Starfish Foundation

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Starfish Foundation Starfish Foundation is the sponsor of Healing Warrior Hearts retreats in Wisconsin since 1993, raising funds so veterans can attend at no cost.

Patricia Clason, founder of Taking It Lightly, created the Emotional Liberty Foundation (ELF) in 1990, to provide funding for individuals to do programs like Taking It Lightly for emotional healing work and who, because of their life circumstances, were unable to afford to do so. ELF was a private foundation through the National Heritage Foundation. Changes in federal law closed NHF foundations.

At that time, the Starfish Center became the Starfish Foundation, a charitable, educational tax-exempt (501(c)(3)) organization committed to raising funds to provide scholarships for emotional healing work. The Foundation continued to grow, adding sponsorship of programs dedicated to emotional healing for veterans.

Every year the number of scholarships and supported programs grows as people who have received scholarships pay it forward by donating time and dollars when they can to pass on the gift they received.

The primary program of the Starfish Foundation is the Healing Warrior Hearts retreats, offered to veterans at no cost as we believe they have already paid the price with their service. Information on the retreats is at https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org

Remember what it felt like to have a unit? People who had your back without you having to ask? 💙A lot of veterans lose t...
10/21/2026

Remember what it felt like to have a unit? People who had your back without you having to ask? 💙

A lot of veterans lose that when they take off the uniform. The invisible wounds of service the memories, the weight, the feeling that no one really gets it can follow you home and stay quiet for years.

Healing Warrior Hearts retreats give you that unit back. It's a confidential weekend with fellow veterans and caring staff who understand, because many of them have walked the same road. Come as you are. Connect, be heard, and begin to heal.

🗓️ January 22–24, 2027
📍 Milwaukee, WI
💙 No cost to veterans, sponsored by The Starfish Foundation
🇺🇸 Open to veterans of every branch and every era

Winter can be one of the hardest seasons. Give yourself something to look forward to.

👉 Save your spot: https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/hwh-retreats-registration-page

Learn more: https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/retreats-for-all-veterans

Worried about a veteran in your life? You don't have to make the call alone. 💙If a veteran you know is going through a h...
10/20/2026

Worried about a veteran in your life? You don't have to make the call alone. 💙

If a veteran you know is going through a hard time, sit with them and call the Veterans Crisis Line together. Caring, qualified responders, many of them veterans themselves, answer 24/7.

Some of the bravest conversations start with "I'll stay on the line with you."

📞 Dial 988, then Press 1
💬 Text 838255 💻

Chat: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/

Contact Us | Healing Warrior Hearts | Milwaukee WI https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

👉 Save 988 (then Press 1) in your phone today, and share this post so someone else has it too.

When a teen loses a military or veteran parent, the grief rarely stays in one place. 💙It shows up in changed routines, s...
10/19/2026

When a teen loses a military or veteran parent, the grief rarely stays in one place. 💙

It shows up in changed routines, shifting friendships, a home that suddenly feels less safe, and a future that looks different than it did before. And teens often carry it quietly.

Tomorrow, the TAPS Institute for Hope and Healing® hosts a free webinar for parents, caregivers, educators, and mental health professionals:

Holding Two Truths: Supporting Teens Through Grief and Growth With Steven J. Karaiskos, PhD, Director of Postvention & Community Programs, The Kita Center

📅 Tuesday, October 20, 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM EDT
💻 Virtual · Free

You'll learn how teen grief unfolds over time, and how to respond without rushing to "fix" it, making room for both what was lost and what is still being built.

👉 Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ylhnucbxTgq0K3-ErrI0fA

Know a parent, teacher, or coach supporting a grieving military teen? Tag them or share this post.

Contact Us | Healing Warrior Hearts | Milwaukee WI https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

📞 TAPS 24/7 Helpline: 800-959-TAPS (8277)

Mental health doesn't live only in your head. 💜How you sleep, eat, move, and spend your days all shape how you feel, and...
10/16/2026

Mental health doesn't live only in your head. 💜

How you sleep, eat, move, and spend your days all shape how you feel, and for many veterans, those basics got rewired by service. Irregular sleep, skipped meals, and always being "on" can follow you long after you hang up the uniform.

The good news: small steps count.
🚶 One walk outside
🍎 One meal you actually sit down for
📞 One call to a friend

This weekend, pick one and do it. That's it.

Carrying more than small steps can fix?

VA's REACH hub can point you to support for whatever you're facing, from health challenges and isolation to life transitions.

👉 Find support: https://www.va.gov/REACH/

You matter. We're here for you.

And if you need more than a small step, we're here too. Healing Warrior Hearts offers services and support to help veterans navigate what they're facing.

