best lives and feel good. Getting from where we are to where we want to be is not always clear. There are many pathways to wellness so we’re offering various opportunities for feeling better in both your body and mind. Try something new with us! We’ll expand our offerings so let us know what else you’d like to try and check the site often. Our primary constituency consists of Bastion residents, as well as the greater New Orleans community. ​
Here’s what we can help with:
  •     Pain Reduction/Management
  •     Weight Loss
  •     Food/Nutrition/Cooking
  •     Habit Changes/Quitting Smoking
  •     Stress Management/Reduction
  •     Emotional Health/Mindfulness
  •     Social Connection/Isolation
  •     Sleep Improvement
  •     Body/Flexibility/Movement
  •     Spirituality
  •     Employment/Education    
  •     Medication Management

Upcoming Events :
**All Events are CST**

January 3, 7pm CST - Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) - Lovella Calica

January 4, 5-5:40pm CST - Meditation Mondays - Julie Holman
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January 5, 12-2pm CST - Community Acupuncture at Bastion for Bastion Residents & Staff - Katya Chizhayeva

January 10, 9-9:40am CST - Grief: 3 Ways to Embrace & Create Positive Change - Julie Holman

January 10, 7pm CST - Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) - Lovella Calica

January 11, 5-5:40pm CST - Meditation Mondays - Julie Holman

January 12, 4-4:45pm CST - Introductory Tai chi/Qigong at Bastion - Katya Chizhayeva
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January 15, 1-1:40pm CST - Tips for Self-Acupressure - Katya Chizhayeva
(Rescheduled from 1/14/21)

January 17, 7pm CST - Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) - Lovella Calica

January 18, 5-5:40pm CST - Meditation Mondays - Julie Holman

January 19, 12-2pm CST - Community Acupuncture at Bastion for Bastion Residents & Staff - Katya Chizhayeva

January 24, 9-9:40am CST - Self-Care Rituals: 5 Ways to Start & Keep Your Self-Care Regimen - Julie Holman
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January 24, 7pm CST - Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) - Lovella Calica

January 25, 5-5:40pm CST - Meditation Mondays - Julie Holman

January 31, 7pm CST - Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) - Lovella Calica
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Fridays in-person from 10am-7pm by appointment - Acupuncture* with Katya Chizhayeva​
*Veterans can talk to their primary care doctor and/or social worker at the VA to get a referral for 15 free acupuncture sessions with Katya Chizhayeva.
​

To access services, call us at 1-888-737-5577 or fill out the online form, or register for an event.

In crisis and need immediate support?
​Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (Veterans: press 1).

Our Free Services

Talk It Out

The social isolation from social distancing, the constant stream of news about COVID19, and the disruption to our normal routines can cause a range of emotional, physical and behavioral reactions that impact our mental and physical health. If you are feeling fear, stress, anxiety or overwhelm and want to talk virtually online to our licensed counselor, please click on the form above or call the above number for an appointment. If you are experiencing a crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (Veterans: press 1).
​

Jeremy Brewer, LCSW

​Jeremy is a licensed clinical social worker and holds a Masters of Social Work with a certificate in disaster mental health and trauma studies from Tulane University. He is also a faculty member with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and a Marine Corps Infantry veteran with two tours to Iraq. Jeremy is the Clinical Director for Bastion, providing support for 58 households who live in an intentional community for warriors and families located in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans.

Live Healthy

Now more than ever, we need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which can include sleeping, eating, and a host of other activities that can improve our mood and help us manage stress. Connect with a certified health coach! A Health Coach is a supportive mentor and wellness authority who helps you feel your best through individualized food and lifestyle changes that meet your unique needs and health goals. Even if you’re not sure what you need or what are reasonable goals, a health coach can help you explore this and teach you how to create positive habits that serve you! Click on the above or call the number to schedule a virtual appointment. 

​Sheri Beck, CHC

​Sheri is a certified health coach and holds a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M University – Central Texas. She is also an Iraq veteran and military spouse with two children. Before joining the Bastion team, Sheri worked for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (T.A.P.S.) and the State of Arizona as the Veteran Employment Supervisor, serving military veterans, survivors, and family members throughout her civilian career. 

​Be Supported

​Mind-Body Skills. Connect virtually online with others in a small group and learn mind-body skills that improve health and strengthen resilience. Our groups consist of 8-10 adults who meet once or twice a week for eight sessions, each lasting about two hours. These groups are not a webinar nor a drop-in group, but rather an intimate and highly-supportive experience with a skilled facilitator who is an equal participant in the group. You will learn skills like meditation and guided imagery, which have been demonstrated to lower stress, improve mood, enhance optimism, and help prevent chronic health conditions. 

