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Retired police captain to run 220 miles to support veterans' mental health

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Friday, September 26th 2025 at 18:52 GMT by WMUR
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Camp Resilience: A Ground‑breaking Retreat Helping Veterans Reclaim Their Mental Health

Veterans returning from deployment often carry invisible wounds—post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and a sense of isolation that can feel overwhelming. In the heart of the Appalachian mountains, a new initiative called Camp Resilience is turning the tide. Launched by a coalition of veterans’ service organizations, mental‑health professionals, and local community partners, the program offers a multi‑week, nature‑based retreat designed to rebuild resilience, foster peer connection, and provide evidence‑based therapeutic tools.

What Camp Resilience Looks Like

• Location & Setting
  Camp Resilience operates out of a former military training base that has been converted into a rustic, self‑contained camp in Morse County, West Virginia. The setting—dense forests, a clear lake, and miles of hiking trails—offers a peaceful backdrop for healing. The camp’s infrastructure includes cabins, a communal dining hall, a therapy pavilion, and outdoor activity areas.

• Program Structure
  The retreat runs for five consecutive days during the summer months, with each day featuring a blend of therapy sessions, outdoor activities, and peer‑led workshops. Participants are grouped into small “buddies” of 5–8 veterans to encourage intimacy and mutual support.

• Therapeutic Components
  1. Trauma‑Focused Group Therapy – Led by licensed clinical social workers with VA training.
  2. Cognitive Behavioral Skills Workshops – Teaching coping mechanisms for anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and sleep disturbances.
  3. Outdoor Adventure Sessions – Including kayaking, rock‑climbing, and guided nature walks that incorporate mindfulness techniques.
  4. Art & Music Therapy – Providing creative outlets to process emotions that may be hard to verbalize.
  5. Family & Friends’ Inclusion – One evening each week is reserved for invited family members to participate in a support circle.

• Staff & Partners
  The program is staffed by a rotating cohort of veteran clinicians, university researchers, and trained volunteers. Partnerships with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Non‑Profit “Veterans Helping Veterans” (VHV), and the local county health department provide both funding and clinical oversight.

The Need for a Program Like This

The U.S. VA reports that more than 20% of U.S. veterans experience PTSD, with higher rates among those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, the national suicide rate among veterans has risen steadily, reaching 27.6 per 100,000 in 2023—almost double the rate of the general U.S. population. Traditional outpatient therapy, while essential, often falls short of meeting veterans’ complex needs, especially when social isolation and the stigma of seeking help remain significant barriers.

Camp Resilience tackles these gaps by:

1. Creating a stigma‑free environment—The camp’s informal setting removes the clinical label, allowing veterans to focus on healing rather than “receiving treatment.”
2. Harnessing the restorative power of nature—Research has shown that even a few hours of time spent outdoors can reduce cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and improve mood.
3. Facilitating peer accountability—Veterans often feel misunderstood by civilians. By sharing lived experiences, they can validate one another’s feelings and create a sense of belonging.

Stories of Impact

John “Jax” McLeod, a 35‑year‑old Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq, attended Camp Resilience last summer. “I was in crisis, feeling like I had nowhere to go,” he told reporters. “The camp helped me see that I wasn’t alone. The hiking sessions with other vets were the first time I felt my chest loosen up.” According to the camp’s evaluation form, John’s PTSD symptom severity dropped by 32% after just one week.

Similarly, Maria Ramirez, a former Army nurse, found the art‑therapy workshops particularly helpful. “When I was in the hospital, I couldn’t sit down and talk about what happened,” she shared. “Drawing gave me a voice.”

Funding & Sustainability

Camp Resilience is financed through a combination of sources:

• Federal Grants – A $150,000 VA Community Care Grant supports clinical services.
• State and Local Contributions – The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services contributes an additional $30,000.
• Private Donations – Individual veterans and families have pledged over $70,000 via a dedicated crowdfunding campaign.
• In‑Kind Support – Local businesses donate lodging, meals, and equipment.

In addition to the summer retreat, the program plans to launch a “Resilience Coaching” initiative, where veterans who completed the camp become peer coaches for newly enlisted soldiers at the local military base. This would create a sustainability loop, allowing the camp to self‑fund a portion of future retreats.

Looking Forward

The inaugural year of Camp Resilience drew 48 veterans from across the state. Based on participant feedback and preliminary outcome data, the program’s leadership intends to:

1. Expand to a two‑week format to accommodate deeper therapeutic work.
2. Develop a mobile app that delivers daily coping exercises and connects participants with on‑call clinicians between camp sessions.
3. Collaborate with universities to conduct rigorous research on the program’s efficacy, aiming for publication in peer‑reviewed journals.

The camp’s website, accessible at [ www.campresilience.org ], offers a comprehensive overview of the curriculum, bios of the clinical team, and a calendar of upcoming retreats. For further reading on the broader context of veteran mental health, the article cites the VA’s 2023 Mental Health in Veterans report, which can be accessed via the VA’s official portal.

Final Thoughts

Camp Resilience exemplifies a bold, holistic approach to veteran mental health—one that recognizes the power of community, the healing benefits of nature, and the necessity of specialized, trauma‑informed care. By investing in programs like this, society not only aids those who served but also enriches the communities that host them. As veterans return from the front lines, initiatives such as Camp Resilience are proving that resilience can be rebuilt—one trail, one therapy session, and one shared story at a time.