WELLNESS INTENSIVE

Bastion’s Wellness Intensive, launched in 2024, is a transformative 10-week program exploring the powerful role of the body in healing.

Overview

Bastion’s Wellness Intensive is a free, 10-week program for veterans and active duty service members in the Greater New Orleans area, with new upcoming cohorts for family members and caregivers. 

Our social work team leads weekly psychoeducation groups to help participants better manage symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. These sessions help veterans learn tool, strategies, and new healing modalities that they can access at Bastion or at home in their daily lives.

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Our social workers empower participants with:

  • Practical wellness tools and mind-body skills
  • Evidence-based mental health management strategies
  • Opportunities to build social connections within their cohort
  • A sense of belonging in Bastion's growing veteran community

GENERAL FORMAT:

  • Weekly group psychoeducation session; in-person at Bastion's Veteran Wellness Center
  • Each cohort begins with an Orientation session to connect new participants with Wellness Intensive alumni and learn more about what the program entails.
  • Every session includes a community meal plus time to connect with peers and reflect on the day’s topics.
  • Throughout the week, participants choose from available mind-body wellness modalities offered at Bastion with a minimum requirement of one per week.
    • Examples include: Yoga, Walking Group, Acupuncture, Cupping, Meditation, Sound Bath, Tai Chi, Art Sessions, TRE (Tension/Trauma Releasing Exercises), and more
  • Participants will also be offered individual appointments with a member of the social work team.
  • See below for cohort-specific details!

UPCOMING COHORTS:

For Family Members & Caregivers

  • 5 weeks total: week of July 13 through week of August 10; days/times TBD
  • 2 hours of group psychoeducation & mind/body class per week
  • In-person participants only at 1825 Mirabeau Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70122
  • Military family members, spouses & caregivers; 18 years or older
  • Fill out the interest form below by JULY 6

For Veterans & Active Duty Service Members

  • 10 weeks total: week of August 24 through week of October 28; days/times TBD
  • 2 hours of group psychoeducation & mind/body class per week
  • In-person participants only at 1825 Mirabeau Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70122
  • Veterans and active military; 18 years or older
  • Fill out the interest form below by AUGUST 5
Registration & Interest Form

EXAMPLE SESSION TOPICS:

  • The Science of Stress & Trauma
  • Managing Stress/Coping Skills
  • Communication & Boundaries
  • Alternative Treatments for Mental Health

Meet the Wellness Intensive Team

This program is led by Bastion’s social work team: Lovella Calica (LCSW) and EJ Bond (LCSW). Lovella has worked with veterans for more than 20 years.

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With a focus on mind-body interventions, she is trained in TRE and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) and certified with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. EJ has worked with active duty military since 2008 and has experience treating PTSD and other mental health-related issues with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), EMDR, Prolonged Exposure (PE), and other effective treatments. EJ is a drummer and percussionist who recognizes the value of whole-body focus in wellness and healing.

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Please fill out the form even if the upcoming cohort schedules don’t work for you at this time. We will be offering future groups throughout 2026 and plan to accommodate more evening hours in addition to our new family member and caregiver cohort.

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Email Lovella at lovella@joinbastion.org with questions.

Testimonials

“I appreciate the support and dedication of the moderators. As United States Military Veterans it takes a lot to march on beyond our hardships and memories associated with our time in service. I am so proud of our group members for putting in 10 weeks worth of work in order to heal, for sharing 10 weeks worth of advice with the intent of helping others heal and for finding the strength not to give up on themselves no matter how hard at times it may seem.”
Cohort 2 Veteran Graduate
“I’m grateful for Bastion and the community because it got me out of my apartment and out of my comfort zone. I met some great people while there, both staff and participants. There’s a lot of love and compassion going around at Bastion and it’s comforting to know y’all are there if I need you. Thank you.”
Cohort 2 Veteran Graduate
“Bastion has really, really opened my mind up and opened up a lot of our minds to different types of therapy but we all can agree that we found something that we can take away that works for us.”
Cohort 3 Veteran Graduate
“This Wellness Intensive helped pull me back from the self-isolation and spiral of depression that had settled in. Being around other veterans, going through their trials with them, and being helped by them has been inspiring and nurturing. I am in a better place now, and feel that it is in large part due to this program.”
Cohort 4 Veteran Graduate

Online Resources

What is TRE?

TRE stands for Tension/Trauma Releasing Exercises is a series of movements and stretches designed to help kickstart a natural shaking mechanism in the body to release muscular tension and stress. To learn more, visit TREforall.com or watch the video below.

Youtube video