What to expect

The Allied Foundation healing retreat utilizes evidence-based, trauma-informed, holistic and therapeutic workshops including trauma-informed yoga (Nolan, 2016), yoga Nidra, or iRest (Stankovic, 2011), community-based drumming (Landis-Schack, et al, 2017; Chadwick, 2010), forest therapy (Twohig-Bennet, 2018), fishing, and kayaking, with a team of therapists, healers and musicians to create a one-of-a-kind experience of life-enhancing holistic healing for first responders and veterans dealing with operational stress injury (OSI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Certified instructors in each modality work with the ACF team to facilitate a weekend of evidence-based healing and recovery in a safe, affirming and inclusive environment. 

• Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy and Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY)
• Strategies for Resolving the Impact of Trauma
• iRest® Meditation Techniques to Overcome Trauma
• Therapeutic Drumming
• Guided Forest Meditation - Shiryin Yoku (Healing in Nature)

In their article “Understanding Resilience: New approaches for prevention and treatment of PTSD” Horn, et al (2016) assert “Along with mindfulness, yoga and meditation have become more widespread in treating PTSD and enhancing resilience. Yoga enables the integration of physical exercise, known to be protective against dysregulation of stress responses (Tsatsoulis and Fountoulakis, 2006). A recent RCT of a yoga intervention for 80 individuals with PTSD found that the program not only decreased PTSD symptoms but showed even greater improvements in measures of positive affect and resilience compared to those in the waitlist control condition (Jindani et al., 2015). Meditation, a common technique often combined with yoga, has also been adapted for the treatment of PTSD. A breathing-based meditation intervention combined with yoga with US military male veterans was associated with reductions in PTSD and anxiety symptoms (Seppälä et al., 2014).”

The primary purpose of the Allied Charitable Foundation is to provide; on-going peer support; health and wellness support to First Responders and military Veterans and their families; provide a road to recovery for people who are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder through healing retreats; and provide continued support and connection post-retreat through the Allied online community.

The Allied Foundation vision is to promote and coordinate healing retreats, foster and promote research and create a centre of excellence located on the West Coast of British Columbia, working across Canada and internationally.