Our founders were immediately moved to action by this gripping account of a high suicide rate among a group of veterans. The article not only portrayed the sad series of attempted and successful suicides but also highlighted the failure of any effective help reaching these veterans.
Believing that a non-government linked effort could prove highly effective, Sylvia Bischoff, our executive director, led an effort to develop a program which could be used as the basis for a new and innovative form of retreat-based and trauma-reducing healing.
In February and March 2016, the founding team recruited a core team of specialist advisors and providers and across areas of therapy, acupuncture, wellness and nutrition. The Florida retreat was born and with the pilot retreat occurring in April 2016, located in Sebastian, Florida. In June 2016, Phoenix is Rising, Inc was formed and with an IRS section 501(c)(3) non-profit application approved.