Starfish Foundation Inc

My experience was outstanding, I didn't expect the level of relief I got from surrounding myself with veterans and those who genuinely want to help veterans heal. I highly recommend that veterans attend, as it is a way to find healing and reconnect.

Healing Wounded Warriors was an amazing retreat! The biggest thing that I took from the program was "burning" and letting go of the past. The Past is Depression, The Future is Anxiety, so live in the Present. The Team was AMAZING Loving, Caring, and best of all Wisconsin has GREAT food! I recommend this retreat to any an every veteran who is struggling each day with some type of mental health illness. Thank you to the team for allowing this old veteran from Virginia to become a Healing Warrior.

At the Healing Warrior Hearts LGBTQ Retreat, I found much healing within my heart. All the volunteers and staff were so caring, loving, and supportive every step of the way. This program tapped into some trauma left unprocessed and struggles past and present that I deal with. The facility and lodging were so comfortable and safe zones. I feel much more positive about the outlook on my future.

It was an amazing experience volunteering for the weekend retreat. It was such an honor to see the participants walk into their healing. This gave me hope for my Marine husband and the opportunity for his healing that he can have as well. It is amazing the healing and support I received during the weekend. What a blessing the weekend retreat has been!!

One of the best veteran retreats I've attended. THe weekend was so magical, inspiring and healing. I arrive with a heavy heart and so much weight on my shoulders, but I"m leaving with a happy heart full of hope and joy, and so much lighter thank you for giving me hope for a happy and healthy future

The MST retreat was short but packed with wonderful insights and creative healing tools. A lot of programs I have attended fire hose you with tools and resources. This is different. They really hear your story and develop a ritual to guide you through your journey. There is no cut and paste process here. They are respectful of varying values and religious beliefs and teach practices that are not commonly expressed in Western cultures. I highly recommend this organization and exploring the various retreats they offer.

This retreat is amazing and no joke!!! You will come to think ing it may be like all the others that you may have attended where you just do some paperwork and group sessions and never really work on anything meaningful personally towards you. Well you have no idea how much with a few days with these amazing people will make such a huge impact on you deep in your soul. On things that were buried really deep down that have never been addressed in all the 3,963 counseling sessions you’ve attended…….this is like rapid speed healing and it works!!! You will defiantly leave with a lift off your soul and feel empowered that you have achieved some skills to get thru future hard times by the breathing techniques we learned!!! You will walk away thinking….. wow……this was absolutely an amazing experience!!! And, You will never be the same again. You will shed some old layers that need to come off. Sort of like a really really good exfoliating bath!!! But for your mind and soul!!! This is a truly magical opportunity that you will not be sorry for attending!!! You will be mad at yourself you didn’t come sooner!!!! Healing Warrior Hearts is a Fundamental Place That Every Veteran Needs to Visit at least once if you suffer from any PTSD issues. You will learn so much from all these people who have all been through similar experiences. They are so loving in sharing the information too !!! I cannot thank them enough for helping me to be able to get some peace with some things in my life that were making me struggle. Healing Warrior Hearts is one of the Best there is out there!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. Jennifer Israel, Air Force Veteran

I would encourage anyone who needs help to not be shy like I was. The Taking it lightly was still worth my investment because I had to miss work also so if YOU are hesitating don’t be shy to ask for help from anything this organization has to offer

While going to counseling for my PTSD my counselor discussed a program that could possibly help in dealing with the scars at the hands of some evil men. This was a weekend dealing with MST and being a male I was embarrassed even talking about it with my counselor yet strangers I have never met. I went in with my guard up and wanted to leave from the get go. For some reason I relied on my faith to get me through it. After a while I heard about other stories how the innocence was stolen from these individuals. I started to let my guard down a bit and before I knew it I was talking a little about what happened over 40 years ago. There were emotions of anger and hurt that came out that I wasn’t prepared for. This group of individuals would unselfishly give of their valuable time over the weekend loved on me without expecting anything in return. I still have a ways to go but the weekend was so worth it. A big thank you and God’s blessings the staff and volunteers for a healing weekend. You will always have a place in my heart.
Alex K

I was greatful to be apart of the work of Healing Warriors Hearts. It was a transformational experience as a civillian and a mental health professional to help give back to a much deserving population. I would volunteer again in a heart beat!

If there is an organization worth support and effort, this is it! I have witnessed the powerful, transformative, healing effect Healing Warriors' Heart has on our Veterans and their families. The volunteers are passionate and committed to this cause. I feel absolutely privileged to be able to support the amazing people changing Veterans' lives due to this organization!

I have taken both the Taking It Lightly course and I have also volunteered for the Healing Warrior Hearts course/weekend. Both experiences were great as there were several things I needed to reflect on and heal from especially when I originally took the Taking It Lightly course. Before this course, I was dealing with a lot of hurt from experiences with family members and other people in my life. The processing was somewhat difficult for me especially because I waited until the very end of the day to do my own. This made me very anxious, however if I did not partake in this there would be even more things I would be holding on to now. As far as the Healing Warrior Hearts course, I loved being able to staff that specific weekend because I have total respect for veterans and it felt like I was truly doing something good and I was there for them when they needed it. We only had one couple for that weekend because another couple had dropped out for personal reasons, but I still believe our work was everlasting and that the couple who participated are closer now more than ever and therefore their trust is also stronger than ever. I cannot wait until I am able to staff another weekend whether it be for Taking It Lightly, Healing Warrior Hearts, or for any of the other courses offered at the Center for Creative Learning building.

Volunteering with the Starfish Foundation has been so rewarding. Having the knowledge that what I'm doing supports our heros is one of the most gratifying feelings I have ever experienced. Working side by side with veterans as dedicated as they are in helping make other veterans lives better is empowering and makes you want to push that much more. I have had nothing but positive experiences with the Starfish Foundation and the people who run it/volunteer!

I have been going to therapy most of my life working on past wounds from childhood to combat for decades. Taking It Lightly, a weekend the Starfish Foundation host, helped accelerate the process of healing in just one weekend. I was able to share my story to complete strangers without judgement and instead with deep love and support. There is more, they showed me tools to give me "Emotional Mastery" to move forward in all aspects of my life. Coming up on 40 years experience and a motto of "excellence", I would recommend to anyone wanting to grow as this is one of the best ways to do it.

I am extremely proud to be able to say that I support the Starfish foundation with my donation. I know that my donations go directly to helping veterans and their families. The opportunity to observe and be a part of the military ball was amazing. Watching all the Veterans being recognized for their service brought tears to my eyes. I can't thank everyone involved enough for all they do.

As a retired healthcare worker in the VA system, I have seen the “invisible” wounds our Veterans experience. This program benefits the lives of Veterans and their families and is all inclusive. No one that wants care falls through the cracks. I’m proud of my sister who plays a role in volunteering to this worthwhile program! ������

My sister Diane Young is a part of the Stargish foundation. They assist our veterans with the help they need. Mark McAuliffe and I were blessed to be able to volunteer helping to greet people and hand out flyers.

I went to taking it lightly a year ago because of a recommendation from a friend. I was skeptical at first because I didn’t think I was struggling with anything but as the day went on I realized I was burying some issues that I didn’t realize after the processing I felt like a burden had been lifted off my shoulders. I would recommend this to everyone

The work this organization does is truly amazing. I am proud to support the Starfish Foundation so that they may continue to provide the gift of healing for many years to come.

I went 25 years ago to the weekend retreat and it’s amazing how the starfish foundation donates for others who would never get turned away because of a lack of money when needing help can’t possibly come to a halt. I have went back and volunteered at these veteran retreats and it brings a tear to my eye how professionally this is completed with all the support available. I’m glad to be a part of this and have personally donated myself to events. I highly recommend the starfish foundation and the work they are doing and I do share this with those I feel would need the same support I had when they were there for me. Thank you.

I attended my first retreat in March. Now I'm going back as a volunteer. I wasn't sure what to expect as I had never been to anything like this before. The atmosphere was warm and nurturing. It was the first time I felt comfortable enough to tell my story. I've been in and out of therapy for years bur never addressed the root cause of my mental issues. I realized right off that I was not alone. Everyone was there to support me. The people I met and the tools I learned will help with my healing. Thank you so much HWH and Starfish.

During my Taking It Lightly weekend in February 2023 I uncovered something about myself that I have been searching for my entire life. This truth and realization was something I had never considered prior and it would not have been revealed without the Taking It Lightly course. My life is truly changed for the better because of my weekend experience. I'm supremely grateful for the scholarship I received from the Starfish Foundation for without it I would not have been able to participate. Thank you all so much! - Gaby Dorantes

Healing Warrior Hearts attends many community events. They are always ready to help any and every Veteran. They also partner up with many organizations to make sure every Veteran gets the best care they can.

From the moment they suggested a heart hug and I thought ‘what you too I thought I was the only one’ I was hooked

I went to a Healing Warrior Hearts couples weekend expecting to just take a few notes and doing some fun activities. However, I was so amazed by the strong support from the staff and the deep work and healing we were able to do in one short weekend. It is very structured and supportive environment. I am so glad I went and had the wonderful experience I had. Thanks Patricia and Chris and the rest of the staff!

I got involved with Healing Warrior Hearts in 2019 shortly after relocating to Milwaukee. I wanted to get involved with Veterans, but I did not know that I’d be finding family! Every retreat has been very healing and filled with love. It’s a great feeling to be surrounded by others that thoroughly enjoy helping others. Seeing the Veterans come in uncertain and then smiling and hugging at the end of the retreat is breathtaking. Refreshing. I will always recommend Healing Warrior Hearts to Veterans AND civilians. Even though I’m not a participant during the retreat weekends, I always unlock a part of my own heart.

I have experienced the amazing work done by this organization, both as a participant as well as a staff member. I left my retreat (as a participant) with a whole new outlook and sense of love. The transformations that I've witnessed occur over a single weekend retreat is beyond anything I can describe with mere words. The people I met through my time working with them are more than just fellow veterans, we are family. There is an unbreakable bond that happens within those 3 days that is unlike anything I've experienced anywhere else.

