By DaisyMae VanValkenburgh-Haftel, VETS Email Marketing Manager + HubSpot Administrator

“VETS has given me my life back and has provided the necessary tools and resources my family and I can use to continue to grow spiritually, emotionally and physically. VETS has opened up doors to alternative healing that truly have a profound impact on the symptoms of PTSD and TBI.”

-Todd Berrios, VETS Grant Recipient (2023) and VETS Ambassador

Healing after service isn’t always straightforward. For many veterans, the traditional paths — medication, talk therapy, and standard clinical treatments — haven’t brought the relief they were promised. That’s where The Science of Hope comes in.

At VETS, we believe in data and dignity. We support evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies because they’re not only promising, they’re changing lives.

The Evidence is Real

In recent years, groundbreaking studies have begun to confirm what many veterans already knew from firsthand experience: psychedelic-assisted therapy has the potential to heal deep, treatment-resistant symptoms.

Let’s look at the numbers:

  • According to VETS unpublished Internal Survey Data, 86% of veterans reported improved mental health after undergoing psychedelic therapy supported by VETS.
  • In a landmark clinical trial by MAPS , 67% of PTSD participants no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis after MDMA-assisted therapy.
  • In the first of its kind observational study that captured the effects of ibogaine at Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab , suicidal ideation decreased from 47% to 7% in one month post-treatment. In addition, disability scores dropped 83%, from moderate to no disability, within 30 days after treatment.
  • There are hundreds of trials up and running studying psychedelic compounds like ibogaine, ayahuasca, and psilocybin, and that number is increasing every year.

This is the future of trauma healing.

Why Psychedelics?

These substances don’t mask symptoms, they help people through them. When paired with trauma-informed care, psychedelic therapy can help: 

  • Reset neural pathways
  • Process combat-related trauma
  • Rebuild trust, connection, and self-worth

For veterans who feel like every door has been closed, psychedelic therapies open a window.

Meet the People Behind the Progress

This month, we’re proud to welcome our new Director of Research to the VETS team. John Clifton, M.D. is a dedicated leader in psychedelic therapies. With his expertise, we’re doubling down our commitment to supporting data-backed healing and accelerating access to the care veterans deserve.

Their vision? To create a future where no veteran is left behind simply because science was too slow, or funding too scarce.

Healing Backed by Hope…And You

At VETS, we believe healing is a human right, not a privilege reserved for the few who can afford to take risks or travel abroad. That’s why we’re actively breaking barriers: legal, financial, emotional, and systemic.

But we can’t do it without allies. Your support fuels this science, sponsors life-changing treatment, and helps us prove, again and again, that there is hope after trauma.

Final Word

Psychedelic therapy isn’t a trend, it’s a trauma-informed, research-backed tool for transformation. And the numbers show us what’s possible when we invest in healing.

If you’re a veteran who’s lost faith in traditional systems, we see you. If you’re a donor wondering if this work is real, we’ve got the data to prove it. Because when science meets compassion, healing happens. 

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