Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Entertainment

VETS, INC. Brings Awareness to Psychedelic Psychotherapy For Veterans – One America News Network


Photo: VETS, INC.
Photo: VETS, INC.

OAN’s Taylor Tinsley
12:04 PM – Saturday, November 11, 2023

Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) is holding its third annual gala to end veteran suicide. 

Advertisement

VETS hosted the organization’s first Torchbearer Ball on Veterans day in 2020 and has since sold out to about 600 guests every year in San Diego, California. 

The event features several entertainers, speakers and award recipients. This year’s recipients include Dr. Andrew Huberman, Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), and Dr. Nolan Williams, for their research and advocacy for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

According to its website, VETS is the leading organization focused on ending the veteran suicide epidemic by helping veterans through psychedelic therapy.

In an interview with OAN, VETS co-founder Amber Capone was able to shed light on the accomplishments that the organization has made in advocacy for supporting veterans so far. 

Amber and her husband Marcus created VETS during his transition back to civilian life in 2017 after serving for the United States Navy.

Like many veterans dealing with invisible injuries such as traumatic brain injury or post traumatic stress disorder, traditional approaches didn’t work for Marcus so they turned to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“With each failed attempt for treatment in the United States he became more and more disheartened and I was afraid I would lose him to suicide,” said Amber. “I knew that he was grappling with suicidal thoughts and so psychedelic therapy for us was a hail mary. Not only did this save his life it could potentially save the lives of veterans across the United States.”

Amber said Marcus and most of the veterans in their program are doing a protocol that involves ibogaine and a molecule known as 5-MeO-DMT, which allows people to enter a wakened dream state where they can revisit past trauma and move on.

Psychedelic therapy is illegal in the U.S., however, and Amber said that’s what really created VETS’ mission.

“Our goal in terms of advocacy is to bring awareness that these therapies exist, they’re out there and they’re very effective, and to try to unlock federal funding to further the research,” Amber said.“We will never be able to get ahead of the demand that exists as one organization, the only way to do that is to make these therapies available in the U.S. and find a way in which they can be paid for that primarily involves the VA.”

She noted that veterans are often excluded from clinical trials happening with psychedelics in the U.S. typically because they have more than one diagnosis or suicidal thoughts, so their advocacy efforts really surround educating and asking for funding at the state and federal level to further research.

At the Torchbearer Ball, Amber said $0.85 per dollar of the funds allocated goes directly to support veterans in their program.

She added they’ve got an extensive waitlist, as a lot of veterans are suffering, and they can only serve 10-20% of special operations out of the hundreds of applications they receive every year. 

To read more about VETS and their advocacy to end veteran suicide, click and visit their website here.

Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts

Share this post!

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.




By: OAN

Loading

Advertisement
Comments

You May Also Like

Democrats

In a stunning admission, Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen has confirmed that U.S. taxpayers footed the bill for his recent trip to El Salvador,...

Crime

A Florida State University student who was seen in a widely circulated video sipping Starbucks during the recent campus tragedy has been identified as...

Crime

A Minnesota state employee has been arrested for allegedly causing over $20,000 in damages to multiple Tesla vehicles in Minneapolis. Dylan Bryan Adams, 33,...

News

Hope Walz, daughter of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has ignited controversy with remarks comparing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 gang member, to Jesus...

President Trump

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) broke down in tears during an MSNBC interview Saturday after claiming President Donald Trump was a bigger “criminal” than MS-13...

Democrats

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and theft concerning a program receiving federal...

Florida

A tragic shooting rocked the Florida State University (FSU) campus on April 17, 2025, leaving two people dead and five others hospitalized. Authorities have...

Crime

Jeff Metcalf, father of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf who was fatally stabbed at a high school track meet earlier this month, was the target of...

Advertisement
Back