Inner North Star PTSD Retreat Center

THE MISSION OF THE INNER NORTH STAR PTSD RETREAT CENTER FOR FEMALE VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS

To provide one of the only Retreat Centers exclusively for female Veterans and First Responders with PTSD.  And one of the only “pay it forward, train the trainer programs” in order to reduce the suicide rate in the veteran and first responder community.

By now we’ve all heard we lose about 22 veterans per day to suicide.  Female veterans commit suicide at 2.5 times the rate of their male counterparts. We also now lose more police officers and firefighters to suicide than we do in the line of duty.

Mental health impacts us all.  If you live in the United States you have every freedom because a service member fought for that, for you.  If you ever have or will call 911 your life may depend upon that first responder.

For us to place this level of expectation on these individuals we each must do our part to ensure they have the skills to maintain mental wellness in order to do their job to their greatest ability.  Equally, they deserve to live the highest quality of life which hasn’t been diminished due to the effects of trauma.

If we are going to impact the rate at which these individuals are taking their lives, we must have programs that have the ability to have a “pay it forward” ripple effect.  As a female Air Force Veteran and former Firefighter, I saw first hand the need for this type of program, especially for the unique challenges women face in these career fields.   Thus, I founded the non-profit,  Inner North Star PTSD Retreat Center to provide a no-cost “Train the Trainer” program for women that not only teaches the skills one needs to remove the effects of PTSD, but also to maintain a healthy mental state, in any situation.  These skills can then be taught to anyone else they meet who may be struggling.

The only way we can offer these programs is through donations from people like you, who have the ability to make a tremendous difference in the lives of these women who need and deserve our support.

 FOUNDER, MICHELLE DUTRO