Heroes In Transition (HIT) is encouraging female veterans, service members, and spouses in the region to sign up for its upcoming Reboot Program, an innovative initiative which helps participants build resilience, foster health and well-being and create routines for sustainable self-care.
Reboot will kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Mashpee TV and run weekly every Tuesday evening, concluding with a luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The program is made possible through the generosity of HIT’s Community Partners, Cape Cod 5 and The Lobster Trap.
Launched in the winter of 2020, the six-session program is now in its third year.
“As the number of females enlisting in the military, taking on leadership roles, and serving in combat only grows, so is the need for this type of program. Reboot is also an invaluable resource for military spouses and provides all participants with the tools and guidance to overcome the challenges they face,” said HIT Executive Director Nicole Spencer. “Since we established Reboot in 2020, we’ve heard from women about how meaningful it has been to giving them the support and connection they need to properly address the difficulties that come with military service.”
Nicole Briggs of Centerville, owner of Bella Viva Massage Therapy, will lead the sessions, employing resilience and positivity training using a research-based curriculum from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital. Briggs was trained in the approach in 2020 and has used it successfully, both with her clients and in a pilot program with student athletes at Barnstable High School this past spring.
“I feel completely honored to be a part of this process,” Briggs said. “This population of people has been through more challenges than any of us can comprehend. While I may allow space for women to talk about those things what I really want to create is a healing space for them to be with each other and support each other in the way that women do.”
Each class will be a mixture of talking and connecting followed by instruction on how our bodies respond to stress; how stress impacts us physically, mentally, and emotionally; and practical tools that can be used to teach the mind and body to reduce stress and build resilience.
Participants will be given weekly assignments to “give them some accountability and encouragement,” Briggs said. “We want to let them know they are not alone, that they are part of a caring and supportive community. We all need help from time to time and I will be there for them every step of the way.”
Space is limited; sign up at reboot@heroesintransition.org. The deadline to register is Friday, Sept. 16.
