Healing Protectors: A Place to Heal and A Path to Lead- For Veterans

08/18/2026

It's amazing how a mission can introduce you to people you never would have met otherwise.

One of the greatest blessings of leading Healing Protectors isn't just serving veterans—it's the relationships that are formed along the way.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time with Kelli from LUBA Workers' Comp, one of the community partners who has chosen to invest in our veterans. Every organization has the opportunity to make a difference, but it takes special people to see a need and decide to be part of the solution.

Healing happens through relationships. We see it every weekend at our retreats as veterans reconnect with themselves, with one another, and with hope. But those relationships extend far beyond the retreat. They include people like Kelli and organizations like LUBA Workers' Comp, whose generosity helps make these life-changing experiences possible.

Thank you, Kelli, and thank you to everyone at LUBA Workers' Comp, for believing in our mission and in the men and women who have served our country. Your support is creating opportunities for veterans to heal, grow, and discover they never have to walk this journey alone.

We truly couldn't do this without our community. ❤️🇺🇸

08/07/2026

Imagine waking up tomorrow morning, opening your email, and reading that someone you've never met is putting a $10,000 check in the mail for you.

What would be the first thing you think?

If you're like me, you'd probably think, "This has to be a scam."
That was exactly my reaction this morning.

A while back, our Director of Veteran Outreach and Development, Charles Williamson, told me about a company called Enbridge .
He said they were known for investing in nonprofits that make a difference in their communities. So I reached out, shared our mission, and honestly didn't think much more about it.

Then this morning, I opened my email.

Enbridge had chosen to award Healing Protectors a $10,000 grant. Because they believe in the work we're doing, more veterans will have the opportunity to attend our nature retreats this year than we had originally planned.

When I asked what they wanted in return, their response caught me off guard.

"You're already doing it."

Those four words meant more than they probably realize.

To everyone at Enbridge, thank you for believing in our mission.
Thank you for believing in the men and women who have served our country. Your generosity will help provide hope, healing, and community to veterans who need it most.

Sometimes all it takes is one person willing to believe in your mission.

Today, Enbridge did exactly that.

Healing Protectors: A Place To Heal and A Path To Lead- For Veterans

Healing Protectors offers free trauma therapy and nature retreats for veterans in Louisiana. Led by Marine veteran Beau Laviolette, LCSW. Specializing in EMDR, IFS, and PTSD treatment.

08/04/2026

Less than two months ago, we had an idea.

What if we held a raffle to help fund our Healing Protectors Veterans Nature Retreats?

Because of your generosity, that idea became a reality.

Together, we raised $7,000.

That will cover almost the entire cost of one retreat, where 10 veterans come together to begin their healing journey, supported by 10 returning veterans who come back to serve as Trail Guides and mentors. There is something incredibly powerful about being welcomed by someone who has walked the path before you.

To everyone who purchased a ticket, shared our posts, donated a prize, volunteered, or encouraged us along the way—thank you! You didn't just support a raffle. You invested in hope, healing, and a community where veterans never have to heal alone.

If you didn't get a chance to participate in the raffle but would still like to support our mission, you can donate through our website at www.healingprotectors.org

But if I'm being honest, I'd love something even more than a donation.

I'd love to connect with you.

One of the greatest lessons I've learned through this nonprofit is that healing happens through relationships. We were created for connection. I genuinely enjoy hearing people's stories, learning why veterans hold a special place in their hearts, and sharing the vision of what we're building together.

If you'd like to learn more about Healing Protectors or explore ways to get involved, send me an email at [email protected]. I'd love to hear your story (both veterans and non veterans)

Thank you for believing in this mission.

Together, we're ensuring that no veteran has to heal alone.

Healing Protectors
A Place to Heal. A Path to Lead.

Healing Protectors offers free trauma therapy and nature retreats for veterans in Louisiana. Led by Marine veteran Beau Laviolette, LCSW. Specializing in EMDR, IFS, and PTSD treatment.

07/29/2026

There is a path every veteran walks at our retreats.

It begins with uncertainty, but it doesn't end there.