Volunteering for HWH has been an amazing gift. I have been so privileged to be able to support veterans that are taking such difficult and monumental steps in their healing journeys. The teamwork and camaraderie among the staff is outstanding and I am very proud to be affiliated with such a warm, caring, and client-centered organization.

This is an awesome program with very good people who are very well involved within the community. I can’t say enough about how resourceful and community minded they are. The way they engage and work with other organizations and veterans is simply commendable.

My wife and I had the opportunity to attend Healing Warrior Hearts for couples. We didn't know necessarily what to expect going in. We've had the opportunity to attend different veteran couples activities, but nothing has compared to what we had the opportunity to experience for our weekend. I would consider our weekend with Healing Warrior Hearts to have been an absolutely life-altering opportunity. The staff was incredible, the program was amazing, and the overall weekend is something I would recommend for any couple. I cannot begin to say thank you enough! The only way for me to show my gratitude is to continue the work that was started this weekend and return to continue the work and help others in the work. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I have staffed several Healing Warrior Hearts Retreats and to see the impact the weekends had on those that participated was very heartwarming. So when the opportunity to do Taking it Lightly was presented, I jumped at the chance for change in my life. Taking it Lightly was a wonderful life changing experience. I can honestly say that I’m lighter and freer since participating in the retreat. I am amazed that saying what I had to say in front of non-judgmental people and getting feedback was all it took for me to discover true forgiveness. I’m grateful for being brave enough to step out of my comfort zone to be a participant and I am thankful to the Creative Learning Center, Starfish Foundation, donors and God for providing me this opportunity.

I worked with the Starfish Foundation via the Taking It Lightly course. The mission to heal emotional wounds seemed like a lofty goal at first, but after my personal experience, I can attest that the Starfish Foundation not only does just that; they do it very well!

The Healing Warrior Hearts weekend in Milwaukee was AMAZING! They really made us feel comfortable even before we got there we felt like we were in good hands and they really took care of us when we arrived. I feel as if I got closer to my partner and got to know myself more this past weekend. Thank you Patricia for your commitment to us veterans.

We spent a weekend amongst strangers and experienced the impact of healing, forgiveness and bonding. For us, it drew us closer and we had an opportunity to share & learn new things about one another and connect on a whole new level. We didn’t know what to expect but are so glad we had the opportunity to experience the Healing Warrior Hearts couple retreat in Wisconsin this weekend. What an amazing opportunity for couples to heal from trauma that impact their lives and relationships. This definitely will impact your life. I encourage any veteran to experience this retreat. For me, I plan to stay connected with this organization and become a volunteer for future retreats. The transformations I witnessed this weekend truly touched my heart.
Next Couples Retreat February 2022 in Houston, Texas. Get there and they will take care of everything else! They have a Military Sexual Trauma retreat in January 2022 Wisconsin. This organization is doing amazing things for our veterans. You are not alone, they didn’t forget you

I was introduced to the Starfish Foundation & Healing Warrior Hearts through a fellow veteran that was going through an MST (Military Sexual Trauma) group with me at the VA.
She shared with me that, the weekend retreat, would be no cost to me because I was a veteran. She also shared with me what a difference her weekend had made in her life. I was intrigued, so I went online and signed up for an MST weekend. It was the beginning of my emotional healing. Patricia (the founder & an instructor) was able to direct me back to where my original trauma took place, and helped me to finally recognize and deal with that pain in a safe space.
I can’t say enough about the Starfish Foundation, Healing Warrior Hearts and all of their volunteers they all made a huge impact on my life and for that I am eternally grateful!

My daughter made a comment about how angry I was when they were growing up and that she felt I still carried that anger. After thinking long and hard, I realized that anger came from childhood sexual trauma at age 5. After 52 years of pent up anger, I felt it was finally time to get to the cause of it and heal. I decided it was time to attend a Healing Warrior Hearts (HWH) retreat with my beloved service dog, Sophie (see photo).

It was very powerful to have staff members role play to help me release that anger. After my process work was complete I felt a huge weight off my shoulders. I was given tools to help me deal with trauma triggers, which are becoming less and less. I feel a big change in my life, I’m happier with my life and my relationships with my children.

Something positive about HWH’s is that I now know I am not alone. I also have a group of veterans and community volunteers that are like family. Please, if you know a veteran who is suffering from emotional wounds of military service, or from any time in their life, check out their website and save a life.

Healing Warrior Hearts is a terrific organization that focuses first and foremost on the healing of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice of serving our country.
When I was privileged with the chance to experience the retreat I was amazed by how much these volunteers care about veterans!
Would highly recommend this organization to anyone wanting to heal

I went through this program in 2010 and discovered hope. The experience was so life changing that I staffed numerous weekends, and now lead the workshops in both Milwaukee and Houston. It gave me the tools to handle the traumas from the past and situations that life has thrown at me. Seeing the change in the participants from Friday night to Sunday afternoon keeps me coming back.

I have been volunteering with the Starfish Foundation since 2017. Their events are well organized and provide incredible content for attendees. I have heard some very heartwarming stories from people who have benefited from their help. I am grateful for their services and honored to help them in any way I can.

As a first time volunteer and civilian for the Healing Warrior Hearts retreat, it was my absolute honor to witness such remarkable healing work for our veterans. Patricia Clason and her staff
Gently guided me with kindness and care as to what my support role was for the weekend.
I am proud to be a volunteer for this great organization. The staff were so very welcoming and set the example of the outreachIng hand they offer to all participants. I listened , I learned and now I understand what skillful therapy can bring about for the wounded hearts that live among us.
I am among the transformed along with the participants during the weekend retreat . The kindness and caring with in the Healing Warrior Hearts organization is 100% authentic , along side the professional conduct ,all the while taking attendees through a spiritual and healing journey that is truly profound and enlightening.
I am honored to be involved with the Starfish Foundation , Healing Warrior Hearts instructors and staff, and humbly thank them for my lessons and encouragement. With their guidance and direction , I have found a renewed purpose in myself to help and support others.

I have been a non-profit Executive Director for over 30 years. In addition to serving others as a vocation, I have been personally fulfilled by doing the same thing, During COVID I was unable to give back to the community.
There was an opportunity to volunteer during the holiday season with the Healing Warrior Hearts’ Operation Grateful Giving through my employer, It filled my soul to help others and was particularly meaningful during the holiday, for veterans, and after having not been able to do so for 12 months.
Until I received a call about the Starfish Foundation, I had no idea who they were. I was embarrassed as a non-profit professional I had not heard of them before. I was delighted to learn about Starfish Foundation and hope to work with them in the future.
I want to personally thank them for their support of this charity and so many charitable organizations throughout the country.

I attended Healing Warrior Hearts in January of 2021. It was recommended to me by a fellow woman veteran. I had experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST) which seemed to be a cause of many issues within my military and civilian professional career as well as my personal life. Due to COVID this retreat was cancelled, post-poned, and rescheduled but I truly believe everything happens for a reason. I had been working on my healing through one on one counselings, attending a crucible support group weekly, as well as looking to God for months while I endured over a year long military sexual assault investigation and a VA disability claim. This retreat truly came at the moment I needed it most. It was remarkable to attend just a weekend retreat and yet feel so much love, support, and enormous amounts of tools and resources. I can't express enough what this organization and group of people did for me. We did a role play and it allowed my deepest feelings and emotions to escape in a safe and caring environment. We put the work in and I was exhausted due to the mental work but boy did my shoulders relax!!! That heavy heavy backpack I had been carrying around for years was finally taken off and emptied. I was able to face the trauma and move forward. Even after the retreat I had my sponsor reach out and check in. We also met as a group a couple months later just to see where everyone was at. Veterans tend to retreat and isolate themselves, this was a great way to ensure noone felt alone and was reminded of the healing that took place and that we were all important and had a bright future ahead. We just had to go after it. Thank you Starfish Foundation Inc for providing an avenue of positivity and healing. You have and will continue to save lives!

I have been described as a professional volunteer since my kids started school. So when my best friend whom I consider a sister asked for help with Healing Warrior Hearts and Starfish foundation. I couldn't say no!! Many of my family members are military veterans and knowing what they endured in the military made me more motivated to help them out. I started helping with Silent Auctons at events like the Poker Run. I was honored to donate my time and efforts collecting items and assembling baskets. I was always looking for new ideas to help them earn funds to provide free retreats for veterans. We loved joining in on Chritmas eve to assemble and distribute gifts to the Veterans hospital. To have the opportunity to Thank our military for their service is so rewarding!! My family and I were honored to be invited to a Graduation ceremony to witness this event leaves you breathless. To see our veterans healing touches your soul. I cant Thank Patricia enough for her dedication to our veterans and keeping this organization going. I look forward to many more events and helping however we can!

I'm Jay Justham, and though I'm not in the Military or a Veteran our best friend Michelle is. She is involved in Healing Warrior Hearts under the Starfish Foundation Inc.. When she came to Heather and I for help with the silent auction and other fundraisers we were honored. We didn't think twice to volunteer and donate some of our time to help raise some much needed funds.

When I took my weekend classes, I was engaged and encouraged to break the barriers that were hindering my ability to feel and understand my emotions. Being able to share my experience with others and see their experiences helped me to feel more normal. The connection I made with other students has been an eternal connection. I feel blessed every time we see each other.

There is a question non-veterans ask that I really hate: "What was it like?" I have no satisfactory answer to that question. My war wasn't like anything in your civilian experience. Heck, my war wasn't like anything in anybody else's war. Even if you're a Vet, you weren't there at the same time or in the same place.

Healing Warrior Hearts is not a place where they ask that question. Oh, they'll ask you questions, and you won't be able to answer all of them at first. Turns out that sometimes the questions we take back with us are more important than the answers we fire off quickly. HWH is a place where not only will they listen to you, they will hear you. Yes, you will be heard, in some cases for the first time in your life.

And that can be pretty cool.

