On NBC News: SoundMind Psychedelic Access for Veterans Program
This Veteran's Day, SoundMind is proud to share our work to improve equity and access to psychedelic-assisted therapies for our nation's Veterans. There is an urgent need for effective, accessible mental health interventions for Veterans, and these innovative new treatments offer hope for more effective care for PTSD, depression, and other mental health concerns.
Airing November 11 at 10:30pm EST, NBC News follows the treatment story of USMC Combat Veteran Aneudie “Ace" Crespo, who spent the last decade since leaving the Marines struggling with the ongoing effects of PTSD and depression. His attempts to find relief through traditional psychotherapy and medication had repeatedly failed, and he had trouble finding a reason to be alive.
Through generous support from and collaboration with Reason for Hope and Heroic Hearts Project, Ace was able to access treatment at SoundMind, and is already showing powerful results, reporting “a sense of peace I don’t know that I’ve ever felt in my life”. He describes being able to “go into the dark place and shed the guilt and shame” from his trauma, and "is relieved [he] is still alive".
Throughout his care, Ace has been connected to the Peer Support Mentorship Program, a network of people who understand his military experience and PTSD at a personal level. Nick Blackston, USMC Combat Veteran and former MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy trial participant, has been a particular Peer Support Mentor for Ace.
SoundMind's Peer Support Model of psychedelic care is the first of its kind in the nation, training Veterans in recovery from PTSD to assist with psychedelic therapy for other Veterans, as part of a care team of licensed providers. Through this Model, we are increasing access to lifesaving psychedelic treatments, while providing a pathway for Veterans to reintegrate back into community and purpose.
Help us tell these stories of healing
Telling the stories of the many individuals whose lives are changed by psychedelic medicine—especially our nation’s Veterans—is crucial to raising awareness of and support for these treatments. Toward this end, SoundMind Project, our affiliate non-profit, is excited to launch our Veteran Peer Support in Psychedelics Film Project, which will follow the treatment of Ace Crespo and the peer support mentors, including Nick Blackston, who are part of his care team. This film project will document the power of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of depression and PTSD, as well as the training process that each of our peer mentors goes through to join our care teams.