journal 061815

Vol. 27 No. 24 www.cnic.navy.mil/bethesda/ June 18, 2015

By Bernard Little,WRNMMC

Public AffairsContributors: NSAB,USUHS and NMPDC

Public Affairs

Commands on NavalSupport Activity Bethes-da (NSAB) includingWalter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center(WRNMMC), the Uni-formed Services Universi-ty of the Health Sciences(USU) and the Navy Med-icine Professional Devel-opment Center (NMPDC)held frocking ceremonieslast week for nearly 100Sailors who are assuminggreater responsibility andleadership roles in theirnew ranks.

According to mili-tary historians, the term“frocking” can be tracedback to the Age of Sail,the early modern periodin which internationaltrade and naval warfarewere dominated by sail-ing ships, lasting fromthe 16th to the mid-19thcentury. The traditionpermits newly-advancedSailors to wear the rankand assume the respon-sibilities of the pay gradefor which they have beenselected for promotion

before receiving the payraise that comes with theadvancement.

Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center(WRNMMC) frocked 70Sailors before a standing-room-only crowd in Me-morial Auditorium June5.

“This is a big day forour Sailors who will walkacross the stage, and fortheir families,” said Maj.Gen. Jeffrey B. Clark,WRNMMC director.“WRNMMC CommandMaster Chief (CMC) Wil-lis and I are very pleasedthat so many families andfriends are here today.

Clark added that overa service member’s ca-reer, be it 4 years or 30,their family is servingwith them. He then askedall families of servicemembers in attendanceto stand and be recog-nized as those gatheredapplauded them.

“It is good for us togather, and today wegather for the frockingceremony of [our] Sail-ors,” Clark continued.“Promotion is recognitionof potential to serve atthe next rank. It’s basedon performance and cer-tain other criteria.

“These Sailors under-

stand what CMC Willisand I expect of them: theywill step up; they mustlead; they must role mod-el our core values; theymust take care of thosethey are privileged tolead; they must also keepthose we are privilegedto serve, our patients, inthe center of all that wedo; and they will take aleading role to [enable usto] meet everything in ourStrategic Plan,” the gen-eral said. “CMC Willisand I expect no less.”

NMPDC frocked 12Sailors June 9.

“What an excitingtime in the career path of

these newly frocked Sail-ors and their families,”said NMPDC CommandMaster Chief HMCM Pe-ter Rona. “Advancementis directly attributable toeach Sailor’s hard work,and we’ve been blessedto have some of the hard-est working young Sail-ors I’ve seen in my career.I’m extremely proud of allof those frocked today andlook forward to watchingtheir continued careergrowth.”

Chief Hospital Corps-man Ruben Palkin, lead-ing chief petty officer forNMPDC’s Directorate forAdministration and staff

mentor for junior Sailors,explained: “The frock-ing of a Sailor is a careermilestone. Each levelcomes with a differentlevel of responsibility, au-thority and respect. TheSailors frocked to PettyOfficer Third Class aretaking the first memora-ble step in their careers.The frocked Second ClassPetty Officers becomethe work center supervi-sors and handle the dailytasks. The First ClassPetty Officer is workingto Chief and the expecta-tions are high that theybegin to perform at thatlevel. Each should becommended for achievingthe next step in their ca-reers.”

At USU, HM2 StephenPetroske, who is assignedto USU’s Department ofLaboratory Animal Medi-cine, was frocked to hiscurrent rank from HM3.

“Petty Officer Petroskehas grown tremendouslysince he checked on boardat USU,” said CommandMaster Chief PatrickHyde, USU’s CommandSenior Enlisted Leader.“He really understandsthe mission and scope of

WRNMMC, NSAB, USU, NMPDC Frock Nearly 100 Sailors to Next Rank

Photo by MC3 Hank Gettys

Navy Counselor 1st Class Alberto Bruzon,Naval Support Activity Bethesda housingleading petty officer is frocked during a cer-emony on the installation June 5.

Photo by Bernard S. Little

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) Director Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Jef-frey B. Clark, (third row, left) and WRNMMC Command Master Chief Tyrone Willis (thirdrow, right) congratulate WRNMMC’s newly-frocked Sailors during a ceremony held June5 in Memorial Auditorium.

Photo by HM1 Johnathan Garnes

Twelve newly frocked Sailors from Navy Medicine Professional Development Center(NMPDC) on Naval Support Activity Bethesda pose for a photo with NMPDC Command-ing Officer Capt. Phillip Sanchez and HMCM Peter Rona, NMPDC command master chief,June 9.