Vietnam Vet
Graduate of the Bamboo Bridge 2002 (predecessor to HWH)

My husband I are both Army retired vets. We attended the Healing Warrior Hearts program last year. Upon arrival, we were a bit uncomfortable and questioning if we should stay or even come back the next day. I'm so glad we did! We learned so much about each other and ourselves. We learned how our brains respond to trauma and that we can, with time, control our reactions and behaviors to past experiences and triggers. The others in our group have become more than acquaintances. They have become friends; battle buddies. We all made ourselves vulnerable, and open to needing and accepting love and support. I will never forget the memories made that weekend. Thank you.

These programs offer a safe space for people with PTSD to be held, to express feelings, to fall apart and others will not give up on them or go away. They offered a lot of knowledge without making a clinical diagnosis which helped me to understand what was happening for me and what I could do for myself and in this community to build a better life.

The Starfish Foundation along with Healing Warrior Hearts is amazing! I can't say enough good things about this program. This isn't something offered anywhere else the VA doesn't do what these people(all volunteers) do. Pat along with her staff took us on a journey to healing our relationships and ourselves. I was able to talk about PTSD and what it has done for the first time since getting out of the military, I was able to communicate with my spouse on a level neither of us has ever explored until now.

I feel that the word needs to get to veterans and trauma survivors more so this group can help as many as possible, it's still a secret so I tell everyone who will listen about my experience. Im not a big hugger, the instructions you get may seem a little cheesy but have faith everything they ask of you has a reason. sign up NOW!!

I help out as a civilian on the Healing Warrior Hearts weekend and on social media. They do amazing work to help our warriors with invisible wounds. I've seen beauty and healing; blossom and thrive from the work that these volunteers do. No veteran will be forgotten and all are welcomed home. This is a safe place to regain the pieces that you thought were gone forever.

Allows veterans with different issues/problems to get together with other vets, when it would otherwise be too difficult or unsafe. It's always been a wonderful experience even though every event is always "different". Honestly these events allow us to blow off some steam, the right way.

I have no words to apreciate Healing Warrios Hearts Program, for so many years I was faiting my self with my pass and was no able to comunicate to my wife abd my family , but after the retreat was a life change.

After coming home from Iraq, I wasn't the same. I realized I had a n issue in 2008. I entered various VA Programs; but, never seemed to feel better.

I lost my 1st Service Dog in 2013 and spiraled. This sent me into numerous Residential Programs. Around 2015, I went through the Healing Warrior Hearts Program as a Participant.

The VA works with Emtional and Spiritual Issues; however, they DO NOT work with the moral injury of war. I got more out of this weekend in one weekend than all the time spent in the VA.

I received a 2d Service Dog which changed my life. I Staffed the Healing Warrior Hearts Program after my first as a Participant. Then, continued to go as a Participant and Staff.

This is the best Veteran's Program I've ever been to as it works with the Emotional, Spiritual and Moral Injury of war. In addition, it has a Native American twist when dealing with releasing energy.

WOW! What an exceptional program. Healing Warrior Hearts provided me with an opportunity to bond with other veteran woman and do much-needed work to clear what had been holding me back for more than 20+ years. I am grateful for the experience, and the tools provided to sustain the work accomplished.
thank you thank you thank you!

My name is Mojisola Edu and I am a female disabled Army veteran. I suffer from PTSD via MST. I entered the Healing Warrior Heart's headed by Patricia and her staff. I didn't know what to expect but, my mind is completely blown away by the care and service they provided me. They catered to me and the other female veterans. I suffer from anger issues and depression and they helped me to change my thoughts. I was able to overcome some issues I had been dealing with. I was also able to get better sleep than I ever had before. I am grateful to Patricia and her staff. I would recommend this program to anyone. All veterans should experience this program. Sincerly, Mojisola Edu Happy Army Veteran

I am an Iraq war veteran. Patricia Clason and Chris helped me overcome many of my traumas with their unique approach. It works and I can't think of a single thing that is wrong with the program.

As a board and fundraising committee member, my greatest reward is seeing our efforts come to fruition in the classes and workshops that the Starfish Foundation helps to support.
I see how each member of the board and fundraising committee is dedicated and willing to step forward and work together for a great cause. We all volunteer, on some or many level/s, at The Center for Creative Learning.
The Starfish Foundation has a great working team that wants to reach as many people as possible and truly help trauma survivors.
I am proud to be a part of an awesome team that has a passion for serving our community and the every person The Center for Creative Learning has touched.
I look forward to continued success and being a part of helping other trauma survivors find their joy and relief in emotional healing as well as being a board and fundraising committee member!

I have nothing but amazing things to say about the Starfish Foundation and the opportunities that come with it! I immediately felt stronger and at peace with myself after walking out of the Taking It Lightly program. This weekend was exactly what I needed to get out of my comfort zone (in a safe, judgement-free environment) and make peace with the different areas I was struggling in. It's changed my life and it can absolutely change yours if you let it!

With the help of the starfish foundation, I have been given the opportunity to heal parts of me I had forgotten about. I was able to gain a greater perspective and add that value to my children. I am thankful for the opportunity I was given.

Healing Warrior Hearts has forever changed my outlook and calmed me in a good way. From the weekend retreat I participated in I keep finding myself with new insights and a new found energy. Yes it takes a lot to drag around the pain from day to day, from year to year.

Healing Warrior Hearts truly gave great gifts freely, unconditionally and from their hearts.

If you are a fellow Veteran looking to heal from invisible wounds of your military service, I highly encourage you to sign up for one of their weekend retreats. You will not be disappointed!

Again thank you Healing Warrior Hearts for taking the time to care for us. I deeply appreciate the healing space among fellow Veterans and staff that support us.

Like the song Home says... Settle down, it'll all be clear, Don't pay no mind to the demons, They fill you with fear, The trouble it might drag you down, If you get lost, you can always be found, Just know you're not alone, 'Cause I'm going to make this place your home.

God bless you Healing Warrior Hearts!

My life was changed at my first weekend, despite my bad attitude! It continues to improve every time I interact with people from this great organization- as a volunteer, a staffer, or participant. Patricia has incredible insight and doesn't let you hide behind protective walls we've built our whole lives. Thank YOU HWH!!!

As a mental health professional with almost 30 years experience treating trauma and emotional pain, I can say with absolute certainty that this program and organization are top of the line. I've been involved with the work of the Starfish Foundation and the Center for Creative Learning for almost my entire career. There is an incredibly high level of integrity and ethical responsibility in every program and that has been there from the start. Hundreds of people have benefited, and hopefully hundreds more will continue to benefit from the gifts of the Starfish Foundation.

When all else fails in life to provide answers and heal wounds from whatever story one carries with through life- the mission and healing this organization lives by along with its dedicated volunteer staff - delivers real answers, real healing that leaves everyone wishing everyone could experience a healing weekend! I always tell people if everyone went through a weekend there would be World Peace finally!!

I was referred to the Healing Warrior Hearts Retreat from a friend with whom I served in combat with in Iraq. She explained that this program helped her with her PTSD more than another she had attended. With that recommendation, I flew from California at my expense to attend my first retreat in Katy, TX in July of 2017. I had been struggling with my PTSD and "moral Injury" issues for over ten years. It was here I met Patricia Classon and her group of voulneer staff as well as Sam Luna with Texas for Heroes. This program, lead by Patricia was life changing for me. I was heard, valued, repected for who I was, what I experienced and how I felt, period. I felt a burden lefted , a transformation of my heart. I have since become a volunteer staff and have attended two retreats in TX working with Patricia. Additionally, I recently attended my first HWH's retreat in Milwaukee, as a student, once again. I made the right decision to attend as a student, vice staff. The direct support I received from Patricia and the staff was again, life changing. With Patricia's guidance I was able to purge my mind and heart of hurt and deep pain. I have witnessed her amazing ability to connect with compassion, empathy and a deep understanding of the human condition. I cannot say enought about the Starfisht Foundation. Everyone is treated with respect and dignity, always. The integrity of Patricia and all involved in the foundation is above reproach.

This is one of the best and most exciting healing modalities for Veterans in existence. I got to personally witness the January 2018 Healing Warrior Hearts weekend and was blown away. My only prayer is that 1,000s of Veterans from across the country might someday be able to experience something this profound and transformative.

I can't say enough about the The Starfish Foundation, the programs it supports, and Patricia Clason.

The programs are truly life changing programs that heal the heart, transform an individual, and make the whole community a better place.

I attended a Taking it Lightly class this year and I found it to be a tremendously helpful experience. The staff from top to bottom is wonderful to work with and I walked away from the weekend with a whole new understanding of myself

Starfish Foundation, Inc. absolutely qualifies as great: an incredible resource for anyone who is suffering. I have such appreciation for Patricia Clason and the many volunteers at Starfish Foundation and the Center for Creative Learning. Patricia has devoted her life to understanding, modeling, and teaching emotional intelligence, particularly helping veterans and others heal from trauma. She also has helped to grow servant leaders who help others. I was blessed years ago to experience and then staff the Taking It Lightly course. A self-help junkie having survived a period of severe depression in my late teens and early 20s, I was in my 30s, seeking continual improvement and growth, rising up one step at a time. The Taking It Lightly weekend was like an express elevator shooting 20 flights up in personal growth. Particularly for veterans who are struggling, the nonprofit Starfish Foundation Inc. provides full scholarships to the Healing Warrior Hearts weekend retreat.

Thank you, dear Patricia, for your beautiful heart and all your good work over the years. You are a blessing to so many.

For those who are suffering -- know that there is hope! You deserve this course!

I was referred to the Starfish Foundation and the Taking It Lightly program 10 years ago, in 2008. I was having trouble concentrating, and was in the midst of a deep dive into the emotional abuse of my childhood and confronting it as an adult so I could move on with my life and with greater joy. This foundation and weekend programs provided me with a community of peers that I could trust. I received education, support, hope and action steps for embracing wellness into my life and appreciating my journey, even if turbulent, rocky and unpleasant. Having this community of people, that have also experienced and thrived from lived experience, has been a beautiful gift to me that I volunteer and give back whenever I can. Now I am a greater distance away and searching for a community like this where I currently live, and there is nothing like it. I volunteer and stay involved whenever I can because the Starfish Foundation helps me feel understood, supported and encouraged to step forward with courage into new unknown terrain in my life. Thank you.

