Veterans Get Unique Plant Medicine Treatment to Combat PTSD
News related to:Rythmia Life Advancement Center · 2 min read
Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a veteran-founded nonprofit and a Costa Rican retreat center have joined forces to combat treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and reduce veteran suicide rates. The partnership, involving The Coming Home Project and Rythmia Life Advancement Center, aims to offer medically supervised plant medicine treatment and long-term integration support to U.S. veterans.
The Coming Home Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has partnered with Rythmia Life Advancement Center, which has been operating as the world’s first medically licensed plant medicine retreat since 2016. The organizations are hosting an inaugural retreat week, exclusively for combat veterans, from September 5 to September 12, 2026.
Nate Brown, the founder of The Coming Home Project and a former Navy SEAL, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “This is two heavyweights coming together around one mission: end veteran suicide. We have spent years building trust with veterans and guiding them through plant medicine and long-term integration, while Rythmia has built what we believe is the gold standard for medically supervised ayahuasca treatment at scale. Bringing those two worlds together gives us the ability to reach and support veterans at a level we simply couldn't before.”
The seven-day program, offered by Rythmia, includes a series of plant medicine ceremonies, medical supervision, breathwork, yoga, and educational classes. Veterans are provided with a structured pathway to healing, surrounded by fellow veterans and supported by a unified care team. According to Dr. Jeff McNairy, Chief Medical Officer of Rythmia Life Advancement Center, “Veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD are some of the most clinically complex guests we see, and also some of the most ready to heal. Hosting a dedicated week allows us to build the entire experience around their needs, from medical screening through ceremony and integration, in a setting where every person in the room understands what the person next to them has carried.”
Since its founding in 2021, The Coming Home Project has guided more than 2,000 veterans through its plant medicine healing programs, building a preparation, coaching, and integration model that veterans have come to trust. For this week, The Coming Home Project identified and prepared eligible veterans, handled logistics, and ensured each veteran has the preparation and support system needed to make the most of the experience. Rythmia Life Advancement Center provides the medically supervised program, environment, medical screening, and ceremony.
Participants in the inaugural week will receive a comprehensive package, including medical intake and screening prior to arrival, pre-retreat preparation and coaching, four plant medicine ceremonies under 24-hour medical supervision, daily integration sessions, breathwork, yoga, and educational classes. They will also enjoy a private, veteran-only environment for the full week, with structured post-retreat integration coaching and ongoing community support in the weeks and months ahead.
The week is being documented by John Moore, a Getty Images special correspondent and senior staff photographer, whose honors include the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for his coverage of the Iraq War, the Robert Capa Gold Medal, and World Press Photo of the Year. Moore is producing a photo essay chronicling the unique journeys of the veterans through the retreat.
The Coming Home Project encourages veterans and family members interested in learning more about its work to visit their website at www.thecominghomeproject.org.