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Warriors Live On Trek2Heal

Combat Veterans struggle with PTSD and struggle daily to survive life after war. Help "Warriors Live On" lead Vets on a journey of healing with lasting impact.

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Warriors Live On Trek2Heal

Warriors Live On Trek2Heal

Warriors Live On Trek2Heal

Warriors Live On Trek2Heal

Warriors Live On Trek2Heal

Combat Veterans struggle with PTSD and struggle daily to survive life after war. Help "Warriors Live On" lead Vets on a journey of healing with lasting impact.

Combat Veterans struggle with PTSD and struggle daily to survive life after war. Help "Warriors Live On" lead Vets on a journey of healing with lasting impact.

Combat Veterans struggle with PTSD and struggle daily to survive life after war. Help "Warriors Live On" lead Vets on a journey of healing with lasting impact.

Combat Veterans struggle with PTSD and struggle daily to survive life after war. Help "Warriors Live On" lead Vets on a journey of healing with lasting impact.

Eva Belanger
Eva Belanger
Eva Belanger
Eva Belanger
2 Campaigns |
San Diego, United States
$5,145 USD 53 backers
12% of $42,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk

Personalized Thanks!

$10 USD
Est. Shipping
May 2013
0 out of 50 of claimed

Bandana with Logo

$25 USD
Est. Shipping
January 2014
7 out of 30 of claimed

Reflective WLO T shirt

$50 USD
Est. Shipping
January 2014
15 out of 20 of claimed

Gift Certificate to REI

$100 USD
Est. Shipping
January 2014
3 out of 5 of claimed

Closing Ceremony (TBD)

$500 USD
1 out of 5 of claimed

TREK w US (TBD)

$1,000 USD
0 out of 2 of claimed
Highlights
Mountain Filled 2 Projects Mountain Filled 2 Projects

                            

WHO AM I?

My name is Eva Belanger, Executive Director of Warriors Live On.  I started WLO because it represents my deepest passions inspired by my own combat experience and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Here is some of my background:

*Graduate of the US Air Force Academy in 2003

*Combat Vet from Iraq, “Mortar-ville,” Iraq 2006

*Captain (Officer) US Air Force

*Masters degree in Counseling Psychology

*Currently a mental health professional, pre-licensed M.F.T.

*I went on an inter-personal, experiential and physical journey that I want to duplicate for other Vets like myself to provide healing that lasts


GETTING BACK TO BASICS:  Eva’s Journey

It first started with my own severe PTSD.  I realized that I had been suffering for a long time while working with my mental health clients.  I was serving as a combat trauma therapist and assisting those with PTSD as an employee of the VA (Veterans Health Administration).  Over a long period of time I became very physically ill and started to realized that my physical issues were stemming from my deep rooted psychological and emotional issues.  I became so sick with Depression and PTSD that I could no longer sleep, was having severe night sweats, nightmares, could not eat, lost over ten pounds and had regular thoughts of not wanting to live.  I was constantly ill with migraines, dizziness and daily nausea that made it hard to think about anything other then being ill.  I had to stop working and get better.  What happened next was something I could never imagine. 

I went on a mind, heart, physical and soulful journey.  One that entailed being outdoors, being away from the triggers and finding what was inside me again; not my fear, but my freedom, my spirit, my true heart, and my mind.  I started to find myself again.  Over the course of a year my life changed dramatically and as a combat Veteran and as a mental health professional, I am here to say there is a way to help our Vets truly heal.  There is a way to help our loved ones feel alive again.  With all my heart, mind, soul and with all my integrity, spirit and truth, I will fight to get the Vets the therapy and the therapeutic healing they need.  This is how the inspiration for Warriors Live On came to be.

Please visit the U tube video that explains more at 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyhRf6TXXao


ABOUT WARRIORS LIVE ON

Warriors Live On is a fledgling Non-Profit (501c3 pending). WLO has envisioned a new way for each Veteran suffering from mental health issues to be a whole person again! To accomplish this goal WLO incorporates mental health therapy, adventure based therapy and healing of the mind, body, heart and soul.  Click here for WLO’s vision http://www.warriorsliveon.org


THE PROGRAM: Holistic Scholarship and Trekking Journey Begins

Vets are taken on a physical journey that allows them time to heal, to talk with other Vets, and to learn how to take care of themselves in a way that works for them.  Counselors, survivors and supporters will join in the camaraderie, walking, adventuring, interpersonal processing, and therapeutic experiences together that are necessary to progress on a path towards healing.  PTSD is not a quick fix, but teaching a lifestyle that maintains a balance in the individual is necessary.  There will be good days and bad days, but learning techniques and ways of “BEing” to help the Veteran help themselves, on a daily basis, is something they can carry with them forward into life.  The knowledge of how to strike a balance or get back to balance is necessary for people that have been through such traumatic combat experiences

Step 1: Veterans apply for scholarship and Trek at www.warriorsliveon.org

Step 2: Veterans and WLO leaders go TREKKING up the California Coast where all levels of physical ability are welcome.  During this time together, several other therapeutic practices will be used to helped the Veterans. One example is horse therapy, meditation or yoga practices (Duration: 5-8 days depending on funding)

Step 3: After-TREK closing ceremony (Duration: 1 day)

Step 4: After-TREK Mentee to Mentor Training in San Diego, California begins (Duration: 4 days)  

Step 5: Scholarship holding Veterans continue their Signature Healing Program at home and are expected to maintain contact with their mentor at WLO weekly (Duration: 4-6 months)

Step 6: Trained Mentees graduate to Mentor status and are paired to new Veterans entering the program.  The cycle continues building up Veterans to have purpose and serve the next round of Veterans.  The cycle continues inspiring   growth, further self discovery and health overall.

