Deep Sea Valkyries

Deep Sea Valkyries' mission is to enhance the lives of Veterans through the treatment of PTSD while introducing them to healthy recreational marine based activities. Focusing on a holistic approach to healing, participants conduct group counseling sessions coupled with guided sea adventures and daily spiritual devotions. Each of our Voyages offers healing for the Mind, Body, and Soul.

FOUNDED IN 2014, DEEP SEA VALKYRIES PROVIDES ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF THERAPY TO INJURED VETERANS AS A METHOD TO COMBAT VETERAN SUICIDE AND ENHANCE LIVES POST-SERVICE. IN A AUGUST 2016 REPORT, THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS RELEASED THEIR FINDINGS FROM ITS ANALYSIS OF VETERAN SUICIDE DATA FOR 50 STATES, PUERTO RICO AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE REPORT IS AN EXAMINATION OF MORE THAN 55 MILLION RECORDS, FROM 1979 TO 2014, REGARDING VETERAN DEATHS. THEIR FINDINGS SHOWED THAT IN 2014:
• ON AVERAGE OF 20 VETERANS DIED BY SUICIDE EACH DAY (2014)
• AFTER ADJUSTING FOR DIFFERENCES IN AGE AND SEX, RISK FOR SUICIDE WAS 22 PERCENT HIGHER AMONG VETERANS COMPARED WITH U.S. CIVILIAN ADULTS. (2014)
• AFTER ADJUSTING FOR DIFFERENCES IN AGE, RISK FOR SUICIDE WAS 19 PERCENT HIGHER AMONG MALE VETERANS COMPARED WITH U.S. CIVILIAN ADULT MEN. (2014)
• AFTER ADJUSTING FOR DIFFERENCES IN AGE, RISK FOR SUICIDE WAS 2.5 TIMES HIGHER AMONG FEMALE VETERANS COMPARED WITH U.S. CIVILIAN ADULT WOMEN (2014)
THE VETERANS THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR RETREATS REPRESENT EACH SERVICE AND SPAN THE POST 9/11 GENERATION TO THE VIETNAM ERA. MEN AND WOMEN, OF ALL ETHNICITY AND RACE, SERVING OUR COUNTRY IN VARIOUS SPECIALTIES IN THE MILITARY. YET EVEN WITH SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP WE SEE MANY COMMON THEMES AMONG THEM ALL. PRE AND POST-RETREAT SURVEYS ARE USED TO DETERMINE PARTICIPANTS QUALITY OF LIFE AND LEVELS OF TRAUMA. QUALITATIVE SURVEYS ARE CONDUCTED DAILY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK TO ASSESS DAY TO DAY PROGRESS AS WELL TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS NEEDING ATTENTION IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF THEIR LIVES. KEY FINDINGS FROM THE PAST TWO YEARS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
SERVICE
A VETERANS TIME IN SERVICE IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE HIGH POINT OF THEIR LIVES - THE MOMENTS THEY WILL CHERISH FOREVER. OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE NO DIFFERENT. 75% STATE THAT THEY MISS BEING DEPLOYED. THIS MAY SOUND IRONIC BUT FOR VETERANS, TIMES DURING DEPLOYMENT ARE OFTEN LESS COMPLICATED. THERE IS USUALLY A CLEAR CUT MISSION OR OBJECTIVE, MANY OF THE NUANCES OF SERVING STATESIDE ARE REMOVED AND YOU BUILD BONDS WITH THE MEN AND WOMEN YOU ARE DEPLOYED WITH. OUR RETREATS REPLICATE MANY ASPECTS OF THIS EXPERIENCE BY CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WITH ONLY THE VETERAN PARTICIPANTS AND LIVING IN TIGHT QUARTERS FAR REMOVED FROM EVERYDAY DISTRACTIONS. 87% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORT EXPERIENCING "MORAL GUILT" - GUILT ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN OR DONE THAT OFTEN CONFLICTS WITH THE EVERYDAY NORMS THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BACK HOME AND AS ALARMING, 75% STRUGGLE TO FORGIVE THEMSELVES. COMBINING SPIRITUAL DEVOTIONS WITH COUNSELING SESSIONS THAT DISCUSS THESE TOPICS HAS SHOWN TO REDUCE THESE NUMBERS.
IDENTITY
FOR MANY VETERANS, RETURNING HOME FROM SERVICE CAN BE MORE CHALLENGING THAN WHEN THEY ENTERED THE SERVICE. FOR NEARLY THEIR ENTIRE CAREER, THEY ARE TOLD WHAT TO DO, HOW TO DO IT, WHEN TO DO IT - THEY QUICKLY ADAPT TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CREATES ORDER OUT OF CHAOS. THEIR INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY IS MOLDED AS THEY TRANSFORM FROM CIVILIAN TO SERVICE MEMBER. HOWEVER, LEAVING THE SERVICE AND RETURNING TO WHAT OTHERS CONSIDER NORMALCY IS NOT EASY. FOR ALL THE EFFORT TO CREATE THE VETERAN, THERE IS LITTLE GUIDANCE ON RETURNING HOME. 62% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE RAISED WITH FAITH BUT LOST IT DURING THEIR TIME IN SERVICE. FOLLOWING THEIR SERVICE, 56% ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND PEACE IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES AND 94% FEEL AS THOUGH THEY HAVE LOST THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BELONGING. OUR FAITH BASED DEVOTIONS REMIND PARTICIPANTS THAT A HEALTHY SPIRIT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH IN FINDING THEIR INNER PEACE. BY BRINGING VETERANS TOGETHER, A NEW COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT CAN BE GENERATED AND CARRIED FORWARD UPON RETURNING HOME.
STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE
STRUGGLES WITHIN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY POST SERVICE WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DEEP SEA VALKYRIES. THE FOUNDERS AND STAFF OF THIS PROGRAM HAVE ALL SUFFERED THROUGH SUICIDES OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS BOTH WHILE IN SERVICE AND AFTER RETURNING HOME. OUR PARTICIPANTS ENCOUNTER THE SAME STRUGGLES. FINDING STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE IS KEY NOT ONLY IN THESE TRYING MOMENTS BUT WHEN ANOTHER VETERAN IN NEED CALLS UPON OUR PARTICIPANTS FOR SUPPORT. 91% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS KNOW SOMEONE OR MULTIPLE VETERANS THAT HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE. DURING OUR 2017 RETREAT, 2 PARTICIPANTS WERE NOTIFIED OF SUICIDES WHILE WE WERE AT SEA. OUR PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SPECIFICALLY DISCUSS THESE TOUGH ISSUES, TO BRING TO LIGHT THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THOSE SUFFERING AND THOSE CALLED UPON IN TIMES OF NEED...

Testimonials

"ATTENTION VETERANS!!! Listen up! This Organization ...