See Frock, Page 5

2 Thursday, June 18, 2015 The Journal

‘Medical Journey withHope’

Lee Woodruff, whose hus-band television journalist BobWoodruff received care at theformer National Naval Medi-cal Center (NNMC) after be-ing injured by a roadside bombin Iraq in 2006, will speak atWalter Reed Bethesda on June19 at 2 p.m. in the MemorialAuditorium. All staff membersare invited to attend. She willdiscuss her family’s journeyto recovery following her hus-band’s injuries, which includeda traumatic brain injury.

Cancer Research,Awareness Day

The John P. Murtha CancerCenter hosts the Annual Can-cer Research Seminar on June22 from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. inthe America Bldg., second floor,Rm. 2525. Registration is re-quired for Continuous MedicalEducation Credits. Also, Can-cer Awareness Day is June 23from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in theAmerica Bldg. first floor lobby.For more information about theevents, contact Erica Duggerat 301-295-0558 ([email protected]) or Bill Mahr at301-400-1492 ([email protected]).

Organizational DayOrganizational Day at Wal-

ter Reed Bethesda is June 25from 1 to 4 p.m. in front of theTower. Bring your family to en-joy free food, music and otheractivities. Everyone is invited.

BethesdaNotebook

Published by offset every Thurs-day by Comprint Military Publi-cations, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, aprivate firm in no way con-nected with the U.S. Navy,under exclusive written con-tract with Naval Support ActivityBethesda, Md. This commercialenterprise newspaper is an autho-rized publication for members of themilitary services. Contents of The Journalare not necessarily the official views of, norendorsed by, the U.S. Government, the De-partment of Defense, or the Department ofthe Navy. The appearance of advertising inthis publication, including inserts or supple-ments, does not constitute endorsement bythe Department of Defense or Comprint,Inc., of the products or services advertised.Everything advertised in this publicationshall be made available for purchase, useor patronage without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, national origin,age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliationor any other non-merit fac-tor of the purchaser, user,or patron. Editorial contentis edited, prepared and pro-vided by the Public AffairsOffice, Naval Support Activ-

ity Bethesda, Md. News copyshould be submitted to the Pub-

lic Affairs Office, Building 17, first floor,across from PSD, by noon one week pre-ceding the desired publication date. Newsitems are welcomed from all installationsources. Inquiries about news copy will beanswered by calling 301-295-1803. Com-mercial advertising should be placed withthe publisher by calling 301-921-2800.Publisher’s advertising offices are locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md.20877. Classified ads can be placed bycalling 301-670-1700.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) BethesdaCommanding Officer: Capt. David A. BitontiPublic Affairs Officer: Ronald D. InmanPublic Affairs Office: 301-295-1803

Journal StaffManaging Editor MC3 Hank GettysWRNMMC Editor Bernard Little

Staff Writers MC1 Christopher KruckeAndrew DamstedtSarah MarshallSharon Renee TaylorJoseph Nieves

NSABethesdaFleet And Family Support Center 301-319-4087

Walter Reed National Military Medical CenterOffice of Media Relations 301-295-5727

NSAB Emergency Information Line 301-295-6246NSAB OmbudsmanMichelle Herrera 240-370-5421

NSAB Chaplain’s Office 301-319-4443/4706

Sexual Assault ResponseCoordinator Hotline 301-442-2053

Visit us on Facebook:Naval Support Activity Bethesda page:https://www.facebook.com/NSABethesda

Walter Reed National Medical Center page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Walter-Reed-National-Military-Medical-Center/295857217111107

Uniformed Services University of the HealthSciences page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uniformed-Services-University-of-the-Health-Sciences/96338890888?fref=ts

Naval Support Activity Bethesda’s Morale,Welfare and Recreation held the ‘Color Me5K’ run on base June 13. The event drewhundreds of participants who ran a routearound the base through color stationswhere volunteers doused them with vari-ous colors, giving the event its name, andended with a cookout and concert by coun-try music artist Jamie Tate.

NSAB’s MWR Hosts ‘Color Me 5K’ Run

The Journal Thursday, June 18, 2015 3

By MC1(AW)Chris Krucke

WRNMMC PublicAffairs staff writer

Nearly 200 servicemembers, as well as ci-vilians, contractors andvolunteers honored the240th birthday of theU.S. Army June 14 witha cake-cutting celebra-tion during morning col-ors in front of the Towerat Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center(WRNMMC).

