Heroic Hearts Project UK

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Leading the way in the fight against PTSD

21/07/2026

Neil Woods spent 14 years as an undercover drugs officer, infiltrating gangs and risking his life on the front line of the UK’s war on drugs.

Today, he advocates for a different approach. As Neil puts it on the latest episode of British Scandal:

“I couldn’t change things from within, so I actually resigned from police to become an activist... We’re criminalising addiction; we’re making the very worst elements of our society more powerful and the only way of defeating it is changing drug policy.”

In this powerful conversation, Neil speaks candidly about the realities of undercover policing, the lasting impact of trauma, including PTSD and moral injury and why his experiences led him to rethink drug policy.

Neil is also one of Heroic Hearts Project UK’s recent beneficiaries. His journey reflects an important conversation about what happens when those exposed to trauma are given the opportunity to heal and why compassionate, evidence-informed approaches matter.

We’re grateful to Neil for continuing to speak openly about his experiences and for helping to broaden the conversation around trauma, recovery and drug policy.

🎧 If you haven’t already, we highly recommend listening to this episode of British Scandal: “Meet the Undercover Officer Who Turned Against Drug Busts.”

28/05/2026

We’re thrilled to be partnering with OEV Partners for the 8th International Conference on Law Enforcement & Public Health - Vulnerability, policing and public health.

📅 6 - 9 September 2026
📍 University of Leeds, UK
🎟️ Link to register: https://leph2026.org/

The panel is entitled “The police mental health crisis is a crisis for society. Is psychedelic therapy the future? Lessons from real-world research and practice”. It will be moderated by Neil Wood and it features an exceptional line-up including our very own Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley, Research Director at Heroic Hearts Project UK, Ambassadors Chris Barnes and Sharon Fox and Professor David Nutt.

This will be a chance to hear first hand from people who have experienced the benefits or collected the evidence why police and first responders urgently need access to psychedelic therapy to help address the rampant mental health crisis across occupations at high risk of mental health injury at work.

If you’ve not yet registered, there are a range of ticket options available including day tickets and reduced prices for the voluntary sector.

Early bird prices are available until 31st May.

07/05/2026

“We don’t yet know what these changes mean, but we do note that overall, people showed positive psychological changes in this study, including improved wellbeing and mental flexibility.” - Prof Robin Carhart-Harris

🔬Scientists have long sought to understand how psychedelics affect the brain and the work has gained fresh impetus in the wake of trials and studies that suggest the compounds could be used to treat a range of mental health disorders. The drugs are thought to help by boosting flexible thinking and allowing people to escape destructive cognitive ruts.

📚Read more at the link about the latest study, where Carhart-Harris and colleagues at Imperial College London explored the “entropic brain effect”, in which neural activity becomes more varied on psychedelics; the impact of the drug on people’s wellbeing alongside any functional or anatomical changes in the brain.

21/04/2026

Thrilled our CEO Keith J Abraham will be speaking at the 2nd Cambridge Psychedelic Research Day on 22 April.

Led by Dr Liliana Galindo Guarin and bringing together a brilliant line-up of speakers and panellists, the day will span PTSD, OCD, depression, eating disorders, lived experience, and the future of psychedelic-assisted therapies in research and clinical practice.

📍 Wed 22 April 2026 | Clare College, Cambridge

16/04/2026

Read through article as it explores the journey of our Founder and Director, Jesse Gould.

After three combat deployments in Afghanistan, Jesse Gould returned home with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD, sharing that he “drank almost every night to cope.” Like many veterans, he turned to conventional pathways such as medication and talk therapy, but found they often felt like “more of a maintenance program than actually overcoming it.”

In 2017, seeking a different path, Jesse travelled to Peru to experience ayahuasca. “The PTSD, the depression, the hyper vigilance no longer affected me to the same degree.” Having lost more than a dozen people he served alongside to su***de, this experience became the catalyst for founding Heroic Hearts Project.

