Our Flagship program, Recovery + Resiliency (R+R), is the largest program that we offer and is a new way of looking at mental health. At its heart, the program is showing warriors and their families what it means to rebuild purpose once the first half of life’s purpose in the military is in the rearview. R+R combines timeless principles of human healing with modern science to target healing. It is led by coaches and health professionals, and includes physical monitoring of stress levels, sleep, and exercise, as well as mental tools like journaling and meditation practices.
R+R teaches participants to leverage trauma into a weapon against hopelessness, and shows how to reframe their physical and psychological environment to transform what was once severe trauma into a treasure. It builds the mental and physical tool kit that helps Veterans live a full life and recognize the strengths their service has instilled in them.
This program is free and available to active duty military, veterans, military spouses, ex-spouses, widows, and widowers. The duration of the program is 6 – 12 months, depending on the participant’s needs and the program they enter.
R+R Program Options
Participants have the ability to apply to the longer-term R+R program options. These are broken out into phases that last about three months each. There are three versions of the program:
- A four-phase, 12-month version, specific for combat veterans
- A two-phase six-month program for veterans of all backgrounds
- A two-phase six-month program for spouses of veterans (also ex-spouses, widows and widowers)
If an applicant is both a spouse of a veteran and a veteran themselves, the program best suited for them may be found in the area where they see the greatest potential for growth. Are they having a tough time seeing where their spouse is coming from, or connecting with their experiences? Then six-month spouse program is for them. Are they struggling with their own traumas related to the military? Perhaps one of the other two programs would be better suited.
Program participants will be challenged in a variety of ways to improve their spiritual, physical, and mental health. These are some of the ways that R+R focuses on healing and growth in those areas:
- Community-based gym participation (CrossFit, BJJ, pilates, or other group-based exercise).
- Supplementations (there are no prescription drugs involved).
- Health coaching (these involve one-on-one weekly sessions with a coach to evaluate progress on participant-directed health objectives).
- Book reading (these provide a much larger perspective on the story of processing a variety of traumas and how individuals can transform past pain into something meaningful).
- Online forum participation (a private Facebook-type group with others going through the program).
- Meditation using powerful biometrics to track progress.
- And a host of online resources that give specific insights for those seeking to improve their health in a spectrum of areas.
The phases build on one another as participants progress, one way in how this is done is how the narrative of the books progress. The first phase in all three program variants includes the Mission 22 book. This read documents specific experiences from Mission 22’s founder, Magnus Johnson, on his own transition process and reflects on the pedigree of R+R, where Mission 22 came from, and where it’s going with this new program.
Subsequent phases help cement habits and create paradigm shifts that are first learned in the initial three months. As well as build a solid foundation of meditation and mindfulness.
When the 6- or 12-month period has elapsed for participants, the online groups are still very much open to them and as the program progresses, alumni will have more opportunities to contribute to how this program can grow and have the largest impact with those we seek to serve.
R+R is not a program for anyone in either an inpatient program, in active addiction, or for anyone with a current diagnosis of any psychotic disorders.
The Philosophy
The concepts offered for each participant lean on ancient mythologies, modern science, traditional healing practices, and cutting-edge biometric devices and meditation aids. Each participant works with a health coach to take small action steps that mark progression toward their individual ideal versions of themselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
Growing from trauma takes hard, individual action, intention, and long-term commitment. The program literature in each three-month phase tells the story of transition and the role of one’s soul in the transformation process. The books cover everything from the process of transitions more generally and the warrior’s return home specifically, while weaving in concepts about habit formation, effects of an overactive nervous system, and the art of forgiveness.
Nutritional and physical health cannot be divorced from spiritual and emotional health. The price paid for peace results in trauma that manifests in the mind as much as in the body. The demands of healing from such a wound must be nurtured in all of these dimensions. We believe this truth is often taken for granted on our culture’s current model for healing. This is why we include whole-food supplementation and community-based gym memberships with the program.
In short, R+R is showing individuals how to rewrite the story of what it means to live with war trauma in the heart, and in so doing, seeks to rewrite that story for the nation.