Tension/Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE). TRE is a simple yet innovative series of exercises that assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma. Created by Dr. David Berceli, PhD, TRE safely activates a natural reflex mechanism of shaking or vibrating that releases muscular tension, calming down the nervous system. When this muscular shaking/vibrating mechanism is activated in a safe and controlled environment, the body is encouraged to return back to a state of balance. Most people feel quite relaxed after a session. Practicing TRE drastically and rapidly improved her life tenfold. It was like jumping ahead in therapy about 5 years, without all the talk! One of the most important aspects of TRE is that it is truly a self-care tool, once learned you don’t need anyone else or any equipment, just 5-10 minutes. This also makes it quite empowering to realize that you can heal yourself. 
If you want more information on TRE, visit www.treforall.com. 
Reach out to Lovella Calica if you want to schedule an individual session at lovella@warriorwriters.org

TRE is being offered virtually (and in the wellness center until August 2) every Sunday at 730 CST. Join at this link 
https://bluejeans.com/9274422521

​Dylan Tête, MPH

​Dylan Tête is a certified group facilitator with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and holds a Masters of Public Health from Louisiana State University. He is the Executive Director and founder of Bastion Community of Resilience where he has facilitated groups with veterans and civilians from all walks of life with positive impact. Recently, Dylan conducted a mind-body skills workshop in Ukraine with veterans from the war in the Donbas. Mind-body skills are an essential element to Dylan’s balanced lifestyle, and he is eager to participate with you on your journey to good health and wellness. 

Lovella Calica

Lovella Calica is a writer, photographer, and multi-media artist. With backgrounds in Human Development, English and social justice organizing, she offers a unique perspective and develops creative, collaborative ways of organizing and communicating. She is the founder and director of Warrior Writers, and has edited four anthologies of veterans’ writing/artwork entitled: Move, Shoot and Communicate, Re-Making Sense, After Action Review and Warrior Writers. Lovella has received three Art and Change grants from the Leeway Foundation and was honored with the Transformation Award in 2009. She self-published her first chapbook of poetry Makibaka: Beautifully Brave in 2006 and Huwag Matakot: Do Not be Afraid in 2011. She is currently at work on her poetic memoir. Lovella is a co-founder of the Pilipino-American artist collective, Tatlo Mestiz@s. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Social Work at University of Michigan. Lovella was trained and certified by TRE Global Certification Training Program and has liability insurance through Hands-On-Trade. She finished her training in 2015 and has been providing TRE sessions to veterans, civilians, children, women, artists and others.

Additional Resources

​Vets4Warriors - 855-838-8255

Vet4Warriors offers veteran peer-support 24/7 with connections to local and national resources for almost anything a veteran is seeking. They are also a back-up option if a veteran calls the Veteran Crisis Line and is placed on hold for too long or doesn’t have a good experience and would rather talk to another veteran.
​Magnolia Yoga Studio is a partner in the Wellness Center at Bastion and “invites you to change the world starting with yourself.” All classes are beginner classes and some are specially tailored for Elders, Children and anyone who may need a little TLC to get in and out of postures. Please check the schedule for more details!  You may also reach us by phone 504.302.2304. Download the Magnolia Yoga app and begin your free 3-day trial! 
​Mind-body medicine is based on the scientific understanding of the inextricable connection among our thoughts, sensations and feelings, and our mind, body, and spirit – between ourselves and the social and natural world in which we live. CMBM’s approach to wellness is grounded in practical, evidence-based skills for self-care, nutrition, self-awareness, and group support. Click here for a number of free resources. 
​“Talk” by Wounded Warrior Project. WWP Talk is a free support line for warriors and caregivers. Callers will receive reliable support from trained personnel who can listen, teach coping skills, and co-develop a practical plan for your goals, big or small. Click here for more info. 
​Warrior Writers is a national non-profit with a mission is to create a culture that articulates veterans’ experiences, build a collaborative community for artistic expression, and bear witness to war and the full range of military experiences.  The New Orleans Chapter holds monthly writing workshops for veterans on the second Wednesday of each month (no writing experience is necessary). Email warriorwritersneworleans@gmail.com for more information or to be added to the email list.
​A nonprofit committed to breaking physical, societal, and research barriers for people living with disabilities. 5.4 million Americans suffer from some form of paralysis. Many of these people face an isolated world with few social interactions, health complications, a higher risk of suicide, and a shorter life expectancy. SSF is a partner in the Bastion Wellness Center. Click here for numerous resources and information. 
​Psych Hub has the world's largest online platform of digital education on mental health issues. Our revolutionary Provider Learning Hubs have taken online education to a new level with certification courses proven to take learners from knowledge learned to behavior change. Psych Hub’s free micro-video library hosts over 100 consumer-facing, animated videos focused on improving mental health literacy and reducing stigma about seeking care.
​Great website for many up-to-date resources, available free services, and information. Click here for more.