A unique once-a-month experience is helping active duty service members, veterans and first responders move forward as they recover from their addictions - with healing, purification and prayers.
The Sweat Lodge Ceremony is part of Warriors Heart Virginia’s 42-day training/treatment program that is exclusively for warriors struggling with substance abuse, PTSD, suicide ideation, depression, anxiety and co-occurring issues.
“The concept of a `warrior's heart’ has a spiritual context,” explained Warriors Heart CEO and Founder Josh Lannon. “It often refers to cultivating inner strength, perseverance, and unwavering faith to overcome challenges and stand firm in one's beliefs, while also embracing vulnerability and seeking help when needed.”
Lannon and his wife Lisa opened Warriors Heart in 2016 with former Delta operator/co-founder Tom Spooner to address the suicides of 22 veterans per day in the United States and one law enforcement officer every 17 hours.
“We also wanted to provide solutions to help reduce the invisible wounds of substance abuse, PTSD, mental health issues, mild TBI and co-occurring issues in a safe place where they don’t feel a stigma or shame asking for help and opening up amongst their peers,” he said.
Lannon, who has been sober for 23 years, said the decision to add the Sweat Lodge Ceremony to the holistic programs offered at Warriors Heart Virginia came after they saw an advertisement for a similar ceremony at Richmond VA.
“In one of my previous facilities, we did sweat lodges performed by Native Americans and knew the power of them,” he said. “As an approved ceremony by the VA, we went to experience it and wanted to bring it to Warriors Heart.”
The ceremony is based on 30 years of experience. Native American Spiritualist Jimmy Thunder leads the activity with two other Native Americans, Sundancer and Firekeeper. Licensed therapists from Warriors Heart are also involved and sign off when a client is emotionally ready for this deep meditative experience.
The ceremony is an elective part of the treatment program at Warriors Heart Virginia and is very spiritual, said Lannon. It is held on a sacred place on the ranch.
Warriors Heart alumni and Warriors Heart alumni director Shane St. John served for 17 years in the Army, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was a Green Beret before medically retiring in 2017.
“When transitioning out of the military, I was lost and resorted to alcohol, struggled with PTSD, and tried to take my own life,” he said. “I lost my marriage and needed help. After going through Warriors Heart’s recovery program, I rebuilt a relationship with my children and am grateful to have the warrior community as a support system.”
St. John said he tried conventional therapy and psychedelic treatments, but nothing seemed to help him get past the loss of both his soldier brothers and his former military identity.
After completing the Warriors Heart program, St. John became part of the team that opened the Warriors Heart Virginia location.
“The Sweat Lodge Ceremony there was so different, and helped me get clarity,” he said.
St. John called the ceremony a game changer.
“The Sweat Lodge Ceremony is for healing, purification and prayers,” he said. “It’s an intense sauna experience with deep meditation in a traditional sweat lodge. You come to pray for yourself and ask for that healing and cleansing.”
Participants are asked to think about a bigger picture question and to ask for guidance during the deep meditation.
“It really helped me let go of the past and forgive myself so I could move forward,” St. John said. “It’s a very grounding experience.”
Lannon said the experience can literally save someone’s life.
“It’s a way for you to release all of the impurities that you have, leave them behind you, start a new life and take one step at a time forward,” he said. “It can remind you who you are as a loving and healing person.”
If you or a loved one is a warrior who is struggling with addiction, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety or other co-occurring issues,
contact Warriors Heart’s 24-hour hotline at 866-955-4035 or visit here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.