Category: Newsletter Articles

  • How Stress & Trauma Impact Our Bodies and How We Can Heal Ourselves – Part 1: TRE

    •

    Lovella Calica, LCSW

    When we experience fear or get overwhelmed, our bodies have physical reactions. Let’s say you were driving in your car and were hit by another vehicle. What do you notice happening in your physical body? Maybe your heart is racing. Maybe your hands are gripping the wheel and your muscles…

  • Better Sleep Leads to Better Days

    •

    Reion Janeau, LCSW

    Do you find yourself unable to wind down at night, or you begin to watch an interesting television show and the next thing you know, the time has passed and now it is one o’clock in the morning? You find yourself only being able to sleep for a few hours…

  • How to Soothe an Anxious Mind

    •

    Reion Janeau, LCSW

    Have you ever felt like the thoughts just won’t stop? Anxious thoughts can feel overwhelming and lead to overthinking, which can make you feel more anxious and lead to more overthinking and then you’re in this never-ending cycle and feel like there’s no way out. Well, there is. Mindfulness allows…

  • Gardening at Bastion: It takes a village

    •

    Tess Riley

    Our Bastion staff and community members are constantly working to find new, creative ways to implement sustainable agriculture practices on our site. In the last year, our community garden has grown exponentially thanks to new planter boxes, trellises, and garden beds built by a Headway program participant with a vocational…

  • Advocating for our veterans this TBI Month

    •

    Tess Riley

    This TBI Awareness Month, Bastion salutes the countless veterans living with traumatic brain injuries, obtained in combat or off-duty, and pledges our commitment to improving the lives of those veterans through innovations like our signature Headway program.  While supportive programming exists around the country for veterans, Headway stands alone in…

  • Honoring our Community Members this Veterans Day

    •

    Tess Riley

    Veterans Day at Bastion holds a special place in our community, a community of veterans and families who have experienced firsthand the sacrifices required to protect our nation’s freedom. As we honor those sacrifices, it’s important to recognize that every veteran’s experience is entirely unique, despite common threads that may…

  • Mental Health is Health

    •

    Reion Janeau, LCSW

    Take a moment to just breathe. Breathe in, breathe out. Close your mouth and inhale through your nose as you count to four. Hold onto that breath as you count to seven, and then exhale through your mouth for the count of eight. How are you feeling? Do you feel…

  • Celebrating our inaugural Wellness Day

    •

    Tess Riley

    At Bastion, we know there are many paths to wellness. That’s why this summer, we hosted our first ever Wellness Day here on Mirabeau Avenue. Countless Bastion residents, Gentilly neighbors, and other local veterans gathered on a beautiful July day to enjoy free activities including yoga, tai chi, and meditation. Many tried…

  • Coping with Life’s Stressors

    •

    Reion Janeau, LCSW

    Many of us face challenges that can be stressful or cause strong emotional reactions. Whether positive or negative, change can be stressful. Stress in small doses is a normal part of life; however ongoing stress can become physically and emotionally overwhelming. If you’re living with ongoing high levels of stress,…

  • Mental Wellness

    •

    Reion Janeau, LCSW

    When was the last time you took time to pour into yourself? So often we are so busy pouring into others, we forget to water ourselves. With Wellness Day on July 7th, let’s take some time to practice self-care and improve our mental wellness. What is mental wellness? According to…