👉 Learn more or reach out:

https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

When people picture PTSD, they often picture ground combat. But Navy veterans carry it too, from flight deck mishaps and...
10/15/2026

When people picture PTSD, they often picture ground combat. But Navy veterans carry it too, from flight deck mishaps and shipboard emergencies to rescue missions, long deployments, and military sexual trauma.

And PTSD doesn't always show up as flashbacks. Sometimes it looks like:
🔹 Sleep that never feels like rest
🔹 A short fuse over small things
🔹 Feeling numb or far from the people you love
🔹 Drinking more, working nonstop, or pulling away

These signs are easy to miss, even in yourself.

The U.S. Navy just marked its 251st birthday. To every sailor still carrying something from their service: you're not weak, and you're not alone. PTSD is treatable, and healing is possible.

📘 Learn more about PTSD: https://www.va.gov/REACH/challenge/posttraumatic-stress-disorder
💙 HWH retreats welcome veterans of every branch, at no cost: https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/hwh-retreats-registration-page

👉 Tag a shipmate you haven't checked on in a while.

https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Before, during, and after Don't Ask, Don't Tell, many LGBTQ+ service members s...
10/14/2026

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Before, during, and after Don't Ask, Don't Tell, many LGBTQ+ service members served while hiding part of who they were. Some faced discrimination, injustice, and abuse that didn't end at discharge.

You served while hiding part of who you were. Now it's your time to heal.

The Healing Warrior Hearts LGBTQ+ Veterans Retreat is a confidential space to connect, be heard, and heal, alongside staff who are veterans, civilians, and allies who understand.

🗓️ October 23–25, 2026
📍 Milwaukee, WI
💙 No cost to veterans
✈️ Veterans welcome from across the country. Free air transportation may be available.

Only 9 days away, and space is limited.
👉 Register: https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/hwh-retreats-registration-page
📖 Learn more: https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/lgbtq-focus

Know an LGBTQ+ veteran who needs this weekend? Send this to them.

https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

No matter when you need them, Veterans Crisis Line responders are ready to listen and help, 24/7/365. Many of them are v...
10/13/2026

No matter when you need them, Veterans Crisis Line responders are ready to listen and help, 24/7/365. Many of them are veterans themselves. You don't have to be in crisis to reach out. A hard day is reason enough.

📞 Dial 988, then Press 1
💬 Text 838255
💻 Chat: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/

Worried about a veteran you love? You can call too, or even call together.

👉 Save the number in your phone today, and share this post. You never know who needs to see it.

https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

Happy Birthday to the United States Navy!Today, we honor and celebrate centuries of strength, courage, and commitment fr...
10/13/2026

Happy Birthday to the United States Navy!

Today, we honor and celebrate centuries of strength, courage, and commitment from the brave Sailors, Veterans, and Navy families who have answered the call to serve on the seas and beyond. Thank you for your dedication, sacrifice, and steadfast protection of our nation's freedom.

At Healing Warrior Hearts, we stand alongside our Navy Veterans and military community, offering a safe space to find peace, connection, and restoration. 💜

👉 Learn more about our retreat programs: Healing Warrior Hearts Retreats

👉 healingwarriorhearts.org/hwh-retreats/registration-page

When a service member or veteran dies, their family shouldn't have to fight for the support they were promised. 💙Tomorro...
10/12/2026

When a service member or veteran dies, their family shouldn't have to fight for the support they were promised. 💙

Tomorrow, the TAPS Institute for Hope and Healing® hosts a free webinar on the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. Learn how it improves and expands benefits for surviving families, and how you can help get it passed this year.

🎙️ Featuring Candace Wheeler & Ashlynne Haycock-Lohmann, TAPS Institute for Hope and Healing®
📅 Tuesday, October 13, 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM EDT
💻 Virtual · Free

👉 Register now: https://taps-institute.org/program/webinar-take-care-of-americas-veterans-act/

Know a surviving military family? Tag them or share this post.

https://www.healingwarriorhearts.org/contact

Happy Columbus Day from Healing Warrior Hearts! 💜💛May every journey remind us of the courage to explore, the strength to...
10/12/2026

Happy Columbus Day from Healing Warrior Hearts! 💜💛

May every journey remind us of the courage to explore, the strength to move forward, and the stories that shape our lives.

Wishing you a safe and meaningful Columbus Day! ⚓🌊

Veteran Support and Retreats | Healing Warrior Hearts | United States

🌐 healingwarriorhearts.org

Address

2437 N Booth Street
Milwaukee, WI
53212

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14143745433

Website

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