When Bill and Lisa first tried to launch trauma healing groups on a military installation they were met with discouragement. Despite being passionate staff members with Cru Military, leading REBOOT groups on post yielded poor turnout, inconsistent participation, and very little connection among attendees. They knew the need was there, but something wasn’t clicking.
What followed was a bold step of faith, a community-wide effort, and one of the most transformative REBOOT experiences we’ve ever seen.
When On Post Didn’t Work, They Took It Off Post
“We just weren’t seeing buy-in,” Lisa recalled. The setup on the base was excellent—a group meal followed by various classes in separate rooms—but wasn’t conducive for deep connection among the Reboot group members. Plus, the ever-present stigma around mental health and trauma in military circles made it hard for people to show up without fear of judgment.
So they took a risk: move the course off post. Bill led a group through Veterans Court, and Lisa, with her friend, Cindy, decided to lead a REBOOT group just for women, which was a first for her.
Finding Space, Food, and Support in a Tiny Community
Their town is small. Really small. About 12,000 people total, including the military installation. But Bill had a vision. If churches weren’t able to help with space or childcare, maybe local businesses would. And with prayerful determination, he started knocking on doors.
Over 60 businesses stepped up. The local health center offered unlimited use of a large meeting room for $480 per year. An entrepreneur with an alteration shop wrote the first check - fully covering that cost. A furniture store wrote the next $100 check. Local restaurants offered full meals. A butcher gave gift cards. Others gave services like oil changes or childcare supplies. A nail salon owner even baked cookies for the dessert.
Every week, Lisa and Cindy's group gathered in that donated space. Every meal was sponsored. And every week, Lisa and Bill hand-delivered thank-you notes and photos to each business that contributed, building a bridge between business owners and brave women stepping into healing.
A Group of Women Who Found More Than Healing
This group wasn’t like the others Lisa had led. From day one, the women opened up. No surface-level responses. Just raw, honest stories. The traumas ranged from military PTSD and abuse to tragedies too horrific to imagine. And they didn’t just open up, they stuck together.
One woman, once angry and hostile toward God, ended the course as a new believer. She’s now baptized, reading her first Bible, helping her husband join a Military REBOOT course, and in the process of relocating the two of them to Ecuador to do mission work. Another participant joined the group after her mom offered to do childcare. She had already lived through far too much, but her healing was so evident that her entire softball team canceled a tournament to attend her graduation. Her little sister came up to Bill, tearfully saying, “Thank you. You gave me my sister back.”
By the end of the 13 weeks, these women weren’t just classmates. They were family. Babysitting for each other. Cooking for each other. Sharing cars. Meeting midweek just to check in. As one said, “Now I have people who know my stuff. They understand how I feel. They’re not critical. They encourage me.”
A Graduation That Moved a Town
Graduation night was emotional. Over 100 people showed up, including family, friends, coworkers, and many of the local business sponsors. Lisa’s team had printed banners showcasing the logos of every sponsoring business. Each participant received a REBOOT t-shirt wrapped in a gift box, personalized prayer cards from around the country, devotionals, and more. One woman said she stayed up all night reading her 70 handwritten encouragement cards.
They were overwhelmed. In the best way.
The Spark of Something Bigger
Bill, Lisa, and Cindy may live in a small town, but what they sparked is anything but small. Through local partnerships, persistent faith, and a whole lot of heart, they ignited deep, lasting healing for women who once thought they were alone.
One local business owner told Bill, “We like to give to things we believe in—and we believe in what you’re doing.”
And so do we.
That first spark has now grown into another REBOOT course on the nearby military installation, launching September 3. Several women from the spring Women’s Trauma REBOOT group are returning for a second round, including one who has registered her husband so they can walk the journey together. The woman who provided childcare for that spring group is joining this time too—she’s the mother of the teenager in the original story, and now that teen is also choosing to repeat the course.
From one small-town group to an expanding circle of lives changed, Bill, Lisa, and Cindy’s story is proof that when hope takes root, it grows far beyond what we can see.
Want to bring REBOOT to your community?
Just like Bill, Lisa, and Cindy, you don’t need a huge budget or a massive platform. You need a heart to serve and the courage to start. Learn how to lead a REBOOT group at rebootrecovery.com/lead.