Veterans Explore Ayahuasca for Trauma Healing in Costa Rican Retreat
A group of US combat veterans and first responders participated in a week-long ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica, seeking to address psychological wounds through psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Forty-six U.S. veterans and first responders traveled to Costa Rica for an ayahuasca retreat, engaging in a week of ceremonies, counseling, and meditation aimed at confronting trauma and exploring alternative healing methods.
The retreat, co-organized by Rythmia Life Advancement Center and the nonprofit Coming Home, focused on providing a structured environment for individuals, many with backgrounds in elite military units and emergency services, to process the emotional and psychological toll of their experiences.
Dave L., a firefighter and former Army Ranger, described the ayahuasca ceremonies as a release for long-held emotional weight. "I had trauma trapped in various places of my body, and I could just feel it releasing," he told The Post. "Like, for days, I feel like I was just releasing stuff that was holding me back in life."
The initiative coincided with the 25th anniversary of 9/11, highlighting the ongoing need for mental health support for veterans. According to a 2026 Department of Veterans Affairs report, 6,488 veteran suicides were recorded in 2024.
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew derived from Amazonian plants, is being studied for its potential to treat conditions such as PTSD, depression, and addiction. However, it also carries significant physical and psychological risks, including severe nausea and, in rare cases, psychiatric complications or dangerous interactions with medications.
The active psychedelic compound in ayahuasca, DMT, remains illegal under federal law in the U.S., leading many to seek supervised experiences at wellness centers abroad like Rythmia, which combine traditional practices with medical and psychological support.
Participants engaged in daily yoga, counseling, meditation, and educational sessions, interspersed with opportunities for rest and reflection. The core of the program involved nightly ayahuasca ceremonies, where the psychoactive brew was administered under the guidance of the center's staff.
Nate Brown, founder of Coming Home, noted the contrast between the veterans' demanding careers and the retreat's focus on slow unraveling. "To be able to take them somewhere and allow them to just unravel slowly over the course of a week and watch them rest in mind, body and spirit is just something beautiful to witness," he said.
Brown observed that participants appeared to age in reverse over the week. "They can’t feel anything but rage and anger, completely out of touch with, you know, the sweetness, the softness and the beauty that they all deserve," he stated. "And over the course of that week, watching that shift, watching the medicine start opening up these parts of their soul, is something beautiful and amazing."
The shared vulnerability during the ceremonies fostered a strong sense of community. "You’ve got a room full of killers... And when you’re in that room, and one man weeps because he’s feeling lost or feeling grief, that is contagious," Dave recounted.
Photojournalist John Moore, who documented the retreat, noted the participants' willingness to access their human side. "People think of special forces veterans as being hard characters, but everyone is human," he said.
Ayahuasca can induce purging, a physical reaction often interpreted as emotional or spiritual release, involving vomiting, diarrhea, and sweating. Dr. Jeff McNairy, Rythmia's chief medical officer, stated that approximately half of participants vomit during ceremonies. He identified trauma as a primary focus for ayahuasca's therapeutic potential, explaining that suppressed emotions from traumatic events can manifest as anger, disassociation, or substance abuse.
Rythmia and Coming Home implemented thorough screening processes for participants' medical histories and mental health. They also provided a 30-day preparation period that included dietary and lifestyle recommendations to minimize potential risks, such as serotonin syndrome, which can occur if ayahuasca is combined with SSRI antidepressants.
Upon returning home, participants reported a noticeable shift in their internal dialogue. "The war that I usually wage in between my own ear at any given moment is way quieter, way softer," Dave said. He acknowledged that ayahuasca is not a definitive cure but offers a new approach to confronting difficult emotions with increased courage and less fear.