Learn more about the Journey at www.warriorsliveon.org 


FUTURE PLANS:

The future for Warriors Live On becomes dependent upon the funding provided by outside donors and grants.  WLO has plans to eventually have a facility built in a location that provides several different types of therapies all in one place.  Examples of therapies are adventure therapy, somatic experiencing therapy, animal facilitated therapies, art and music therapy.  Plans for therapeutic gardens, cooking, yoga, meditation and work out facilities are all included.  One day we are hoping to provide all sorts of holistic care to Veterans in one spot.  They can come and get the healing they need, without charge and without needing to prove their need for therapy.  A place to come explore who you are now, today, even after trauma, in peace and freedom is what we hope to achieve.  

With the funding that comes from this campaign we will be able to fund more Veterans on the Trek, pay for all travel expenses.  Plenty of funds allows for WLO to provide the best experience possible through more therapeutic modalities.  The more money we receive the more Vets we can help.  .  In addition, more money can go into whatever therapeutic experience they choose to study or learn.  If they wanted to become a yoga instructor, WLO could pay for more training or even an internship.  WLO believes in getting the money and donations TO THE VETERANS. Unfortunately, this is not always happening with other non profit organizations.  For a Veteran working for Veterans, this is a key ethical concern and integrity in WLO business practices are one of our highest priorities.


GOALS for WLO:

-Increase the number of Scholarships we award and Treks we lead

-A place where people can come and stay for a period of time for free to heal

-More expansive holistic trainings that Veterans can take part in

-More holistic health being provided overall from various entities; massage therapist, acupuncture, meditation, one on one therapy sessions, gear for treks...and the list continues!

-Lastly, sister organizations across the country that reach our Vets


WHAT WE NEED:

Although Warriors live on will need ongoing support as a non-profit, the current goal is to raise the funds for the FIRST TREK and the first round of six veterans to complete the Adventure Healing Journey. Our current crowd funding goal is set at $40,000 minimum. Any money we raise towards our goal or money above and beyond our goal will go towards the following:

*WARRIORS! If we reach $40,000, $10,000 can go towards Trekking expenses, then scholarships can be awarded at $5,000 for each Veteran.  This means training in a field that is healing to them and eventually to others as they teach later on in the program. 

*LIVE! If we exceed $40,000, more Veterans can be taken on, money can go towards the next Trek expenses, scholarships and possibly research for grants. 

*ON! If we raise less than $40,000, WLO will save the money in an interest gaining account, while the fundraising continues.  We will not give up until we reach the goal and put on our first program.  

*SPECIAL REQUEST: We also need teachers of holisitic health!  If you are interested in contributing your services or expertise to Veterans, and are in the San Diego vicinity, please contact me at eva.belanger@warriorsliveon.org.

*SHARING IS IMPORTANT: Please share WLO in any way you can.  You can do that by giving WLO feedback on our website; share your thoughts and experiences with us; share your resources, connections and networks.  Facebook and Twitter are awesome ways to share and use Indiegogo share tools.  Everything counts and everything you can contribute will come back to you ten fold!


WHAT DOES YOUR SUPPORT REALLY MEAN?

*Saving the life of a Veteran: You’ll have a hand in saving the lives of our most prized possessions, our loved ones.  They are our children, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, friends and neighbors.  More combat veterans have committed suicide after coming home then our enemy has killed Americans in combat.  Check out any of these articles listed below and you will see what damage is occurring within the hearts of those we love.  We need to provide trauma therapy that works!  We believe Warriors Live On is the answer.

1.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/us/baffling-rise-in-suicides-plagues-us-military.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

2.  http://www.veteransandptsd.com/PTSD-statistics.html

3.  http://www.ptsd.va.gov/

*Being a part of a new way of therapy that works: The combination of adventure therapy with body work therapy is intense and effective. WLO’s goal is not to provide a quick getaway from the pain or to provide another distraction.  We want to teach Vets how to balance a whole, well rounded life that they can take with them and continue to grow.  Part of the program is becoming a Mentor, and this creates a purpose that is not fleeting. As a mental health expert, I know that taking care of our Veterans is not a quick fix to cure a potentially deadly illness.  It requires giving them the best of therapies. 

*Financially supplement Veterans to get the highest quality of care: It is hard enough for Veterans to ask for help, even if it was free!  Unfortunately, the best treatments available for PTSD are those not necessarily being offered by the VA.  It is my belief that Veterans require individual therapy and care with the traumas that they have experienced.  Group therapies work in conjunction with the individual therapy, but Vets need a space to do both. Veterans, more often then not, cant afford this!  Typically, its $150.00 per hour of one on one psychological treatment.  With your help, we can fill the gap and meet the dire needs of financially struggling Veterans.  Other “free” and “less effective” therapies available to Vets can buy them time, but ultimately PTSD remains – evidenced by the dramatic suicide statistics.  You can make a life altering change in a person’s life.


WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR SUPPORT:

A healthy family member, friend, and community – priceless!  Other then the feeling one gets when they know they are helping someone in need, there are perks to further illuminate your feeling of contributing to a deep and genuine need:

*501c3 (pending) write off

*A personal note of thanks from the Founder and Executive Director from Warriors Live On

*Warriors Live On silver and blue bandana

*Warriors Live On reflective t-shirt

*A gift certificate to REI

*Invitation to Closing Ceremonies as our Special Guest

*Invitation to TREK with the VETS!


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