I am 61 years old on social security for disabled. I need help for auto repairs or a car for errands doctor appointments. I suffer from type 1 diabetes for 41 years and bipolar diseases. The stress is making it hard to manage both. Please help.

I thought I was okay with my past but this program helped me to see it, face it, and cure it. It's better than any professional help.

Throughout 19 years of my association with the Center for Creative Learning and programs such as Healing Warrior Hearts, I am consistently amazed at the quality of the emotional intelligence work that they do there.

I have not only taken courses at the Center for Creative Learning, I have referred numerous individuals to their programs. I have seen first hand the efficacy the emotional growth participants in the Healing Warrior Hearts program have accomplished. Healing Warrior Hearts is making the difference in the veteran community. As the sibling and granddaughter of veterans I could not be more grateful for the work they do.

I was living with shame, guilt and self-hatred, and I was stressing out everyone who lived with me. Since taking the "Taking It Lightly" course at the Center for Creative Learning, I have learned to be compassionate toward myself, which enables me to be kinder to everyone. Now I staff the "Taking It Lightly" course at least once a year. When the Starfish Foundation helps one person, like me, to heal, the healing actually makes the world a safer place for everyone that person encounters.

I am a volunteer and I have never seen such a beautiful foundation to be a part of! I volunteer for healing warrior hearts. I got involved when my mom (a marines vet) and my dad( a navy vet) both volunteered to find themselves after some terrible events that occurred in their lives. I must say they are completely different people now, and we all volunteer! Not to mention my grand parents also attended the couples weekend and they loved it too! Multiple lives changed, and multiple friends gained!

I first learned about The Starfish Foundation through my Wife. She and I were both active duty military and both suffer from PTSD. My wife was a participant in a Healing Warrior hearts weekend and came back a changed woman. I reluctantly agreed to attend a couples weekend and I too have been able to process events that have haunted me for 20 plus years. We now both staff the organization and share the gift we were given to others.

Healing Warrior Hearts was introduced to my mother first. After her first weekend as a participant she became a volunteer soon after. That's when my sister and I were referred. I have been both a volunteer and client served at Healing Warrior Hearts. I first went through a civilian weekend back in December of 2015 for survivors of sexual assault. I had never experienced a group setting like this, with a sole intent of support & education. I was timid for the most part of the civilian weekend until I realized even my fellow participants were being as supportive as the staff. The weekend did so much good for me, I needed to come back to return the favor for upcoming participants.

Over the weekend events I have seen transformations which can only be described as miraculous. Patricia, and the other instructors are able to help participants address an array of battles; including toxic relationships, self defeating patterns, events that could be described as the worst day of their life, and many others. Their approach and tools are often used by other organizations, but the difference is their ability to intuitively understand how to apply the tool to help the participant heal. I would hope that anyone searching for answers would spend a weekend here in the Starfish community.

There is something incredibly magical about the Starfish Foundation. I attended my first Healing Warrior Hearts retreat (sponsored by the Starfish Foundation) in September of 2014, as a U.S. Air Force Veteran with military sexual trauma and a service-connected disability for trauma and anxiety. Before I attended this retreat, I walked through life with huge walls around myself, afraid that I would be hurt again. Since attending that first retreat, I've attended several retreats through the Center for Creative Learning, both as a participant and as a volunteer staff member. The Starfish Foundation provided a full scholarship for that first retreat and authorized my request for partial scholarships for two civilian retreats. I drive 700 miles round-trip on my own dime in order to stay connected to the programs which are supported by the Starfish Foundation because I believe in the work that we do on these retreats. We provide a safe space for emotional healing. We help people learn how to love and to be loved. We save lives, one beautiful starfish at a time.

I came to the center in 2005 broken emotionally, I have taken several courses with the Center of Creative Learning and have grown after over 40+ years of trauma. They gave and continue to give me a place where I feel safe and accepted without judgement or criticism. I am now free to be me and be the master of my emotions and not live in the fear of trauma! The Center for Creative Learning saved my life, and saved my family!

I did Taking it Lightly through Starfish. It was a fantastic growth experience! I was able to work through an incident that happened as a child and it released some energy that was influencing all the years after. I am VERY grateful for finding The Center for Creative Learning. The experience has opened me up to allowing my feelings to be expressed in a safe way. And I am able to help others through their blocked feelings. I am always willing to help out at the Center so others can get the experience that they have given me.

The Starfish Foundation provides healing for individuals and military personnel. I have taken a course offered and it provided a tremendous benefit to me emotionally and was one of the greatest activities I have been involved. No cliche here, it change my life.

It has been an honor to volunteer for the Healing Warrior Hearts program. The program, developed and run by Patricia Clason, is so well organized and effective in transforming the wounded spirit. To see the transformation the veterans go through from the start of the retreat to the end is phenomenally rewarding. Walking in, their spirits are low and their hearts are guarded. By the end of the weekend, they have bright eyes and smiles and their joy is palpable. It's been such a rewarding experience for me to give back in this way to those who have sacrificed so much to serve this great country of ours.

I met Patricia Clason in October 2015 after being referred by my therapist to Taking It Lightly, with the hope that I would begin my journey of finding peace after being a victim of repeated childhood abuses. I was extremely nervous to attend the retreat; however, it wasn’t long before it became clear how much Patricia and her staff sincerely cared about the participants and the process. They provided a safe, confidential environment for me and the others to share our stories. I quickly felt immersed in a powerful energy of love, understanding, and patience. I left that weekend with courage and hope that the grief and shame that plagued my life could fade, and that healing was possible. Patricia is an amazing person who truly makes a difference in our community every day. The Starfish Foundation has helped hundreds of individuals, including veterans, through the Healing Warrior Hearts program, find hope, joy, and peace. Healing is a process, and now I truly believe I am worthy of the effort. As a result of my experience, I am honored to staff weekend retreats in order that I might help others find healing and hope too! Kudos and love to Patricia and the many volunteers who work tirelessly to make these retreats, and healing, possible!

I have had the honor of being a volunteer for Healing Warrior Hearts and a witness to the program, designed specifically for veterans and the issues that they face. I have seen many veterans wholeheartedly speak of the quality of this program & I have seen it for myself. I am touched beyond words to have played my small part in what takes place to serve those who have Served.

A friend introduced me to this incredible organization nearly a year ago and I am forever indebted to her and the organization! Patricia and other staff members helped me understand the depression and PTSD of the military sexual trauma I'd experienced and started the healing process I desperately needed.
To continue my healing and help others do the same, I have volunteered for many of the program's supported by Patricia and the Starfish Foundation and find them to have impeccable integrity, compassion and a true gift for helping people deal with the toughest of situations with excellence and elegance!
Because of my involvement with this organization, I am finding new joy every day and the courage to live life fully!

The Starfish Foundation, and the programs it sponsors, are Lifesavers. I was suffering from trauma that I didn't realize I had, but that was impacting my life very negatively. The taking it lightly weekend opened my eyes and heart to what life could be like. That was 15 years ago. I have since been happily married for 14 years, finished graduate school and have a professional job, and I couldn't of done it without the work and the volunteers in this program. I highly recommend it.

This charity raises funds primarily touting their work with veterans, yet uses the bulk of their funding for scholarships at for-profit retreats that pay their founder and owner. She then uses the participants as volunteers for future retreats. While I do think both of these retreats have been and are helpful to many, I do find this business practice disturbing. They do not currently have a professional therapist on staff who is guiding these experience. While Patricia has many years doing these seminars, she is not licensed nor has any formal education for this work. Another participant ended up stalking me, and she did not assist me in getting him to stop, and in fact invited him to participate in another retreat where there were at-risk participants who were not warned. NOT okay.

Best thing I've done for my marriage and self. The ALL VOLUNTEER Staff is coming to us from a place of Love and acceptance! Long time trauma Survivors who have found a way to get up and thrive! I'm so grateful for each of them. I have seen my Daughter go through Healing Warrior Hearts and succeed. As well as my granddaughter's who did Taking It Lightly~Renewal. I am looking forward to Staffing in the future and watching many more lives be set free! I would encourage anyone who has healing to do, do the work that is necessary to find joy again!

I was a reluctant participant in a couple's weekend in Katy,Texas. My wife was already a graduate of a Military sexual assault (MST) Weekend and was volunteering as staff for subsequent weekends. We had both been struggling with PTSD as a result of her rape in the Marine Corps. During the course of the weekend I was able to feel and fully process the events that had affecting my life for 20 + years. A GIANT wt. was lifted and I felt closer to the person I used to be. I have since staffed myself to help others as I was so profoundly helped.

I am a Veteran and a mental health service provider who became acquainted with this organization through professional avenues. I went into it with the intention of staffing a weekend. Within the first few hours with the participants, I realized I was similar to them and had a need for further healing. I decided to participate that weekend instead of staffing. The weekend retreat was an incredible emotional release of pain that has been building up over the decades. I learned more about myself in one weekend then I have in months of counseling. Besides the emotional healing, I was connected to an incredible support system and a fantastic mentor. In fact, it has been two years since my retreat weekend and I continue to stay involved in Healing Warrior Hearts through volunteering at events and staffing other weekend retreats. I am about to complete my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology with several years of experience with trauma treatment. This organization's work is comparable to anything I have seen!!

I was introduced to the Starfish foundation after volunteering for Healing Warrior Hearts in 2015. I was at a turbulent point in my life, and all of the amazing volunteers and programs the foundation offers have been life-changing. There is a sense of not just community, but family. I was able to participate in Renewal- A weekend of healing for sexual trauma victims. The Starfish foundation paid for the course, since I am not in a good financial situation. Thanks to the help of the Starfish foundation and the Center for Creative Learning, I feel more "me" than I even knew was possible. I have been given a new sense of hope and fallen madly in love with life, and learned to love myself. Lives are forever changed thanks to the foundation.