Per tradition, at 8 a.m.the nation’s flag washoisted up the massiveflag pole to fly during day-light hours, showing pridein our great country.

Army Maj. Gen. Jef-frey Clark, director ofWRNMMC, was the firstspeaker at the ceremony,followed by Army MasterSgt. Staci Harrison, se-nior enlisted leader of thePatient Experience Team.

With all service mem-bers attending the cer-emony, Harrison saidevents like this “help usto understand and buildrespect for each other’straditions and history.”

Navy Hospital Corps-man 2nd Class Alejandra

McKeever, executive as-sistant to the CommandSenior Enlisted Leader,said, “It was fantastic. Iwas very appreciative ofthe inclusiveness of thisevent. As the differentbranches gathered to cel-ebrate, it felt as if all sib-lings gathered to rejoiceduring one of our sibling’sbirthdays.”

The event concludedwith a cake cutting, us-ing an officer’s cutlass.Following tradition, thecake was cut by the mostsenior and junior Armymembers in attendance– Clark and Pvt. BrittanyMaxwell, respectively.

“I felt honored to havebeen chosen to cut thecake. Usually, very im-portant high rankingmembers are chosen todo these things so it wasgreat that they also in-cluded [me],” said Max-well. “Everyone had a lotof fun and it was great tohave everyone togetherto honor this day. Eventslike this help because itbrings everyone togetherand [it] helps remind usthat we are all one bigteam. It’s very importantto cherish one anotherand to not forget that

we are all here for eachother.”

The Army was foundedJune 14, 1775, when theContinental Congressauthorized the enlist-ment of riflemen to servethe United Colonies for ayear. More than 675,000Soldiers make up to-day’s Army, to include488,000 on active dutyand 189,000 in the ArmyReserve. Over the past240 years of service de-fending the freedom ofAmerican citizens andAmerica’s allies, the U.S.Army has made signifi-cant advancements intechnology, training andpersonnel.

Harrison, McKeeverand Maxwell expressedtheir appreciation forthe many advancementsthroughout the Army’shistory, and for being ableto serve in an equitablefield.

Harrison said she ini-tially joined the Califor-nia National Guard forthe tuition assistance,and so loved the comrad-ery, traditions, militaryculture and way of life,that she enlisted into ac-tive duty as soon as shereturned home from Ba-

sic Training. She knewthen that she wanted tobe a first sergeant.

“Being a woman wasa non-issue in having asuccessful career,” saidHarrison. “The militaryis probably one of themost equitable profes-sions when it comes togender. I have never feltthat my gender has everhad an impact on mymilitary career, when itcounted anyway. It hasalways been my initia-tive, performance anddemonstrated abilities

that have had the great-est impact.”

McKeever said shejoined the military be-cause she wanted to dosomething far greaterthan herself and the abil-ity to help others in waysshe never thought possi-ble, and the military hasgiven her just that.

“It is quite refresh-ing and it makes me ap-preciate the fact thatwe, as females, have thehonor and privilege toserve alongside the manyamazing men and other

women across the entiremilitary,” she added.

Maxwell, who joinedthe military in October,said, “I also wanted tomake a career for myselfand do something honor-able with my life. I alsoknew that joining the mil-itary would make my par-ents very proud of me.”

“I am a humble mem-ber of a team and a time-honored profession, anAmerican Soldier andnon-commissioned officer.I am honored to serve,”said Harrison.

240 Years of ServiceCelebrating the Army’s Birthday

Photo by MC1(AW) Chris Krucke

Nearly 200 Army and Navy members honored the 240th birthday ofthe U.S. Army during morning colors in front of the historic towerat Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC).

By SharonRenee TaylorWRNMMCStaff Writer

Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center(WRNMMC) offers 7-Westinpatient psychiatry pa-tients daily yoga classes.Patients in the WRNMMCfour-week, psychiatric out-patient Continuity Service‘day program’ also receiveyoga therapy in a weeklysession. It appears thecenturies-old practice in-volving postures, stretches,meditation and breathingprovides benefits today.

“Individuals with men-tal disorders are increas-ingly turning to integrativemedicine, including yogaand meditation, for reliefof their symptoms,” said

Inpatient Psychiatry Ser-vice Chief, Navy Lt. Cmdr.Benjamin Hershey, who ex-plained the trend has alsobeen observed among ac-tive duty service members.

