Virtual Workshops to Help Military and Veteran Communities Cope During COVID-19

The American Red Cross is launching a new virtual workshop for active military members, Guard, Reservists, veterans, and their families that addresses unique stressors felt by this community during the COVID-19 pandemic.  It is the first time the Red Cross will be utilizing a virtual platform for a Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) workshop. Michael Willis, a licensed mental health professional, is one of the facilitators for the virtual workshop. Dr. Willis notes sources of stress can vary from individual to individual, as well as the ways in which we each cope with stress.  He points out that, in addition to the uncertainty, stress and isolation associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of loss, and with that, a lot of grief. Dr. Willis notes the loss isn't just about the death of a loved one but can also include the loss of a job and connections to family, friends and co-workers, and it is important to know how to cope with the grief that accompanies it.  For military personnel and their families, these losses are compounded by additional stressors such as delayed reunions or altered deployment schedules.  In addition, veterans may have difficulty accessing community resources that provide medical and behavioral health services, training or social support, which can affect mental health during this time of sheltering-in-place.

Although the in-person and virtual workshops encourage attendee participation through discussion and sharing, such participation is voluntary.  People can also attend and only listen. All content shared by participants in the workshop is kept confidential. The 60-90-minute virtual workshop will cover topics such as the signs and symptoms of stress, effective communication to decrease stress, relaxation exercises, recommendations for better sleep, stress reduction techniques and establishing a relationship between what you think and how you feel. 

Dr. Michael Willis  

The SAF workshop facilitators, like Dr. Willis, are all licensed mental health professionals, and deeply committed to helping the Service members, veterans and their families.  Dr. Willis has been a SAF volunteer since 2014 and has led over 40 reconnection workshops of which 14 workshops focused specifically on stress management for the American Red Cross SAF division.    He also represented the Red Cross on an Honor Flight to Washington DC to provide mental health support to the participating veterans. When presenting the workshops, his favorite part is interacting with participants during the activity portions, and Dr. Willis believes the most beneficial aspect of the program is the "toolbox" of stress management techniques the participants take with them.

To learn more about the workshop, or to register, contact your local American Red Cross chapter, or contact them by visiting redcross.org and entering your zip code.

Story by: Karin Schneider, Communications Volunteer

American Red Cross, Western New York Region