This video captures the beginning of one of the most meaningful moments of the weekend. As each veteran walks this trail, they are greeted by fellow veterans—our Trail Guides and mentors—who have already walked this path themselves. Waiting at the end is a fire they have carefully prepared.

After a weekend of courage, vulnerability, and connection, we gather around that fire to begin letting go of the burdens we've carried for far too long—burdens from childhood, military service, and life itself.

There is something profoundly healing about being welcomed by someone who truly understands. When we gather in a place like this, surrounded by nature and community, something sacred happens. Whether you call it God, nature, or simply the human spirit, I believe healing has a spiritual dimension that reaches beyond words.

This is where hope begins.

This Saturday is also the **final day** to purchase a ticket for our Veterans Raffle. Every ticket helps provide free Healing Protectors retreats this fall, giving another veteran the opportunity to walk this same path toward healing.

Right now, there is a veteran who needs to be here.

Your support helps make that possible.

🎟️ Purchase a raffle ticket here: **[https://veteransraffle.lovable.app/](https://veteransraffle.lovable.app/)**

And please share this video. You never know who might see it—a veteran who has been searching for hope, or someone who can help make their healing journey possible.

**Healing Protectors**
*A Place to Heal. A Path to Lead.*

07/28/2026

"If I wouldn't have had this experience when I did, I may have taken my own life by now."

This, along with many other testimonials, are what we're hearing from veterans who do our nature retreat programs.

If you or someone you know is interested in supporting this we are raising money for this year's nature retreats for our veterans. The raffle will be held this Saturday on zoom (you do not have to be present to win). Our program is a life changing exprience for these men and women who have sacrificed so much for us. Here are some of the testimonies

"This nature/IFS retreat was, by far, the single best mental health engagement I have ever experienced. I've never felt so engaged and revived as with the retreat. Life will still beat us up, but the lessons learned here will always make me feel like we at least have a guide to help us steer through it all triumphantly. I am reaching out to others to try to get them interested in upcoming retreats. We all need something like this in our lives."

"Woke up completely invigorated and could have gotten up and run a marathon."

"I'm still on an emotional high from the weekend."

"I was practically near rock bottom and was blessed with this opportunity. I walked away with a better understanding of my inner parts and a way to better help those parts that were lacking. This retreat provided a path forward to healing and hope."

"Was able to confide in other veterans and continued to during monthly meetings."

"Without the technology distractions, I was able to get back to ground zero in nature."

"The group talks for me were the best. It was a time where I was able to open up and feel heard and then receive feedback from others from similar situations or events that really allowed me to think about the problem in a different way."

"Being in nature and disconnecting from the outside world was great. It allowed me to focus on the issue within myself and really dive deep into a meaningful look at how I could handle situations to become better."

"No matter what could be going on in life I have found a family that I can lean on and trust to help with what I could be going through at that time."

"Once I arrived I felt a sense of ease that I could just be myself and open up and feel safe about it. I wasn't sure of how deep it would get or if I would find someone who I would connect with. And after the first lesson I knew that I was meant to be there and that I would leave with the tool and support system that could help me overcome anything that would stand in my way."

"It was critical to the mission. I have a deep connection with nature and feel closer to God there."

please give if you feel called to support this amazing opportunity to our veterans. Click the link below to donate and get a chance to win some amazing stuff in the process!

Enter our raffle to win amazing prizes while supporting veterans through transformative Nature Retreat programs.

07/14/2026

"When you want to go fast, go alone. When you want to go far, go together."

When I first became a therapist, my focus was always on the individual. Even when I began working with veterans, my mindset was still one person at a time. The same was true in my own life. I always believed that if I worked hard enough, I could figure things out on my own.

Then a mentor challenged me.

He told me that while one-on-one relationships are powerful, there is something equally important: community.

He said, "There's strength in numbers. It takes a village. You won't be able to do it alone."

At the time, I wasn't sure I believed him.

Today, I know he was right.
Since starting Healing Protectors, I've been humbled by the incredible people and organizations who have stepped forward to support our mission. Every donation, every volunteer, every shared post, and every encouraging word reminds me that healing isn't something we create alone. It's something a community builds together.

