Wounded Warriors and Families Nudge Away Stress with Goat Yoga
HOUSTON, June 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- At a Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) yoga class in Houston, injured veterans and their families connected with each other – and baby goats.
Tameka Toussaint, her husband Irvin (U.S. Army), their 7-year-old daughter, and Tameka's sister Tamara, were not deterred by the baby goats' occasional shoelace-chewing.
"Our daughter discovered that goats are fun to play with, and she also learned some yoga poses," Tameka said. "It was a new experience, and it was good for us as a family and good for our individual physical activity.
"It was great fun in a serene, calm environment – we interacted with other families, and our daughter met other kids and made friends for the day," Tameka added. "It allowed us to create family memories, and it was something that I never would have thought of or found on my own."
WWP connection events allow warriors and families to readjust to civilian life while learning about WWP programs and services. The events also give them a chance to socialize with other veterans, which helps them connect with the support network they need to overcome the challenges they face. In a WWP survey of the wounded warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (52.6 percent) expressed they talk with fellow veterans to address their mental health concerns.
Warriors and families enjoyed meeting new people, yoga and stretching, and plenty of smiles. After yoga, the group connected over a lunch provided by community partner Bayway Chevrolet. Partnerships like this remind warriors and families they are not alone and that there are people in the community who care about them and want to help.
To learn more about how WWP connects warriors to build strength through community, visit https://wwp.news/GetConnected.
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers – helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more: http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.
SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project