Since then, Heroic Hearts Project has supported more than 1,500 veterans and their spouses through professionally facilitated retreats, with a strong emphasis on a robust intake process. As Jesse notes, “These experiences absolutely carry risk, and I don’t take that lightly. That is exactly why screening, preparation and integration matter so much.”

The urgency of this work is clear. In 2023, the su***de rate among veterans in the United States was 35 per 100,000 people, more than double the general population’s rate.

At the same time, momentum is building globally. In the U.S., states including Colorado, Oregon, and New Mexico have moved to legalise psilocybin for therapeutic use, with several others actively considering similar legislation. These developments reflect a growing recognition of the potential for psychedelic-assisted therapies when delivered safely and responsibly.

But for many veterans, this conversation is urgent and deeply personal. With more than 2,000 veterans currently on the Heroic Hearts Project waitlist, the need for accessible, effective solutions has never been clearer.

At Heroic Hearts Project UK, we are committed to help veterans not just manage, but truly heal. If you or someone you know could benefit from our programmes, or if you’d like to support our mission, we invite you to learn more and join the conversation.

14/03/2026

Delighted that our HHPUK Ambassador Sharon will be speaking at the Psychedelic Symposium in Hastings.

📍 March 28th, The Observer Building, Hastings
🎟️ Tickets and details: https://lnkd.in/ecUSGrre

18/02/2026

Encouraging results from the latest clinical trial a single dose of DMT in tandem with psychotherapy showing rapid, lasting reductions in major depression symptoms.

Policy must evolve to reflect the evidence. We will continue advocating for research in psychedelic-assisted therapy, responsible regulation and mental health reform.

“People with major depressive disorder can see a rapid and lasting improvement after a single dose of the psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT) when it is combined with psychotherapy, doctors have said.
“DMT is an active ingredient of the ayahuasca brew used in shamanistic rituals in South America.
“An estimated 100 million people worldwide have treatment-resistant depression, defined as a major depressive disorder that has not responded to at least two antidepressants. About half are unable to perform routine daily tasks.
“A small clinical trial involving 34 people found that psychedelic-assisted therapy prompted a swift reduction in depressive symptoms that endured long after the drug had worn off, with some still feeling the benefits six months later.”

05/01/2026

Should the NHS be using psilocybin to treat depression? Yes.
The BBC lays it out clearly: current treatments fail many people, and evidence for psilocybin-assisted therapy is growing, especially for treatment-resistant depression. Risk matters, but so do the harms of inaction.

Read the full article 👉 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg936l88e7o

18/12/2025

Some more shots from the PSYCH Symposium earlier this month! 🌿

The panel “The Jungle vs the Journal” explored what Western science can learn from indigenous wisdom and practices, reminding us there’s still so much more to learn. For us at HHPUK, the active role of nature, peer support and community is central to everything we do.

Hosted by our Research Director , the discussion featured our CEO , Advisory Board and .io member .netzband , and Satya who shared personal journeys, compelling evidence and powerful transformation stories from psychedelic therapy practice.

👏Shout-out to our new social media manager Rita for supporting behind the scenes on the day.

📸 by Peter Lally

05/12/2025

What an inspiring day at PSYCH Symposium in London.

We’re grateful to PSYCH and Drug Science for hosting such a thoughtful, insight-packed and meaningful gathering.

It was an honour for HHPUK to be part of the conversation – not just to speak, but to listen. Yesterday brought together people who are working at the forefront of psychedelic science and care across Europe and beyond. The depth of dialogue, curiosity, and shared commitment to progress was genuinely energising.

Events like this remind us how essential it is to take time to learn, connect, challenge assumptions, reflect, and work together to build a future grounded in evidence, compassion, and collaboration.

We are proud to stand alongside so many people working tirelessly in this space – and we’re excited about what comes next.

Address

51-55 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 8TX

Website

http://www.heroicheartsuk.com/, https://linktr.ee/HeroicHeartsProjectUK

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