I went into this weekend with the mind set of it being a last ditch effort at finding something, anything that would help us. My husband was so far beyond skeptical i'm surprised he went. He was convinced it would be "lovey dovey hippy ish". But because we really want to make our marriage work, we decided to give it a go. I won't lie, i felt awkward & out of place at first, as did my husband. I wouldn't give anyone more than a hand shake. I did go into it with an open mind though, and was willing to go outside of my comfort zone & try things that have seemed to have helped so many people in the past. I did & said things i wouldn't have ever done or said. As did my husband. We left the weekend with a new love for each other. A more open mind, a fuller heart & hugging everyone!! It was truly amazing!

Also, we had to bring out four children to the hotel with us. I had a friend that came down to provide child care, but that didn't end up working out. The staff members saw the stress we had because of how uncomfortable we felt leaving out children with the childcare we had set up. They went out of their way to watch all FOUR of our children for us for the entire weekend. Our children were in great hands. They thoroughly enjoyed their weekend as much as we did. They formed bonds just like we did. We have since received a gift from two of the people who watched them. Which truly meant so much to me. It was a small meaningful thing that reminded them of our children. They also included our children in our graduation ceremony, which was amazing.

The people we met there were some of the sweetest, kindest, most supportive & most loving people i've ever met. To be surrounded by people that truly care about you, for not other reason than because they want to help you; that's a feeling unlike any other feeling in the world

I truly can not wait to attend another weekend. My husband will be attending one in just a few months & i am jealous. I also can't wait until we can staff a weekend & be the love & support for other couples like us.

Please give these weekends a try. Go in with an open mind. You will truly be amazed by how it will effect you, for the better.

I cried for the first time since the war. I learned many new techniques on how to handle my PTSD and TBI. I learned new language to help me understand me and the new world I came back to. I am still involved now as both a participant and now have staffed to help my fellow veterans and it feels great.I view my life differently and desperately need this organization to stick around and help me become a better me as I participate and peel more layers of my onion off.

We were at the end of our marriage with no hope in sight. The couples weekend changed our lives as well as our marriage. Where there was no hope we now see hope. I could t recommend this event enough. I've told every military couple I know what a wonderful and heart opening experience we had. I am forever grateful for what they did for us.

Healing Warrior Hearts was the best program i have been to since I got back from Iraq I hope the work continues to heal our veterans. Thanks SSG FLOYD PETERS US A Ret

Skeptical would be an upgrade to how I felt about another resource that was supposed to help me deal with the hurt and anger related to the sexual trauma I experienced in the military but Thank God I trusted my friend Kim's recommendation! Having just a glimpse of how it changed her more than decades of previous resources had, I decided to give it a chance. The Healing Warrior Hearts retreat was expertly organized and staffed by the kindest, most professional people! Patricia and the other instructors along with the volunteer staff were incredibly attentive and insightful into what my issue was and how to help me release it! The intro to neuroscience helped me understand that I've basically been "checked out" for nearly 15 years, that I've been blaming myself and living with shame. Now, I'm learning to recognize the dysfunction and depression that have been holding me back and find new ways of responding to all of that so I can enjoy life and my family while helping others do the same. Forever grateful, Dianne

HOPE~ Life provides many stepping stones for our hearts to heal in creating the path of the journey to recovery we all may take. Every now and then, you have the opportunity to cross a bridge. I attended Healing Warrior Hearts/MST Weekend Sep 11-13, 2015. For the first time I was able to learn how to not simply cross a bridge, but to build it, strengthen it, and trust in the positive energy and support of the participants and staff who built it with me -- knowing I will never again need to feel alone on my journey. Thank you for welcoming me home, allowing my warrior heart to know healing, leaving me with more than possibilities, yet with an everlasting HOPE~

ANYONE WHOSE HEART IS BROKEN DUE TO ANY WAR A MUST TO EXPERIENCE YOU WONT REGRET IT

This organization changed my life and the trajectory of my legacy. The burdens I was carrying from trauma I had experienced was spilling over onto my family. While volunteering for this organization I have learned how to open my heart and experience love again. I thank you, my wife thanks you, and my children thank you. Kelly

awesome group, everyone should do it..five stars. two thumbs up. I a veteran I attended in July and walked away feeling brand new. A renewed spirit, a new outlook in life, with high positive emotion. I had a small "brush Plane' accident the following sunday in the mountain of Idaho, however I was able to walk away feeling untouchable and this i contribute to the group spirit.

I challenge every vet that suffers from PTSD, depression, anxiety, or MST to attend one of there programs. I flew out from California to Wisconsin and I tell you it was worth it. You owe it to yourself and your family to get the help you deserve. I promise you won't regret it!

The Starfish Foundation has been a great positive influence on my life for more than 20 years. Its Bamboo Bridge program saved my life in 1993. I support the foundation and its programs like Healing Warrior Hearts with my money and volunteer efforts. I highly recommend others to do the same.

Paul Terheide
Veteran/Volunteer

A wonderful organization! Something that every veteran affected by PTSD should experience.

I have volunteered for this organizations work with veterans several times. The difference between the person who arrives and the person who leaves must be seen to be believed. This work is crucial to our veterans who have suffered much and been given little.

Patricia Clason and company are outdoing themselves once again with their Healing Warrior Hearts program ! They are doing things for vets that allow the vets to come all the way home and reintegrate in new and healthy ways. Please support them again this year as their mission is bold and powerful!

What"" A real Good Time we Had There God really Blessed us All with His Presents and All the healing God is so Good Ive Learned How To really Thank for For What I have becouse He Is Great In Every Way. And Thank Texas For Heroes For all They have done for me Be Blessed Always.

If it has not been for the Starfish Foundation I would not have been able to attend in Taking It Lightly as well as Taking It Lightly Renewal. This has changed my life and made me realize so much old habits. I got a new attitude and it's shinning bright. I got new habits and I make a difference because someone cared enough to put me back in the ocean. I may have experienced what I did, I am who I am, where I am today because of all of that. This doesn't define me anymore. Amen.

Until I made the decision to attend Taking It Lightly in November of 2013, I thought how I felt physically and emotionally was normal. I was skeptical of the program, and I didn't want to share myself emotionally with a group of strangers. I have attended many professional seminars where the mantra is "You get out of it what you put into it", not taking much away from the programs, so I didn't have high expectations of the TIL weekend. I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG! The Starfish Foundation's scholarship made it possible for me to attend the TIL weekend, and I have never experienced so much unconditional love and safety. I met many wonderful people that took the journey with me, and who continue to do so to this day. Since taking the weekend, I learned how much I do matter, and that my trust issues are not with others, but are with myself. I was so amazed at the weekend, I also volunteered to staff a weekend the following December. I couldn't wait to get back to new found environment of love, warmth, and safety. I have a long road ahead of me, and I look forward to future programs and staffing opportunities that will help me grow personally and professionally. I am blessed that someone thought enough of me to return me to the sea of love by introducing me to the Starfish Foundation and The Center for Creative Learning. THE ENTIRE STARFISH FAMILY IS AMAZING! With love and gratitude...Amber S.

TYRONE.
I'm honored to share my experience I had with the HEALING WARRIOR HEARTS organization. It also gives me great pleasure my feelings about the STAFF OF HEALING WARRIOR HEARTS. I attended the Wonderland Camp Retreat during September 19-22.2014. The entire weekend was awesome to me and for me. I never knew such a group existed; until a fellow veteran shared the benefits of attending a session with the HEALING WARRIOR HEARTS.
During my stay I was guided thru a series of steps that allowed me to get in touch with my mind, spirit, soul, and heart. I able to tell my story about my MST, PTSD, anger, anxiety, and grief that I had been carrying around on the inside of me for so long without any resolution. I was able to freely express myself without shame, embarrasement, or judgement. This really helped me to get some clarity, relief, joy, and peace.

The HEALING WARRIOR HEARTS STAFF was totally awesome! They were very supportive, courteous, caring, knowdledgeable, committed, and full of love and hugs from beginning to end. Thank You So Much HEALING WARRIOR HEARTS AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!









1

Me and my battle buddy attended the Healing Warrior Hearts retreat , September 5th-8th. We both are still in shock and awe of what we witnessed! The Cadre (staff) were most accommodating and attentive to our every need. We were made to feel "not alone." Our break through and healing started the instant we arrived! Our every concern, need, and reservation were acknowledged and resolved. I am so happy we attended, and recommend other Veterans partake too! We are looking forward to another weekend of healing as staff, in the near future. Thanks to the Starfish. Foundation for being a beacon on a dimly lit path!

Have been serving combat vets for many years and in many ways. I have witnessed life changing experiences during warrior heart retreats. Volunteering to spend time with the veterans staff and facilitators is a energy and spirit lifting journey! Joining us for a weekend, as a participant or staff will change you too.

I attended the Healing Warrior Hearts retreat September 5-8, 2014, and was truly over whelmed by the support this program offer veterans through healing and encouragement from trauma during their military service. It was a time to hear other veterans first hand, tell their story and have someone listen and believe their story without judgement. At first glance, I was ready to run but realized I had no place to run to only to find a great support group who really cared and truly love what the Starfish Foundation provides. I will return there in March 2015 to volunteer and lend whatever support I can. Praying that we can start a satellite program here in the Detroit area. The staff is the greatess!!!!!!!!!!

I attended the Healing Warrior Hearts MST weekend as a Volunteer to assist veterans in dealing with military sexual trauma. I am a Master Level Social Worker and a military wife/mother and have been working several years on my own healing. This weekend was AMAZING. Participants walked into the weekend with sad and broken spirits. They left revived and with great thankfulness. This was my first experience with this organization and I was truly impressed. I appreciated the dedication of the staff and the expertise of the instructors. Everything was explained forthright so the participants knew what was happening next. The staff worked tirelessly supporting the group and the instructors kept the volunteers well informed. It was incredible to watch the loving care and respect that was given to our hurting military men and women. I highly recommend this organization to anyone who is looking for personal growth and healing. As a volunteer, I was renewed by the end of the weekend, learned so much about the helping profession, and rejoiced with the many people who were uplifted! Thank you Patricia and staff for allowing me to participate in this incredible weekend.