Yoga emerged between200 B.C. and 300 A.D. Inthe ancient language of In-dia known as Sanskrit, ‘Yog’means ‘Yoke’ or ‘Union’ (ofmind, body and spirit).

Today, yoga can be usedto treat anxiety and depres-sion by reducing perceivedstress. It also improvesmood and functioning. Inaddition to depression,studies have examined theefficacy of yoga therapy inthe treatment of schizo-phrenia as well as post-traumatic stress disorder.

“There is a strong andgrowing evidence baseregarding a range of psy-chological and physiologi-

cal benefits associate withthese interventions,” Her-shey said.

A psychiatric inpatientstudy presented at the2014 American Psychiatric

Association annual meet-ing showed voluntary, reg-ular yoga classes self-ratedas beneficial to overalltreatment in 82.2 percentof participants.

“Our study indicatesthat patients may have agreater satisfaction withtheir psychiatric units aswell as increased mood, de-creased anxiety and great-er feeling of physical well-being when participating ina voluntary yoga programin an inpatient psychiatricsetting,” the researcherswrote in an abstract.

The daily yoga class forpsychiatric inpatients on7-West began four yearsago. Daphne Vourlekis, alicensed certified clinicalsocial worker on the ward,started the program withvolunteer yoga instructors.

Beginning as chair yoga,the program eventuallyexpanded to use mats andoccasional standing poses.The 7-West class teachesgentle yoga, and gener-ally consists of medita-

tion, breathing techniques,stretching, and gentle yogaposes.

“It is always a go-at-your-own-pace class,” Vour-lekis explained. Patientsare encouraged to find theiredge, the point of mild dis-comfort without pain—andnot move beyond it. Thiswill help prevent moderatepain or injuries, she said.

The daily yoga classesare voluntary, and patientattendance rates rangebetween 30 to 80 percent.Patients experience bodyrelaxation, feel more atease and less tense,Vourle-kis said.

“There is nothing likehearing a glowing first-hand report from a pre-viously skeptical patient

Yoga: Ancient Practice Helps Today’s Patients

Photo by Katrina Skinner

Yoga is one of several mind-body skills of-fered at Walter Reed National Military Med-ical Center’s 7-West inpatient psychiatryward and in the four-week, psychiatric out-patient Continuity Service “day program.”Staff members recently participated in oneof the classes.

See YOGA page 6


By AndrewDamstedt

NSAB Public Affairsstaff writer

Cmdr. (Dr.) PeterFellmer has been stoppedmore frequently recentlybecause his uniform looksa bit different than onesnormally seen onboardNaval Support ActivityBethesda.

That’s because his uni-form is issued by the Ger-man navy (Deutsche Ma-rine) reserve, joint medi-cal service.

Fellmer, a vascular sur-geon, came toWalter ReedNational Military Medi-cal Center (WRNMMC)on a Military Reserve Ex-change Program in whichhe was integrated intothe vascular surgery de-partment for two weeks.

“One of the importantgoals of this program isto be incorporated in theunits,” Fellmer said. “So Ithought the most helpfulthing was to participatein a vascular unit so Icould have some vascularinteraction.”

The integration of theWounded Warrior pro-gram in the medical cen-ter is one thing that hasimpressed Fellmer on hisvisit.

“It’s something wedon’t have too much ex-perience in and we don’thave so many casualtiesor injuries during com-bat yet,” Fellmer said.“And this is an interest-ing thing to see how thistreatment is integrated inthe hospital besides treat-ing regular patients.”

He was also fascinat-ed by the Fisher HouseFoundation houses on theinstallation that providehousing for service mem-bers and their familieswhile they are receivingtreatment at the hospital.

“That’s what I reallyfound impressive thatyou have to offer,” he said.

In his civilian life,Fellmer is an associateprofessor of surgery/vicechief of the division ofvascular surgery at theNiederrhein-KlinikumDuisburg. He received hismedical degree from theUniversity of Goettingenin 1998 and has donetraining abroad at othermedical schools, includingUniversity of Michigan,

Ann Arbor and Brighamand Women’s Hospital,Boston.

Fellmer said he want-ed to come to WRNMMCbecause of its reputationin caring for woundedservice members. Hesaid he has been well-accepted by the vascularsurgery department staffand they’ve had plenty offruitful discussions.

“My surprise is thatI’m really nicely acceptedhere and they really lookto discuss issues with meand that’s really nice,”Fellmer said.

