“Survival is insufficient.”
― Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven

We offer Veterans camaraderie and support, while providing practical tools to thrive in the civilian world. We believe that cultivating belonging and the opportunity to help others can bring a deep understanding of purpose. No one heals in isolation.

My name is Lisa Jakub. I am the founder and director of Mission Flexible. I am an author, mindfulness educator, trauma-informed wellness guide, and retired actor.

I’ve been working with folks who are dealing with depression and anxiety for many years. In 2016, I started volunteering to help to lead Veterans retreats - knowing absolutely nothing about military culture, and not realizing that would change the trajectory of my work and my life. In 2019, I collaborated with the VA to create a Yoga for Veterans program in my hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia.

In 2022, I founded Mission Flexible to expand my work with Veterans.

Beyond my RTY500 yoga teacher certification, I have received training from the Veterans Yoga Project, graduating from their Mindful Resilience Training and Mindful Resilience for Compassion Fatigue programs. I have taken Military Cultural Competency Training via Virginia Veteran and Family Support. I am a member of the VYP Teacher’s Alliance.

The Veterans we serve suffer from a variety of issues, such as post-traumatic stress, moral injury, chronic insomnia, night terrors, impulse control issues, hypervigilance, flashbacks, panic attacks, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injuries, addiction recovery, severe depression, and anxiety. They struggle with grief, loss, and guilt. Many feel unable to assimilate back to who they were before their time in service. They need tools to manage their mental wellness, they need camaraderie, and they need a space to belong.

We lose (at least) twenty-two Veterans per day to suicide in this country. Because when they come home, they are largely isolated and unsupported beyond “thank you for your service.”

They need compassion and a reason to keep going.

Mission Flexible retreats offer a chance for Veterans to return to the sense of community and belonging that has been missing. Through a combination of physical activities (yoga, hiking, cold plunge) and deep emotional work (meditation, group discussions, therapeutic writing) we work towards healing the invisible wounds that they have been carrying.

My job is not to heal them. My job is to sit in the darkness with them so they know they are not alone. 

Veterans tell us repeatedly how these practices have saved their lives. They return to Mission Flexible and bring other Veterans who are struggling. They save them from becoming one of the twenty-two. They find meaning in service again, this time in service of helping others heal and find some peace.