A Warm Welcome to IRI's New Director of Military Programs

I’d like to extend our warm welcome to Mary Ellen Rose, who has taken over the reins from Robin Carnes as IRI’s Director of Military Programs.

We are tremendously grateful to Robin for the work she did last year serving as IRI’s Director of Military Programs, helping IRI move its vision of serving veterans and their families, military personnel and healthcare workers through the teachings of iRest. As you may recall, Robin was the lead iRest instructor for the original research study on iRest for healing PTSD that was completed through the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and served for several years at the Deployment Health Clinical Center as the principle iRest and Yoga instructor. Robin continues to teach yoga and iRest practitioners how to teach in military settings through her role as co-founder and Executive Director at Warriors at Ease (wwwarriorsatease.com). Through the years Robin has been instrumental in helping IRI increase its offerings to veterans and active duty military personnel, and has helped moved IRI’s vision forward by creating and teaching iRest trainings that have included military and healthcare professionals.

Mary Ellen Rose, or Rose as she likes to be called, brings years of experience to her position at IRI, having taught yoga and iRest meditation in treatment programs at the Laurel Ridge Rehabilitation Hospital in San Antonio Texas, where she provided classes and individual instruction to Active Duty Service Personal serving in all branches of the Military who were experiencing PTSD, Chemical Dependency and Dual Diagnosis. Rose has also served as the iRest principle instructor in two iRest research studies in Texas, which have been completed and are now in the process of being written up for publication.

Utilizing Integrative Restoration, iRest® to Enhance the Resilience of Military Couples. San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC). 2011-2014.

The Effects of iRest® on Sleep and Perceived Stress in Military Healthcare Providers. Brooke Army Medical Center. April-May 2010. View poster here

In Rose’s words:

“I am so honored and excited to bring together all the possibilities that IRI has to offer in working with and bringing the teachings of iRest to Service Members, Veterans, their families, and military healthcare workers. Moving forward we will continue to pursue research opportunities, teaching positions for iRest teachers, developing and delivering advanced seminars for iRest teachers on teaching within Military settings, and strengthening relationships within the greater Yoga for Military community. Working together I vision that the possibilities are endless.”