He shared with themhow the German JointMedical Service operatesand he gave a presenta-tion on a way to do mini-mally invasive surgeryfor carotid artery steno-sis. That presentationleft Army Col. (Dr.) Rob-ert Craig, a WRNMMCvascular surgeon, with alot to think about afterFellmer finished becauseCraig said he hadn’theard of doing the sur-gery that way before.

“It was very insight-ful,” Craig said. “I’ve nev-er seen that technique de-scribed that way before.It left a lot to think about– the results are impres-sive.”

Craig said Fellmer’svisit has been excellentas “it’s been a good ex-change, not only on amilitary level, but on a

professional level as well,as vascular surgeons.”

Fellmer said he wasgrateful for the hospitali-ty extended to him on thisvisit. Army Capt. RobertGooch of the North Car-olina 518 SustainmentBrigade in Knightdale,N.C., was assigned to as-sist Fellmer and makehis visit run as smooth aspossible.

“It’s been a lot of fun

just to work with himand get shared experi-ences and to just sit downand talk about the com-mand structure and seehow things work differ-ently from a leadershipstandpoint,” said Gooch,who is going on his ownexchange to the UnitedKingdom in September.

Gooch, a health op-erations officer, said onething he found interest-

ing was to discuss withFellmer Germany’s healthcare system, which hashad a universal healthprogram for years andthen compare it to howthe United States hasbeen rolling out the Af-fordable Care Act.

What Fellmer said heis going to take back withhim to Germany is theneed for doing researchand collecting data in a

military environment aswell as a desire to keep intouch with the people hemet here.

Being away from hisfamily has been difficult,he said, especially on hisdaughter Clara’s sixthbirthday, but he was ableto talk to her through anonline video chat. Thethree weeks he’s away onthis exchange is shorterthan the length of a usualGerman deployment fora medical officer, whichFellmer said lasts be-tween six weeks to threemonths.

“But I realize thatmembers of the U.S.Armed Forces, they stayaway for nine months – sothis is not really compa-rable,” Fellmer said. “So Irespect them for being de-ployed for a long period.”

One of the many timesFellmer was stopped herewas during his first daysin downtownWashington,D.C. when he was out ona guided tour with otherGerman service members.

“A lot of U.S. citizensthey came to us andthanked us for our serviceand they are really openminded and it was reallynice,” Fellmer said. “We’vebeen able to talk to a lotof people on the streetpresenting ourselves andthe German Armed Forc-es, and people are veryinterested in that.”

Exchange Program Allows German Doctor to See Inside U.S. Military

Photo by Andrew Damstedt

Cmdr. (Dr.) Peter Fellmer of the German navy reserve gives a presentation on minimal-ization of surgery for carotid artery stenosis to members of the Walter Reed NationalMilitary Medical Center vascular surgery department. Fellmer was integrated into thedepartment for two weeks as part of a Military Reserve Exchange Program.

10513891051381


what we do here and hasdemonstrated great po-tential.”

In addition to beingproficient in their jobs aswell as hard work, anoth-er key to the promotionsof the newly-frockedSailors was successfullystudying for their ad-vancement exams.

“Study, study, study,”is how WRNMMC’s new-ly-promoted HospitalCorpsman 3rd Class Me-lissa Freeman describedher preparation for pro-motion. “It requires hardwork and motivation tobe promoted. I feel thatmore junior Sailors willlook to me for guidance,and senior enlisted willexpect me to pass on theguidance they have givenme through the years,”she added.

Newly-frocked HM2Rhesa M. Cantu, said ofher promotion, “Todaywas the best day of mynaval career so far. I feelhappy, proud, empow-ered, confident, and hum-bled all at the same time.I feel like I have so muchinformation to give toyoung Sailors…I have al-ways tried to perform ata higher level, but now I

will be entrusted to takeon even bigger projects. Ihave tried to set myselfup for success as a sec-ond class [petty officer].I took some non-requiredleadership training, andhave done sit downs withleadership, [as well as]asked questions abouthow to handle certainsituations. But even withall that, it is hard to pre-pare for something thatcan have so many twistsand turns. I won’t reallyknow what to expect un-til I go through it, and Iam excited to see whathappens.”

“I made all three rankshere at Walter ReedBethesda, and I am veryhappy that I was able tomake E-6 here. WalterReed Bethesda is full ofopportunities, and I amgrateful to have been apart of it,” said newly-frocked Hospital Corps-man 1st Class BuddhikaAbeyratne.

