Psychedelic therapy for veterans is about to revolutionize how the American healthcare system treats former soldiers. Specifically, soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The rush of research, resources and energy being poured into the psychedelic field flung the doors open to a wave of novel treatments for assorted mental health issues. Most important, the excitement and promise of these novel treatments focuses on rehabilitating veterans.
PTSD sufferers’ ability to cope is improving fast. So fast, that psychedelic therapy for veterans may allow them to thrive again. The promise of a successful, fresh solution starts right here with a new course by VETS and Psychedelic Support.
What is VETS you ask? Rather, ask, “Who is VETS?”
Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) is a non-profit organization founded in 2019 by Marcus and Amber Capone.
Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions
A chain of events, many years in the making, has led to a revolutionary moment. The 2018 movie, From Shock to Awe, documented, Matt Kahl and Michael Cooley, a pair of veterans on their journey to heal severe PTSD. Wanting to find true healing and get off prescription medications, they find new life in ayahuasca.
Then in 2019, thanks to Rick Doblin’s decades of work at MAPS, MDMA received breakthrough status for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in PTSD treatment.
Finally, this just happened:
On April 14, 2021, Texas state representative Alex Dominguez (D) Brownsville, announced HB1802.According to Dominguez, the house bill seeks to be the “first of its kind study on the safety and efficacy of psychedelics in treating veteran-resistant PTSD.” If the house bill passes, the Health and Human Services Commission will conduct a clinical trial. Former Texas governor Rick Perry was there to throw his weight behind the psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy bill.
Who was the veteran speaking at the Texas capitol building? Marcus Capone. Said, Capone:
“Psychedelic therapy is the next major breakthrough in mental health care. With too many veteran suicides a day, no one needs or deserves this intervention more than our nation’s veterans and Texas will lead the way.”
Surely, Marcus made an impact. On April 27, the psychedelics research legislation passed in the House Public Health Committee. As this article states, “The legislation would require the state to study the medical risks and benefits of psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine for veterans in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and a military-focused medical center. It was also amended to mandate a clinical trial into psilocybin for veterans with PTSD, in addition to a broader review of the scientific literature on all three substances.”
Who is Marcus?
So who is Marcus and why did his efforts make such an impact?
Marcus is a former Navy SEAL suffering from veteran resistant PTSD. He has 13 years of combat experience, seven deployments, and five decorations. So, if anyone knows about PTSD it’s him. Since, Marcus has dealt with debilitating depression, headaches, confusion, alcoholism, rage, forgetfulness, and suicidality.
Marcus, along with his wife Amber, head Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions or VETS. VETS is a “non-profit organization that provides resources, research, and advocacy to improve the quality of life for U.S. combat veterans and their families.” Marcus found help in a major way, albeit, nontraditional. As a result, now through VETS, Marcus and Amber want to offer all veterans the same type of powerful healing treatments that he benefited from. Marcus, Amber, and “VETS is committed to ending the veteran suicide epidemic by helping veterans heal from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
A Breakthrough in Psychedelic Therapy for Veterans
Marcus and Amber went through everything, literally and figuratively. Watch their full story below.
In short, Marcus and Amber were up against it big time. Desperate to help Marcus and save their marriage, they were just about out of hope. After exhausting all treatment methods, Amber learned about ibogaine.
This soon led to Marcus taking a trip to Mexico where he tried ibogaine treatment and later took 5-MeO-DMT. As VETS notes, “Marcus’ cognitive functioning returned, he stopped drinking, and no longer relied on his prescriptions.” Marcus was a healthy man once again.
As he tells it, “I felt that I had nothing to lose at that point. But when my treatment was a complete success, I knew we had to pay this forward to other combat veterans.” And pay it forward they have.
Through the non-profit, 501 c 3 VETS, Marcus and Amber have provided Foundational Healing Grants for American veterans suffering from veteran resistant PTSD to travel abroad and receive psychedelic therapy in countries where it is legal. To date, VETS has helped secure psychedelic therapy for 110 Special Operations veterans or their spouses.
Want to know more about the Capone’s story, go deeper into VETS, or are a veteran looking for help but don’t know where to go? Then check out this excellent interview with Marcus and Amber from back in 2020. This will go into a lot more depth and breadth about Marcus’ humbling journey and where it has led him to today.
So, if you’re a veteran struggling with veteran resistant PTSD or you’re a loved one of a veteran, you can learn more about treating PTSD with psychedelic assisted therapy starting right here and now.
VETS and Psychedelic Support Team Up to Offer Solution
As a matter of fact, VETS and Psychedelic Support have partnered to help bring psychedelic therapy for veterans into the mainstream.
VETS and Psychedelic Support collaborated to create “Modern Recovery: Veterans & Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.” It’s a crash course on the latest in veteran-focused, psychedelic-assisted treatments.
This FREE course on psychedelic-assisted therapy for veteran resistant PTSD, traumatic brain injury and trauma improves psychedelic literacy. The course also helps veterans and their families gain familiarity with a once stigmatized drugs that are now being used as medicines. Another key point, is the course can be done on a computer, tablet or mobile device.
The 6 main course objectives are:
- State the history and terminology associated with psychedelics.
- Describe veteran health conditions and psychedelic therapy research findings.
- Explain the effects and safety criteria of common psychedelic substances.
- Describe what to expect from psychedelic experiences, how to prepare and integrate, and become familiar with different types of practices to promote therapeutic benefit.
- Discuss ways to talk to your family, friends, and peer support network about psychedelics.
- Summarize the mission and purpose of VETS.
Moreover, there are a total of 11 sections to the course:
- Introduction
- Taking Care of You
- Psychedelics 101
- Veteran Health & Psychedelic Research
- Let’s Check In
- How do Psychedelics Work?
- The Ins and Outs of Psychedelic Substances
- Taking a Psychedelic Journey
- Psychedelic Integration and Aftercare
- Family Support and Care
- VETS and Other Resources
Modern Recovery: Veterans & Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
In conclusion, upon completing the course, expect to be much more well-informed about the use of psychedelics in treatment of veteran-resistant PTSD. Look, it’s no secret that psychedelics have long been stigmatized and taboo. As a result, people are still mostly freaked out by them and lack education about how they can be used with therapy.
The first and best step to transforming yourself back into the healthy person you once were, is to expand your knowledge on what at first can be an intimidating and frightening idea. Like anything else, once you learn more about psychedelic therapy, your fear dissipates while your confidence increases.
So, if you’re ready to take the first step towards transformation, click here to register for “Modern Recovery: Veterans & Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.” Marcus and Amber want to be there for you in a way you never thought possible.
