(Radio Iowa) — On this Veterans Day, a new study from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, is touting the benefits of mindfulness training to lower stress for Veterans suffering from PTSD. Instructor Mariann Johnson works with Veterans in the eight week training to help them with stress, anxiety and depression by teaching how to work with challenging thoughts and emotions and those unpredictable life circumstances that we all encounter day in and day out, but to be less reactive to them by learning how to take pauses, by learning how to self-regulate.

Johnson says “Through this very methodical system over 8 weeks, we teach people through primarily body awareness, starting with breaths and something called a body scan to become of aware of their ability to be more self aware, more resilient.” The goal is to help veterans to quiet their minds and find inner peace, and eventually embrace more self-compassion and forgiveness.