Healing Protectors

Beau Laviolette, 47, is a licensed clinical social worker based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he and his work are deeply shaped by this military experience. After leaving the Marine Corps, Beau lost members of his platoon in a horrific helicopter crash on January 26, 2005. Thirty Marines were killed. This loss impacted him profoundly, ultimately motivating him to create Healing Protectors, an IFS-Informed nonprofit that provides free nature-based retreats for those who have served in the military. Beau is 100% committed to ensuring that no veteran has to heal alone and also helps provide ongoing community support.

“We need to break the chains of perpetual violence, both emotional and physical, to create the space for healing,” says Beau in his soft Cajun drawl. “Nature is ideal for this.”

The retreats are hosted on a forested, 75-acre private property owned by one of Beau’s former retreat students.

Beau is an EMDRIA-approved consultant, an Internal Family Systems (IFS) consultant, and a lead trainer with the Syzygy Institute, where he provides trainings on the integration of IFS and EMDR to therapists across the United States and internationally. This makes him uniquely experienced and trained in order to help military service members integrate their emotions and traumas.

Healing Protectors will lead four retreats this year, including one for women only.

EDITOR’S NOTE: (1) The IFS-and-nature concept was inspired from an initial program by Ray Mount, PhD, who co-led an earlier retreat with Beau. (2) The Foundation for Self Leadership provided funding to support the first three retreats that Beau developed and organized—two for veterans and one for therapists of veterans.

The Foundation for Self Leadership and Healing Protectors, both of which share strong interest in fostering deeper healing for veterans who suffer from PTSD, are now exploring an even closer collaboration.