Returning home from war is an experience like no other. Many soldiers who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have benefited from a weeklong retreat called Returning Warriors. It helps them make amends with their war experience through ancient rituals and readjust themselves to family life.
News 8 Austin’s Paul Brown spoke with Karen Hutchins and Gerry Starnes, the two who started Returning Warriors.
Q: Who is it that Returning Warriors serves?
Starnes: Initially, what we were thinking is the soldiers returning from the Middle East. What is evolving right now is we’re seeing more people from Vietnam who are still dealing the problems that have evolved over time. We’re looking further down the road for the soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Q: Karen, give us some examples of what will take place during the weeklong event.
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Returning Warriors
Watch the interview with Karen Hutchins and Gerry Starnes.
 
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Hutchins: This is a program from Sunday night to Friday at noon, and what we’ll be doing is some talk therapy to help them tell their story, and then a ritual like the fire ceremony, where they will make a representation or symbol of what they want to let go, and then burn it. So it will be a combination of traditional therapy and ancient therapies that have worked for thousands of years.
Q: Gerry, as a nonprofit, what do you need?
Starnes: Of course we’re looking for donations and contributions, but we’re also looking for scholarships for the number of soldiers who need and want to access the retreats, but can’t afford them. [The weeklong retreat costs $950, including room and board.]
Q: Karen, how do you see Returning Warriors evolving?
Hutchins: I would like to see it offered all over the country, and so part of our goal and mission is to educate people and train others to do this, because we can only do so much.
