Support does not always begin with an appointment. Sometimes it begins with a few quiet minutes to reset. Other times, it begins by hearing someone else say, “I’ve been there, too.”

The University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) Resiliency Program is creating more opportunities for both. Building on the Cabana Pod already available at the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC), OVMA is partnering with Cabana to bring Cabana Live to the University’s veteran and military-connected community.

The OVMA Resiliency Program (ORP) offers personalized, nonclinical support to help students navigate challenges that can affect their academic experience and well-being. Its staff work with students to understand what they need, connect them with resources and help them find a path forward. Cabana Live adds a way to connect with others wherever they are.

With no appointment and no cost, community members can drop into anonymous, moderated peer support sessions throughout the day. Sessions cover stress, focus, relationships, confidence, feeling disconnected and major life changes. Some are led by veterans and designed for military audiences.

Members join with an alias and their camera off. Only the moderator appears on camera, and participants can listen or contribute as much as they wish.

“We know that support looks different for different people—and even for the same person on different days,” says Ken Marfilius, associate director and co-founder of the OVMA Resiliency Program, faculty director of online programs and strategic initiatives in the School of Education and associate teaching professor of social work. “The Cabana Pod offers a private space to pause and reset when you’re at the NVRC. Cabana Live extends that opportunity for connection beyond the building. You can join from anywhere, on your own terms, and find people who understand some of what you’re carrying.”

The Cabana Pod at the NVRC gives visitors a private place to decompress using guided experiences such as breathing exercises and meditation. Cabana Live offers a different kind of connection: live conversations with peers, available whether someone is on campus or miles away. Between sessions, members can also use a guided journal, self-guided content and Cabana FM, a lo-fi station for focus and winding down.

“Our goal is to build a resilient community where veteran and military-connected students know there is more than one way to reach out,” says U.S. Army Colonel (Retired) Ron Novack, executive director of OVMA. “From a moment of quiet in the Cabana Pod to a live conversation with people who share similar experiences, these resources give our community more ways to find support when they need it.”

Cabana Live is available to Syracuse University’s veteran and military-connected community through the OVMA Resiliency Program. For those military-connected staff, faculty and students who are interested in this new service, visit the ORP website and select the specific community that applies to you.