The 2014 WRNMMCSailor of the Year, Abey-ratne has been selectedto pursue medical stud-ies in San Antonio aspart of a commission-ing program beginningin August. Concerninghis promotion, the HM1said, “I look at it as anopportunity to help ju-nior enlisted Sailorsand Soldiers see thepath to advancement. I

try to give them the bestexample and do every-thing I can to empowerthem to achieve theirgoals.”

NSAB frocked 10 Sail-ors during a ceremony inBldg. 17, June 5.

“There is no betterday in the Navy thanwhen I have the oppor-tunity to recognize andreward the performanceof our staff, and thereis no better example ofthat than via the frock-ing ceremony,” said Capt.David A. Bitonti, NSABcommanding officer. “Notonly does it acknowledge

academic performance onthe advancement exami-nation, but it highlightsleadership potential, andthe expectation that eachSailor will become moreknowledgeable in theirrate, develop leadershipskills, and take care oftheir shipmates.

“The newly advancedpetty officers have a re-sponsibility to lead by ex-ample and to reach backto those Sailors junior tothem and bring them for-ward. No one advancesalone.”

With new rank comesmore responsibility for

the recently frocked Sail-ors, and those aboardNSAB are ready for thechallenge.

“It is a challenge thatI am accepting and that Iwill take in stride and doas best as I can with it.It is a learning process,”said Master-at-Arms1st Class Maegann Fos-ter, leading petty officerfor the administrativedepartment at NSAB.“There are different stepsof leadership at each pay-grade, and I have hadthose different stagesof leadership, as an E-4learning how to run a

section, an E-5 actuallyrunning a section andnow as an E-6 running adepartment. They are alldifferent levels and it issomething that there isa learning curve on, andyou have to tackle it headon.”

To download the bibli-ographies for an upcom-ing advancement exam,Sailors can go to theNavy Advancement Cen-ter’s web portal on NKOat https://www.nko.navy.mil/group/navy-advance-ment-center/exam-bibli-ographies.

FROCKContinued from pg. 1

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who decided to ‘give it a shot’ because itwas so easily accessible to them duringtheir hospitalization,” Hershey added.Yoga is taught in other areas of the

medical center and base, available to allpatients and staff, including the gym, aswell as the integrative medicine programin the InternalMedicine Department.Theancient practice is also offered in a classfor patients in the outpatient, PsychiatricContinuity Service ‘day program’, led byDr. Bhagwan Bahroo, a staff psychiatristat WRNMMC for more than 10 years, aswell as an assistant professor of Psychia-try at the Uniformed Services Universityof Health Services (USUHS).Bahroo was introduced to yoga as a

high school student. Now a yogi, the psy-chiatrist offers a voluntary yoga class onMondays at 11 a.m. for patients in thepsychiatric ‘day program.’ Once a week,Bahroo incorporates two forms of yoga inan hour-long class: Hatha Yoga, a set ofphysical exercises and sequences of pos-tures designed to align the skin, muscles,and bones, along with Ashtanga Yoga,which incorporates synchronized breathwith postures.“It’s not fast-paced yoga,” Bahroo said.

The practice includes eye movement ex-ercises that have been shown to be espe-

cially helpful for patients with PTSD, heexplained.“About 30 to 50 percent of the patients

in the program take advantage of the yogaclass,” said the psychiatrist, who citedmedical conditions that benefit from yogaincluding hypertension, mild heart condi-tions, obesity, difficulty breathing, highcholesterol and diabetes.According to Bahroo, some of his pa-

tients think of yoga as an Asian, mysticpractice, but those that participated inthe class “felt it made a difference in theirlives, their psyche well-being,” he said,with additional patients citing a decreasein anxiety and migraines after particularpositions.A 2014 trial published in the Journal of

Clinical Psychiatry examined the effect ofyoga to decrease the symptoms of PTSDresistant to treatment in women. Half ofthose who practiced yoga during a weeklyone-hour class for 10 weeks no longer metcriteria for PTSD, and maintained theirimprovements.Yoga is one of several mind-body skills

taught in a series of classes offered as partof the Integrative Health and WellnessServices, of the General InternalMedicineService at WRNMMC. A monthly classcalendar is available in the main wait-ing area of the General Internal MedicineClinic, on the second floor of the AmericaBuilding (Bldg. 19), which can be reachedat 301-295-0105 for more information onclasses, dates and times. Classes are heldin the clinic or in a nearby space.

YOGAContinued from pg. 3

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