Another Way to Share your Story
Our Retreats
Warrior Songs Retreats provide a safe and supportive healing space where veterans/soldiers are able to deepen their connection with themselves and with each other. They offer a wonderful opportunity to reclaim life with joy and hope.
During the 4-day retreats the stages of departure, service, and transition home are explored in depth. Storytelling and various types of art are used to understand, express and integrate the war experience. Art becomes testimony to the pain of war as well as to joy of the healing process. Each veteran/soldier creates a plan of action for her or himself moving them forward to a new perspective and toward continued healing.
On the last evening of the retreat veterans/soldiers have the opportunity to share their stories in art form to a gathered community. This allows participants to speak their truth and for civilians to provide a sincere and moving welcome home.
Guided by six experienced facilitators (three of whom are veterans), the retreats are host to 14 veterans/soldiers. They offer a good balance of time for introspection, expression, reflection and creativity. Warrior Songs retreats are free of charge and all inclusive for veterans/soldiers.
Retreats are funded by donations from generous individuals, organizations and community who truly care about the healing of our nation’s veterans. Please consider becoming an important partner in this work by making a donation today. Thank you.
Our Guiding Principles
- To establish a safe community of trust. (Guidelines here)
- To accept each individual experience and perspective
- To provide adequate down time during the retreat to rest and renew
- To provide respectful facilitation.
If you seek to reconnect with the Source of who you are, eliminate blocks to authenticity; and invite transformation, this will be the workshop for you. No art experience necessary.
Next Retreat: Spokane, Washington, November 2013
Most Recent Retreat Report
Retreats Leadership Team
Jason Kamora is a veteran of the United States Air Force and served in support of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield as an explosive dog handler. He holds a Master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in neuropsychology. He has served veterans with mental health and substance abuse disorders for more then 8 years to include the development and operation of a veterans specific treatment facility located in Allentown Pa.
Lin Daley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds an M.S. in Educational Psychology and a B.S. in Social Work. She has been involved with the Center for Creative Learning and with Vets’ Journey Home during the past four years. In addition she has used art as a method for personal and spiritual development as well as using various artistic methods during her career working with children and adults who have experienced trauma. Some of the many veteran healing organizations Lin has worked with include: Soldier’s Heart, Marquette Listening Program, Veterans for Peace, Vet Art Project Santa Fe, Warrior Summit, and Department of Defense Conference: Presenting (08/2010)
Bill Priftis has had a long career of providing quality care through hypnotherapy to patients within both hospital and out-patient settings. He and his work have been featured on several televised news broadcasts as well as on NPR radio and in the print media. Bill has experience facilitating groups of all sizes. He brings a deep respect for veterans of all ages and conflicts and is himself a United States Marine Corps veteran, having served actively from 1966-1968.
Jason Moon is an Iraq war veteran, singer songwriter and found/director of Warrior Songs, and an advocate for veterans’ issues. He was a soldier for a decade, has been writing songs for two, and holds a Religious Studies graduate degree. After returning from Iraq in 2004, Jason began his struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), almost losing his life to the disease in 2008. His latest album, Trying to Find My Way Home, portrays his struggle to reclaim himself after returning from war. His music often gets through to veterans who suffer from PTSD when other methods have failed. He travels the country to inform civilians of PTSD and to raise morale and hope among veterans struggling with post combat trauma.
Hugh Scanlen is a two-tour, twice-wounded Vietnam Combat veteran. He is a certified Veteran Services Officer…a certified Peer Support Specialist and is a member of the Military Veteran Peer network in the state of Texas. Hugh has participated in numerous veteran healing retreats, serving as a mentor and trusted guide. He is highly regarded and respected by many veterans around the country.
Paula Griffin has a B.A. in Sociology and has worked closely with veterans and their families for 7 years, having served as program manager for the organization Soldier’s Heart for 6 years. She has planned and helped to facilitate over 20 veteran healing retreats around the country. Paula feels that those who have experienced war bring a vision and wisdom crucial to helping the rest of humanity find our way to the deeper meaning to life, as well as our way to peace. She sees community, spirituality and the creative arts as essential ingredients in rekindling the spark of joy that’s often extinguished during war and other traumatic experiences.
Sariah Mikaels has a background in Respiratory and Massage Therapy. Advanced training in healing modalities of sound, breathwork, body awareness and coaching coupled with intuitive abilities developed over a lifetime led her to working with the effects of Post Traumatic Stress on the body and soul.