My journey out of darkness started With Hdealing Warriors Hearts, Little did I know the outcome would be immediate, the ability to smile and know joy again are overwhelming. I would highly recommend this program to all veterans. This program has driven me to be a volunteer and help others. The people that I met we're
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. More so Unforgettable! Impact was key to my healing process. The instructors were
Powerful with there message. At the end, I saw the light and felt happiness and joy. Thank you all for giving that back to me .

Thank you,
Smiles :)

I have driven to Milwaukee from Indianapolis several times to participate in Taking It Lightly and Walking in the Light weekends, and my life has been enriched a great deal each time. Patricia is extraordinarily loving and talented guide who helps participants find and break through the blocks in our lives. I am so grateful to her.

In the Healing Warrior Hearts program, Veterans are offered the opportunity to heal military-related wounds of the heart, mind and soul. There is not one veteran who serves our country and comes back unchanged, unsoiled, unaffected by all they see and do. Sadly there arent many resources for our vets to have such closure and an opportunity to begin and/or take another step toward integrating in society, their families, and the workforce. I'm very excited that Healing Warrior Hearts is available, free of charge, to aid our proud service men and women in gathering the pieces of the "self" and becoming whole once again.
As a volunteer staff person for Healing Warrior Hearts, I am honored beyond words to be able to give back, just a little, to those who have fought and ensured our freedom. The amount of healing I've witnessed in this program is wonderfully overwhelming.... like that feeling a person may get when the room is filled with love, gratitude, joy and celebration!

I began my journey to emotional freedom from the stress and baggage that i carry for combat and my military service by attending Healing Warrior Hearts retreat. The program was such a success in the changes that it made in me that I could tell and others that I had interacted with could also, some people say;" Wow this is amazing you are a changed Man". From this I have chosen and decided that Healing Warrior Hearts is to much for me to not share that I share it with all veterans combat and not. I have continued to support and participate in many weekends to support fellow veterans as they progress through their own quest/ journey, by volunteering to staff weekends and spread the word. This program has helped me to overcome so much and along that to see others also overcome many challenges that we believed were going to be impossible to get past with out the power, caring, professionalism, and excellence of all that I have met since this transformation.

I had done Taking It Lightly in 2000 and felt a true connection to my new "family." I've staffed many weekends so that I continue to grow and reinforce what I learned. My dedication to make the world a safer place inspired me to join The Starfish Foundation Board. By sitting on the Board, I know I make a difference to those who want to experience all the wonderful things the world has to hold. My commitment to my ALIVENESS and that of others shines through in my strengths that I give by being a board member. More individuals should consider it!

Donna Barber
Treasurer

I attended Taking It Lightly in 2010 and it totally changed the course of my life. It was like I was walking through life with dark glasses almost blind and after the course I had clear vision. After volunteering for a few Taking it Lightly courses I was asked by a fellow Veteran to assist with Healing Warrior Hearts and low and behold at the 11th hour I ended up being a participant in June 2014, not realizing healing is a continual process. WOW, I was even more in awe of this program. I was treated like a Princess and pampered in every way. I have never in my life felt this type of support and comraderie. Anyone who is a soldier knows it's deeper than any sorority or fraternity. It doesn't matter what ERA you served, there is a strong connection. The healing I recieved was PRICELESS. I believe that is why it's FREE, there is not a price you can put on this work. Long story short, I was so in awe of this work and felt it was what I was called to do. I have recently been elected to the Starfish Foundation's Board and was honored to assist in the very first MST(Military Sexual Trauma) Healing Weekend. Many Veterans have said they have had many programs and this weekend of healing surpasses every one of them. It's not just a relief it is truly a release! This healing is on a cellular level and heals for many generations to come. Thanks, Natalie Hayes

I attended my first "Taking It Lightly" weekend in January of 2012. It was an incredible, powerful weekend filled with love and compassion. Because of that weekend, I now live my life more alive and aware of my own feelings and I have more compassion for others. I have been volunteering by staffing weekends and participating in fund raising events because this work is so important to keep going and healing peoples hearts!

I first attended "Taking It Lightly" 22 years ago. The program was a life changer for me. I was divorcing at the time and felt lost, alone and my world was up side down. I got so much from the program that I wanted to give back my time because there were many volunteer staff there for me. I have been a part of over 50 weekends because volunteering helps me grow emotionally as much as being supportive of the new attendees. I felt safe to tell my story and I was accepted. I learned that I can safely express my emotions and voice my needs. I learned to find safe people.

I was originaly a "client" in 2010. The Starfishfoundation helped me grow tremedously as a person. I've come back, to give back myself on several occasions.

I attended a Taking it Lightly retreat earlier this year with a Starfish Foundation scholarship. I was a single mother of two n between jobs at that time. I had just experienced a trauma that broke my heart and soul. I believe I may have died inside if not for the support and strength I received in that retreat. I came back to the feelings and lessons from the retreat as I went through PTSD therapy. I encourage anyone who needs their heart and soul healed to consider attending Taking it Lightly or one of the veteran programs. The starfish has become my new symbol of strength.

This organization was great it provided me the opportunity to be a participant in Healing Warrior Hearts. the experience is one that I will not forget I feel so much better and able to really start to enjoy life more than before. I wish more veterans can experience this great organization I also look forward to helping them in the future and volunteering to help other veterans find closure and their way home.

Although I have professional expertise in the field, I attended the seminar, funded by The Starfish Foundation, as a participant. I had stepped away from my more stressful (however higher paying careers) to focus on my healing. Thanks to the Starfish Foundation, i was able to really get a great foundation for myself to really begin healing as there just isn't enough time (during the 45 minute) thereapy sessions for me to get anywhere. Thank you!!!!!

Thank you! is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the Center. I was desperate to find something that could help me in my healing process. I found the Center unlikely enough during a web search as I researched a new pediatrician (and past graduate) for my son. In Taking it Lightly, I found the space to safely express and recognize what was going on inside. It also opened my mind to new possibilities and a new community of folks who strive for similar safe spaces. No matter what life's challenges are...the road leads me back to the Center, either as a volunteer or donor & its programming options allow folks to grow no matter where we are in our journey.

This is a group of wonderfully kind and caring people. Because of the Starfish Foundation, I was able to get some much needed emotional healing through the Center of Creative Learning. I look forward to volunteering with them in the future so I can return the favor of the scholarship I received and also help others on their path to healing.

I remember it was my birthday and my friend highly recommended Taking It Lightly and the Starfish Foundation Inc. She sponsored me and encouraged me to apply for a scholarship so I could participate in Taking It Lightly course. So, I was happy to receive this special birthday gift. Because of the trauma I experienced in my life I was angry at my abusers. Taking It Lightly gave me the opportunity to voice my rage in a safe environment so that I could freely be myself. I received a lot of clarity during the group meditation afterwards. Going through this healing process allowed me to transform to my highest self and I had a vision of my future. I love the positive relationships between men and I have now. I feel like a whole and balanced woman.

I am a psychotherapist who got involved with the organization in 1988. I feel that if I don't do my own healing, I can not be an effective therapist. So, I started my healing participating in Taking It Lightly where I was encouraged to feel and safely release pent up emotions that had been hidden away for years. Since then I have become more and more of my authentic self. And a much better therapist because of it. I constantly refer clients to Taking It Lightly and the other programs. I also stay involved by instructing weekends, volunteering and supporting in any way I can.
If anyone wants a life changing experience and is willing to go to any lengths to achieve peace and love in your life, connect with this organization.

I found the Starfish Foundation after attending a Taking it Lightly weekend. I left that weekend feeling so free. I was able to release so much anger over situations that I had been holding on to since I was very young. The staff was so supportive and I finally felt safe to confront and release these feelings and emotions that I had buried so deeply inside of me. There was no judgement, only love- I can not thank the staff enough for their support during this release!

I was invited to Milwaukee to participate in the Healing Warrior Hearts Program put on by Patricia Clason and the Starfish Foundation and I was highly impressed. Not knowing exactly what to expect from the program, I was skeptical when I arrived. I was greeted with love and open arms and I spent the weekend completing my journey home as a Marine Corps Combat Veteran of the war in Iraq. They have wonderful pure hearts and are focused on their mission to help others. I love the entire staff there.

I first came upon this organization many years ago, when my life was in the lowest point and I help no help was available. They came into my life and offered me an opportunity to better myself and enjoy life. The Starfish Foundation showed me there was more to life than worry and pain. They have continued to support me as I have them. I continue to show my support by volunteering, being on the board and spreading the word...that there is someone out there that truely cares.

The Starfish Foundation is a truly wonderful organization that supports individuals to do emotional healing working which is very powerful and life changing. It changed my life for the better! Many other people have benefitted as well! Thank you Starfish Foundation for the work that you do!

I feel that this foundation has had its ups and downs but always thinks about serving those who need the help 1st and foremost and truly care. I have been to 3 of the events and all were very moving spiritual and down right great I left with a feeling of release and have found new friends who if I need them they are there for me.

The results from the weekend which the Starfish Foundation helped me get through are amazing. Everyone around can tell the complete 180 that my life has taken. Without the Starfish Foundation I would not be anywhere close to where I am today. I am truly blessed to have found them in my life to help me with issues that were causing life to be miserable.

This organization has provided me with the ability to love myself, be my self, and start to be proud of who I really am. I could never repay for the gifts have been given through the center. I have begun to trust, love my inner self and be a better person in the world. This organization has benefited me and the community in positive ways through allowing me to provide love rather than coping in negative ways.

