Veteran & First Responder

Trauma Counseling - Scuba Retreats

One Degree of Course Correction

Our Mission

We are dedicated to confronting the Veteran and First Responder mental health crisis by preventing suicide and reducing the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our approach centers on healing through a clinical trauma counseling retreat that combines evidence-based therapy, scuba diving as an alternative healing practice, and spiritual guidance.

A Unique Path to Healing

Deep Sea Valkyries is the Nation’s only alternative therapy program that combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), scuba diving, and faith-based devotions specifically designed to explore and address moral injury.

Our retreats are more than just scuba diving trips—they are immersive, transformative voyages designed to heal the mind, body, and soul. By stepping away from the chaos and demands of everyday life, participants can focus on themselves and experience one degree of course correction that can lead to lifelong change.

Camaraderie, Healing, and Purpose

Each retreat brings Veterans and First Responders together as Brothers and Sisters once more—connected by shared experiences and mutual understanding. Through this bond, participants rediscover emotional resilience, physical strength, and spiritual peace.

We believe that when our heroes heal, they return to their communities with renewed purpose, ready to begin their next chapter, live fully, and serve again—from a place of strength, not struggle.

Operation Neptune Spear

May 23rd - 30th, 2025

We recently returned from our 10th anniversary season retreat. Follow us on social media to stay up to date with all the latest.

~ Make An Impact ~

Making an impact means moving beyond words and intentions—it requires action that transforms lives. At Deep Sea Valkyries, we believe true impact is measured by the lives saved, the minds healed, and the souls restored. Every voyage we undertake, every Veteran and First Responder we serve, and every dive we organize is a deliberate step toward breaking the cycle of despair that haunts Veterans and First Responders.

By combining clinical care with the healing power of the ocean and spiritual guidance, we offer more than support — we offer hope, resilience, and renewed purpose. To make an impact, engage with our mission, amplify our message, and be part of the change that helps those who sacrificed for us reclaim their lives. The ocean’s depths reveal strength hidden beneath trauma; together, we bring that strength to the surface.

**Your gift makes a difference.**
**SMALL GIFTS & LARGE IMPACTS...**

Monthly giving allows you to make small contributions over time that have significant impacts by the end of the year. Much like our retreats, one degree of change may not seem significant in the moment, but over time, each of these tiers provides significant course correction and shifts the trajectory in the life of a Veteran or First Responder. We challenge you to partner with us on a monthly basis to make a larger impact.

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Learn about our previous retreats

Upcoming events

Project Restore Hope

9.26 - 10.4
Our annual alumni reunion event which continues developing the camaraderie and expanding our Valkyries’ tribe as they connect with participants across different retreat cohorts.

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Axe-idental Heroes

11.8 7:00-10:00PM
Join us for a fun, casual (and probably a little bit competitive) evening, and help us 'bury the hatchet' on the mental health stigma for Veterans and First Responders. Axe-idental Heroes aims to raise support for our trauma counseling scuba retreat programs during a one-of-a-kind night out packed with laughs, energy, and nostalgia!

More Info
2026 Retreat Applications

12.1 - 12.31
Applications for our 2026 retreat will be accepted for the entire month of December. The link to the application will be found on our home page while it is open. Participants are NOT selected on a first come, first served basis and all complete applications will move forward to the selection committee for review.