New Study Highlights Promise of Psilocybin Retreats for Veterans with TBI

A new peer-reviewed study, published this week in Frontiers in Psychiatry, is shining a spotlight on what many of our veterans already know firsthand: psilocybin retreats, when done safely and intentionally, can change lives.

The study followed 21 U.S. veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological distress who attended Heroic Hearts Project-supported psilocybin retreats in partnership with Beckley Retreats. Over the course of six days, these participants received two carefully administered psilocybin ceremonies, alongside preparation and integration support from HHP-trained coaches.

The results?

• Depression symptoms dropped by 65%
  
• PTSD scores were cut in half
  
• Anxiety fell by nearly 30%
  
• Sleep improved
  
• Quality of life rose significantly
  
• Veterans reported feeling more connected and able to reintegrate after service

But this study went even deeper than the mind—it looked at the brain. Researchers used EEG technology to measure changes in brainwave activity before and after the retreat. They found that the psilocybin experience appeared to normalize patterns commonly disrupted by TBI, particularly in areas related to emotional processing and cognitive control. In short: the veterans’ brains looked healthier and more balanced after the retreat.

Connectivity circles illustrating the coherence between electrodes for pre-retreat and post-retreat recordings across delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands.

These results are powerful. They validate what we have witnessed in over 1000 veterans: that healing is possible, even after years of suffering. That with the right preparation, guidance, and care, psychedelic treatment can offer a path forward.

Of course, this is just the beginning. The sample size was small, and we need larger, controlled studies to confirm and expand on these findings. But this research adds important momentum to the growing field of psychedelic therapy—and reinforces why access, support, and ethical care for veterans must remain a national priority.

To all the veterans who participated: thank you for your courage. Your healing journey is paving the way for others. Read the full study here.