I have seen the results of the work that the Starfish foundation does for others and I can honestly say that this organization changes the world. They make it possible for military veterans, sexual abuse survivors, and others who have faced trauma in their lives to begin their healing process. It is because of this organization that hearts are healing and the world is a safer place. Bless all of you!

at first i didn't think i deserved a spot but after all said and done it was a whole lot more n then some. i truely felt that i belonged there and it was meant to be. the men that were there also that weekend played a role in my life for some reasons yet to be discovered. life seems to be a big mystery and the people that cross our paths i believe that its for a reason. sometimes we see it and others we don't. those men and women really helped me take another hard look at who pat is and the man i am today, for that i am truly grateful. to other vets. give vjh a chance to work in your life. you never know how things are going to pan out. life has never went how i thought it would in my head. it wqas when i let other people in my life that my life had begun to get better. whats that tell you. thank you simper fi

I have resisted for a while to participate in this Journey Home Weekend. I served during the Persian Gulf War and did not realize how much I was hiding, repressing and denying from 23 years ago! It was a most powerful and enlightening weekend! I regret not having done it sooner. I will come back and staff and my goal is to bring this weekend to Dallas and have it 6 x a year. I would strongly recommend this weekend to anyone who has served, is serving and members of those women and men that have already sacrificed so much! Thank you to all the wonderful participants as we all had each other's backs and understood one another very well regardless of age difference. A huge blessing to the staff who held such a wonderful sacred space for all the particpants and made it that extra special! Thank you for your giveaway and its now time for me to step up and share the gift with other Vets that I received!

I'm a peacetime vet and staffed a weekend recently. I saw a men and women treated with dignity, honor and respect the entire time. There was no politics or stance on war one way or another, it was simply a safe place where wounds could be looked at and healed. Often, it was the other participants who provided the authentic perspective so needed for another to heal their own injuries. I saw men release messages about themselves they've been carrying for 40 years. Messages about their own conduct or about "sitting it out" in some cushy assignment while others saw heat. I myself found some peace with my perspective on the military ceremony, saluting and the flag: whereas before it was just junk to me, it took on new meaning as a commonality between all veterans: wartime, peacetime, man, woman, officer, enlisted, survivor, wounded, killed. It felt good to have new messages inserted where there used to be only confusion and pain.

I am a wife of a veteran that went through the program 3 years ago. I cannot say enough about this wonderful organization and the many volunteers that offer so much of their time and unconditional love to veterans. After the vets goes through this weekend experience, they have a graduation ceremony for them where family and friends are invited to come. I walked into the room prior to the ceremony and chills came over me and tears immediately came rolling down my cheek. I was filled with a wave of emotion just by entering the room as I knew something had changed. There were many times before this weekend I considered taking our children and leaving as we didn't know the husband and dad we were living with anymore. We just as everyone else had expected him to come back just the same man as when he left for Iraq. This was definitely not the case. War changes a person no matter what their role; combat or not. It was such a struggle watching this beautiful soul who is my husband turn into such a different person. I didn't know who he was anymore and struggled as I didn't want to leave and take the father away from our children even though we didn't know this person anymore. He tried to burry himself in work, college, and a huge overhaul of our home (all at the same time) to keep his mind occupied. I adapted and tried to make things as normal as I could for our family. We started seeing behaviors modeled by our children that we were seeing in him and knew something had to change. I often remember thinking..."what am I doing wrong?" He was involved with the VA and were starting to see some results from his counseling there, however there was something missing. He was realizing the same things. He discovered VJH and noticed there was a weekend coming near and it was held in the Northern Wisconsin Woods, a perfect setting for him. I am eternally grateful for the staff and instructors that weekend that gave him their expertise, support, and unconditional love. It was just the emotional healing that he needed! This gave him the tools he needed to deal with his PTSD as well as the tools he needed to be the husband and dad we knew he was. I am glad to report today that our marriage is saved, he is more of a dad than I could have ever asked for, and an amazing person to be able to share my life's journey with. Please encourage anyone you love to find the nearest program weather they are an OIF/OEF vets, Saudi, Vietnam, Korea, any vet needs to find this program. I have since had the privilege give back to staff one of these weekends, there were veterans that attended from Vietnam that were STILL holding on to guilt or shame from their tour and were able to release that. It was so amazing to me to see the look on a veteran participants face on Friday when they arrived and compare it to Sunday at the graduation ceremony...in many cases you wonder if you are looking at the same person. Incredible and by far one of the best experiences of my life to be privileged to be a part of. I am happy not only to be there to help the veteran but also to represent and help the families of these veterans that are suffering and most likely suffering silently as we were.

VJH, Vet's Journey Home, helped me to start the healing. It opened my mind to new and exciting ventures. I feel as though I have direction in my life, that there is a purpose for me, and that I am proud of who I have become and the accomplishments I've made. I had to overcome many barriers and am still wrestling with I few. I feel that VJH gave me the tools and inspiration to overcome these challenges. I didn't realize I had so many mixed feelings bottled up within me for so many years until experiencing VJH. It helped me to release the anger, guilt, and shame I had carried with me for so many years. After that I felt this huge weight lifted from me and literally felt I could run a mile. I couldn't remember the last time I felt that good in my body, that much energy, and that much relief. Overall, the VJH experiece, had a very deep impact on my heart of hearts and a profound effect on my psche. I would definitely recommend this course to any vet still suffering from thier military experiences. Yours Truly, Daniel J. Morrison

I attended a Veterans Journey Home retreat as a participant in Houston, TX during the spring of 2008 and it was a very helpful experience. The staff was very experienced and knowledgable about the subject matter and made me feel extremely comfortable with sharing my Vietnam experience. The staff's technique and caring they utilized was different with each veteran because each veteran had a different experience. It was gentle and understanding and I feel this helped tremendously with the healing process. It has been two years for me now and I still fall back on some of the tools that I learned at that retreat to help me deal with issues. I'm not sure how it could be improved?

VETS JOURNEY HOME: As a Marine I went to Viet Nam in 1966-1967. I was attached to a unit that really got into the thick of America's experience with 'Nam. Things happened that I was sure I would never be able to "shake" on a mental and physical level. Being very much in-volved, my family just knew eventualy the 'Nam experiences would dull enough for us to live a normal life-but that wasn't the case for us. God allows each of us a time to heal from what-ever life has presented-for me, Vets Journey Home last Oct.'09, was my opportunity to under-stand myself. I came to know that what had happened to me was a severe case of guilt-survivor's guilt. But I was able to take it all, put it aside and know what I had carried for over 40 yrs. was a completed task-and God would say, "Well done-my faithful son." The load had been lifted and no longer would any one hold us accountable for what happened in VietNam. I can't tell you what a release that was-Vets Journey Home has changed my life. JAN.2010 - My beautiful wife and I attended as a couple the Vets Journey Home Couples Weekend & what a blessing this weekend afforded this marriage. The last 43 yrs.of PTSD and all the things I contributed to our marriage were finally gone-a fresh start & now a new rela-tionship with my "bride" makes life so new, so blessed. Our 40 yr-old son, 38 yr-old daughter & 30 yr-old second daughter have noticed a dif-ference in Mom & Dad's marriage. THANKS TO ALL who are involved in the network of Vets Journey Home. The "process" of going thru the different exercises is rough-but "nothing ventured, nothing gained". With regards to the instructors: words CANNOT describe our gratitude! The rewards are breath taking!!! I really thought my life was over-BUT NOW my life has just begun!! What an adven-ture is ahead - WOW!!!! SANDY & DEAN FULKERSON HOUSTON, TEXAS

Vets Journey Home saved my life after a deployment to Iraq. I would rececommend to any veteran of any war wanting to get a piece of themselves back. I go back continually to let others know what it has done for me and continues to do for others by leaving nobody behind. Not all wounds are visible.

I was able to attend the Veterans Returning program with my husband. This was the first time wives were able to attend with their spouses. I was able to meet others with problems that sometimese seemed like I was alone trying to face. This program was fantastic! It helped my husband and myself face problems and really TALK and UNDERSTAND about the stresses and difficulties that were tearing our family apart. We were helped to open up and share what was hurting us. In that same process we were able to hear from others having similar problems and realize we are NOT alone. There is help for us. I hope this program will be avaliable for everyone to participate in. I can't say enough about what a help it is.

I am honored and humbled by being able to witness the veterans journey home. It brings tears to my eyes to think that these men and women put their lives and life on the line for me, my freedom and all of America. VJH is truly a safe place for every vet to come home. My husband, a VN vet, participated and afterwards his PTSD changed and life was much more pleasant.

I went to this weekend to serve our Veterans. What I got from the weekend was some deep emotional healing for myself around my experiences during the Vietnam War. As a civilian of "draft-able age", I saw many of my friends taken into war, and returned with deep emotional and physical wounds. This weekend gave me some closure around my experiences.

I enjoyed my time at Vet’s Journey Home both as a participant and staff. I’ve learned so much. The staff is great. They couldn’t get any better! If the word could get out to all vets, the hall would be full. It is GREAT. Last but not least. Thank you for taking some of the load off of my shoulders. I can’t thank you enough. It’s been 40 years. THANK YOU!

Working on Vets Journey Home through funding from Starfish Foundation has been an amazing experience --- helping and being with those who gave so much to my freedom is a joy! Thanks to Starfish Foundation for making it possible!

Every time I come home from a vets journey home I,m very excited to have been a volunteer for the weekend. During the weekend every hr of every day I can see the improvement in the particapents and when they tell their story and start their journey home I cant help but cry because I know that I helped bring another vet home and they so deserve it.

I have participated in the Vet's Journey Home weekends as an civilian assistant. The healing that happens during this weekend is stunning. It serves to bring the veterans' experiences into the community in a way that provides clearing and opening and understanding for all of us. I feel privileged every time I am able to offer my services to support this amazing work.

I am a 20 year retired vet. My experience with Vets Journey Home started with it's predacessor, Bamboo Bridge. I'm the guy always with his back to the wall, always vigilant, looking for the unexpected threat and a way out, or at least I used to be. Since attending that first weekend, and staffing many weekends since, my life is so much different. So much better. I can't say thank you enough.

