Wounded Warrior Project Virtual Workshops Empower Couples Amid Pandemic

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Wounded Warrior Project couple

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With couples spending extended time together in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) is launching virtual mental health workshops to support the relationships between wounded veterans and their significant others.

The 12-week program will consist of teaching sessions and various exercises on friendship, communication, trust, commitment, and conflict management, among other topics. Couples will complete the sessions and activities both in a virtual group setting with other couples, as well as on their own with guided materials. Approximately 10 couples will attend each workshop, which will be facilitated by WWP staff from the organization's Combat Stress Recovery Program.

"Wounded Warrior Project understands how important family and loved ones are in a warrior's recovery," said Lt. Col. (Ret.) Michael Richardson, WWP vice president of independence services and mental health. "That's why we're especially proud to provide this virtual programming to those couples who are managing both the impact of military experience and now the effects of this global health crisis. This is a challenging time, and we want warriors and their significant others to be equipped to persevere through any adversity."

The virtual couples' workshops are an adaptation of Project Odyssey^®, one of WWP's marquee veteran mental health programs. Project Odyssey helps warriors and their loved ones manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other combat stress through adventure-based learning that encourages a connection with fellow veterans and nature. Based on their unique needs, warriors can participate in an all-male, all-female, or couples Project Odyssey.

WWP plans to launch similar virtual workshops soon to emulate the all-male and all-female Project Odysseys. Warriors and family members who participate in the virtual workshops will still be eligible to participate in the in-person Project Odysseys once they resume.

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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.