A special thank you to **Formation Credit Union** for their generous donation to Healing Protectors. Their support will help sponsor veterans so they can attend our nature retreats completely free of charge and continue their healing journey.
To everyone who has stood beside us, thank you. You're not just supporting a nonprofit. You're helping build a community where veterans know they don't have to carry life's burdens alone.
We have just **two weeks left** before our Veterans Raffle drawing! Every ticket purchased helps provide free nature retreats and continued support for the veterans we serve.

If you'd like to sponsor hope, healing, and a veteran's next step forward, purchase a raffle ticket or share this post with someone who believes in giving back.

🎟️ Veteran Raffle: [https://veteransraffle.lovable.app/](https://veteransraffle.lovable.app/)

Thank you for believing in our mission.

07/07/2026

"The greatest gift you can give someone isn't your advice. It's your presence."

One of the first things we teach our veteran guides at Healing Protectors is this:

Listen to understand, not to fix.

Most of us listen with one goal in mind: figuring out what we're going to say next. We jump in with advice, solutions, or our own experiences before we've truly understood what's happening for the other person.

But healing often begins when someone feels heard.

When our veteran guides return to mentor the next group of veterans, they aren't expected to have all the answers. They're simply asked to be present, to listen with curiosity, and to create a space where another veteran can share their story without fear of judgment.

Ironically, when we slow down enough to truly understand, we often discover what the person actually needs. Sometimes it's advice. Sometimes it's encouragement. And sometimes they just need someone willing to sit beside them and say, "I'm here."

Just for today, try one simple exercise. In your next conversation, make your goal to understand before you respond. You might be surprised by what you learn—not only about the other person, but about yourself.

Healing Protectors
A Place to Heal. A Path to Lead.
🌿

Healing Protectors offers free trauma therapy and nature retreats for veterans in Louisiana. Led by Marine veteran Beau Laviolette, LCSW. Specializing in EMDR, IFS, and PTSD treatment.

06/23/2026

Yesterday, I shared a post about letting opportunities come to you. Focus on becoming the person you're meant to be. Keep growing. Don't rush it.

A few weeks ago, WBRZ reached out to do a story on our nonprofit, Healing Protectors. Then this morning, I had the opportunity to do my first live TV interview.

I've done hundreds of speaking engagements and trainings over the years, but I was surprised to feel nervous again—similar to the first time I ever stood in front of a large group of people. Back then, I had a choice: let fear stop me or step forward anyway. I chose to step forward, and over time what once felt scary became normal.

Today was one of those moments again.

Whenever I start getting in my head, I ask myself, "Why am I doing this?" The answer is always the same: it's not about me. It's about something bigger. It's about the veterans we serve through Healing Protectors. I simply get to be a vessel for that mission.

And when the mission is bigger than your fear, you keep showing up.

Year-long program offers free nature retreats, community to veterans

06/15/2026

As I was praying and meditating this morning, a thought of my grandfather came over me.

It was a memory—but not one I actually lived. It was a story my sister told me years ago, yet I could see it clearly.

My grandfather was working on a farm, sitting on a tractor, when he received a letter informing him that he had been drafted to fight in World War II.

In that moment, everything changed.

He had to leave behind his wife and his firstborn daughter, Peggy, not knowing if he would ever see them again.

I can't imagine what that must have felt like—to be living your ordinary life one day and then suddenly be called away to war, uncertain of what the future holds.

I never really got the chance to talk with him about those experiences. He passed away when I was only 13 years old. And from what I remember, he rarely spoke about the war. It was as though that chapter of his life remained tucked away somewhere deep inside him.

Today, I think about the men and women we serve through Healing Protectors (my non-profit). Many of them carry stories they have never told. They often say the hardest part is opening up—whether because of stigma, fear, or simply not knowing what they'll find when they look inside.

But when they do share their story, something shifts. A burden begins to lift. Healing becomes possible.

Most of us who serve through Healing Protectors are volunteers. We do this work because we feel called to give back to those who have sacrificed so much for our country.

Your support helps ensure that a spot is available at one of our nature-based healing retreats for a veteran who is ready to tell their story, find connection, and continue their journey toward healing.

If you'd like to support our mission, please consider joining us here:

https://veteransraffle.lovable.app

Thank you for helping us ensure that no veteran has to heal alone.