Our ReST Program: You’ve helped others. Now it’s time to care for yourself.
Connecting you online with peers who understand.
Programs for Veterans, First Responders, and anyone who needs to talk.
Learn how our ReST Program VOA|ReST can help your organization.
VOA|ReST 4 Veterans
VOA|ReST 4 First Responders
VOA|ReST for Anyone
What is ReST; Resilience Strength Time?
VOA|ReST is a free, confidential group process that supports emotional resilience in people struggling with isolation, fatigue, frustration, anxiety, and a sense of inadequacy or failure.
Sessions of up to ten participants are scheduled nearly every day, for an hour. People may attend alone or with others they trust. Peer facilitators guide the conversations, and as participants share difficult experiences and listen to each other, they feel understood, empathize with others, and recover a sense of commitment and gratitude for their relationships and work.
Watch our video to learn more.
Peers who want to help
Peers are trained to be facilitators for one-hour group sessions available nearly every day of the week. Learn more about becoming a facilitator by clicking above.
VOA|ReST sessions
Using our online technology partner, HeyPeers, connecting with peers is simple and free. Click above to register and join a VOA|ReST session.
Group support when & where you need it
Connect with up to 10 other peers to share, reflect and remain resilient and healthy. Check out our schedule of upcoming meetings.
“I learned that during this time in the world, everyone is dealing with a stressful situation, and just a simple sentence a person says can help someone.“
– Jen, ICU Nurse
Feelings of moral distress can be set aside in times of chaos when focusing on the immediacy of the present emergency takes all people’s attention. But as that distress accumulates, self-confidence and moral resilience are compromised. People can feel confused, frustrated, sad, worried, angry, or defeated. These responses of moral distress are, in fact, signs that people still deeply care, but their inner resources for resilience and empathy are at risk of depletion.
VOA|ReST enables participants to share their distress with others and stay resilient. Over 94% of participants say that they feel significantly calmer and more peaceful after group sessions. Participants describe it as being “a wonderful experience” and a way to “express the stress I feel and offer support to others.”
Developed by Volunteers of America, VOA|ReST uses trained peers to support others experiencing feelings of moral distress, using skills and strategies developed in VOA’s evidence-based program for military veterans called Resilience Strength Training ™
What is moral distress?
Under extraordinary circumstances, the pace and load of work and life demands are relentlessly exhausting and disheartening, and people’s resilience can be seriously depleted. Moral distress happens when things go wrong and is felt in emotions such as sorrow, frustration, guilt, shame, humiliation or despair. It can include anger and grief at personal failures and loss or feelings of betrayal when those in authority fail to do the right thing in high-stakes situations.
What is moral resilience?
Moral resilience is maintained when people can respond to ethical challenges, dilemmas and chaos in ways that allow them to continue serving with their moral codes and a sense of worth intact. It involves handling complex, confusing, infuriating and frustrating experiences with courage and determination, and reflecting on moral stresses and ethical challenges to restore one’s integrity and maintain important relationships. Without time to reflect on and process moral distress, accept limitations about things one cannot control, and find life lessons in negative experiences, remaining grounded in what matters most can become increasingly difficult.
For more information, please contact rest@voa.org
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