I am female Army veteran and have staffed both Vets Journey Home and its predecessor, Bamboo Bridge. Every time I staff I come away with a profound respect and awe for what other veterans have endured in both their military and civilian lives. I have watched vets heal some of these wounds right during the weekend -- becoming lighter, happier, more at peace. As I continue to meet veterans and active military enduring the trauma of war, and of sexual harassment and assault, I am so thankful that I have this program that I can recommend to them to help in their healing.

My role was two-fold: I was on the staff as well as being there to observe and write about the Vets Journey Home. I have been to other retreats/weekends for veterans and families and this was unique in many ways. Because the group was so small -- 8 partipants and about a dozen staff members -- there was an intimacy that helped establish an atmostphere of safety and trust that is crucial if there is to be kind of opening up and healing over a short space of time. All the veterans were dealing with issues relating to trauma and therefore, so were their spouses. Patricia Clason is obviously highly skilled in her work, and it became apparent almost immediately, that the particpants were in good hands. She set the tone of safety and trust, of strong boundaries and structure from the beginning and was consistent throughout the weekend. For this community, who all struggle with trust and safety issues, this was crucial. Facilitator Judge Mattocks' skill, wisdom and compassion was evident throughout, as he helped the particpants through some difficult and painful process work. All the staff members showed a level of caring and compassion that was palpable, and the particpants seemed to feel it throughout the weekend. Because the process work is so intense and can be so depleting, it was very important that there be times of refueling and restoring. Mealtime was one of those times. The food was not only delicious but was prepared with love by staff volunteers. For the veterans who have experienced the ripple effects of trauma and a sense of being betrayed and not being cared about, this was important and meaningful. Mealtime provided an opportunity for laughter and letting down, for staff and participants to get to know and enjoy each other. The weather made it difficult to have time outdoors to walk, rest and restore. More time in the fresh air would have been good.

The Vet's Journey Home provides an opportunity for veterans to be welcomed home in a safe, trusting and nurturing environment. The staff of caring men and women is highly motivated and skilled to allow the participants to heal old wounds and traumas, tell their stories and feel like they are deeply connected to others who have endured similar circumstances. I have been deeply moved by the strength, honesty, courage and miraculous healing that this workshop evokes.

My first staffing of VJH took place when my son was in Iraq. I was not only able to give my time, talent, and hope to the vets, I gained so much more for myself in understanding what these wonderful soldiers face everyday of their lives after experiencing war. My son will be leaving for his 9th deployment soon. I feel my volunteer work with VJH is a way of contributing back to the families who have sacrificed day to day life while the soldiers are deployed. It is also a way of saying thank you to those same soldiers who have given so much and can't always find who they are after deployment until they experience the Vets Journey Home Weekend.

I was a participant of one of the Vet's Journey Home Weekend's a few years ago. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I was a woman in combat in 1991 during Desert Storm. I have a bad case of PTSD. These people understood and helped me adjust far more than any V.A. program ever designed for us to date. Before the weekend, I was on the verge of suicide. Since, I have written 2 books and produced over 180 short films. My life went from having no meaning to finding abundance. I have continued to go back and volunteer at every possible weekend since. I get a lot from volunteering and knowing I helped make a difference in another struggling veteran's life. There aren't enough words in the English language to sing the praises of VJH and the Starfish Foundation Inc. Patricia Clason and Gene McMahon are wonderful healers and should be afforded every opportunity possible to keep doing the work they have dedicated themselves to by helping veterans. With the troops coming home from two wars, they provide an invaluable service. Please help them keep healing us.

I volunteered to staff at the Vets Journey Home. org several times. I was so impressed with the depth of their work, that I raised funds and did a documentary which they now use on their website to promote the work they do with Vets. They have a weekend workshop which truly begins to bring soldiers back from their war/trauma and experiences by using a combination of well orchestrated exercises-- that really take people back into their most difficult moments and then transform and re-frame the other memory with the help of the compassionate people in the room staffing. It is deep and miraculous work.

I volunteered to be a staff person at a Vet's Journey Home weekend in San Diego in 2009. Not being a military veteran myself, I was still anxious to support the men and women who had served in the many conflicts to which our soldiers have been ordered since World War II. My experience was positive; I was able to see how vital this type of process is for some Vets. There were tears and many stories recounting loss, fear, regret and guilt felt by different veterans. There was also an atmosphere of complete acceptance that allowed for healing, for moving on to the present and getting on with life.

After returning home from my tour in 'Nam, I stayed drunk for many years, hoping to forget. The only joy I had was through my children. I did finally quit drinkin, and the pain continued. I still had the issues, dreams and pain. It wasn't til I heard about Vets Journey Home, it was called Bamboo Bridge at that time, 1997, that I did any real work in my issues. A buddy told me about the weekend and I decided to attend. The Fridayy evening of the weekend, I got so scared of facing my demons, that I left and didn't come back that weekend. Some time passed, the pain increased and the dreams kept me from functioning in the world. I decided to face my fears and attend another Vets Journey Home weekend. This one, I saw thru. I faced the worst of my dreams, talked about it for the first time in many, many years. That weekend started me on my path to self recovery. With the help of the very concerned staff, I was taken back to 'Nam and talked about what happened. After that weekend, I still have the dreams, and they don't have the charge they had, nor do they own me any more. It has been my honor to staff many Vets Journy Home weekends. Giving back the the orginazation that, litteraly saved my life and sanity.

I have staffed the Vets Journey Home weekend every time there is one in Texas with one exception. I have seen the healing of soldiers (men and women that is miraculous)as they deal with the wounds of war that cannot be seen, but affect their lives deeply. This weekend helps them to get back into the life they left behind to go to combat. They are all heroes and deserve our support in every way. I wish this weekend was available all over the country as there are thousands veterans and their families who do not get this opportunity in any other way.

I first attended the predecessor of the Vets Journey Home called the Bamboo Bridge in 1998. As a Viet Nam vet i only spoke about my war experiences to a select few, mostly other VN vets. My experience that weekend was profound and healing. Since that September day I have staffed over 30 of these weekends and each one has been exceptional. On a graduation ceremony last year we had a 3 star admiral attend who stated to the group that this work we are doing is vital and ground breaking.

I am a disabled Vietnam Vet suffering from PTSD. I was in the very first PTSD group in the nation. It was in Milwaukke, WI, in 1971. I was in a PTSD group from 1988 to 1989. I also had many 1:1 sessons through out my life dealing with PTSD. In 2002 I was in an in-patient, 60 day PTSD group. I continue to be in a group for the last 3 years. Yet I continued to carry alot of guilt, shame and sorrow that came from some experiences that occured while in Nam. I went to a Vets Journey home weekend in October of 2009. Through the processes and staff help I became relieved of the shame and guilt I had been carrying for the last 40 years. It was an epiphany. I was able to forgive myself and my PTSD symptoms have decrease as did my depression. I recommend the Vets Journey home program to any combat Vet that feels they could benefit from some intervention. The staff are extremely kind, gentile, supportive and professional. The staff go out of their way to make sure that the participants are in a safe environment. AND YOU GET A REALLY COOL T-SHIRT. BREEZY BRZESKI

I was impressed beyond words by the professionalism and obviously well trained facilitators at the Vets Journey Home Project. The facilitators and the volunteer staff demonstrate a deep appreciation for our veterans and compassionate understanding for the challenges that come with reintegration. I think having veterans give back to the program through volunteering is the greatest evidence of the powerful work that gets done with VJH. I remain in awe of the excellence and loving atmosphere that is veteran centered.

I was invited to participate several times before I went through this wonderful program we call Vets Journey Home. After going through as a participant and being helped to dump 30+ years of guilt and total silence and keeping everything buried deep inside, I got to tell some other Vets and some very caring staff members my story. It was a wonderful journey and the GREATEST welcome home I have ever recieved. Actually it was the FIRST welcome home I ever recieved. What a wonderful program staffed totally by Volunteers a lot of whom are Veterans themselves and have been through the program as a participant. They now want to share in this great work as a volunteer staff member to help bring any other Veteran of any branch of service and from any war or combat theatre give them all a HEALTHY, HAPPIER and more steady footing for their new life. It also gives the Veterans family a new, more loving, sharing start. I cannot count all the blessings I got by going through the program and I now volunteer to staff any VJH home weekend that comes up. It is always FREE for all vets. We feel that they have already paid their price! Sincerely, Hal A. Irwin

I have been working with the Vets Journey Home / Starfish Foundation for 10 years. I have staffed 20+ weekends and instructed quite a few as well. These men and women hold space for the vets with such love and conviction that it makes personal awareness and change possible for the wounded Vet. As a Vet and as an Army Brat who lost his father in 1968, I have nothing but love and admiration for the particiaptns, staff, and the Mission.

I am a civilian volunteer for VETS JOURNEY HOME. I am going to go back as many times as they will have me. The healing work that is done by vets and supported by staff is deep, profound, and much-needed. The vets who attended this great weekend, which is free to vets [as VJH says, Vets have paid enough] ranged in ages from about 23 who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, to an 80 yr old who had served in Korea. The safety and intimacy of the weekend allowed those vets to share things that they had carried silently for years about their experiences. And each was welcomed home with gratitude and joy by the staff all weekend, and by staff and visitors on Sunday. It was a beautiful, moving experience for me. I judge that it was even more powerful for those vets. VJH is essential for vets to "come back" home, even decades after they left the combat zone. I have not been a part of anything that has had more impact and importance than Vets Journey Home. brad jones

As a military mental health technician with a specialty in combat psychiatry I was trained in clinical theory. As a Veteran working in the Veterans Community I have seen how Post Traumatic Stress has affected Veterans and their family’s daily lives. Traditional interventions are often not enough. Vets Journey Home helps Veterans reach into the body and soul of their experience to begin the healing process for themselves and their families. It returns honor to what it means to be a Veteran. Please help support Vets Journey Home through the Starfish Foundation. Best Regards, Vera Roddy US Air Force, 1977-1992, Cold War/Desert Shield/Desert Storm BA, Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

I was a Vietnam veteran carrying some ghosts for over 30 years. The experience of Vets Journey Home helped me let go of these ghost and find closer to feelings that were bottled up inside me for many years.