Recovery for Service Members
The 13-Week
Cedar Forest Program
Cedar Forest is a sanctuary designed specifically for veterans and first responders navigating the heavy weight of moral injury. We provide an emotionally grounded, non-clinical environment to navigate the complex internal impacts of service, offering a compassionate space to begin the journey of total restoration.
Our core promise is a path to reconciliation and renewed purpose. By reconnecting with your fundamental values and processing unseen wounds, you will find a clear path back to your family and community with a reclaimed sense of identity and profound clarity.
Program Structure
Pre-Program Welcome Aboard Trip (2 days)
A two-day intensive outdoor orientation designed to build immediate trust with the team and prepare for the restorative journey ahead.
Phase 1: Introduction (Week 1)
Establishing the baseline for recovery. Participants define their current state and begin the process of identifying specific moral injury markers.
Phase 2: Realignment (Weeks 2–4)
Shifting focus toward core values. We examine the disconnect between past actions and true identity to begin the difficult work of reconciliation.
Phase 3: Revival (Weeks 5–10)
The core restorative work. Participants engage in intensive narrative processing and group integration to transform trauma into a foundation for growth.
Phase 4: Renewal & Graduation (Week 11+)
Solidifying the new path forward. A final retreat to transition back to family and community life with permanent purpose and clarity.
Phase 1: Orientation & Trust-Building
- Understand how the program works, what’s expected, and your rights, including confidentiality and the right to withdraw.
- Build initial trust with mentors and staff so you feel safe enough to be honest.
- Set personal goals (like managing guilt, improving relationships, or rebuilding faith) with support from your mentor or provider.
- Choose a vocational skill or hobby to develop throughout the program, giving you something concrete to grow in.
- Complete baseline assessments so you and the team can track your progress over time.
Phase 3: Revival – Community, Spirit, and Daily Life
- Explore community and spiritual resources (faith-based or secular) as sources of strength and meaning.
- Practice new coping tools—mindfulness, acceptance, and positive self-talk—to handle tough emotions.
- Strengthen family or key relationships through better communication and, when possible, family sessions.
- Replace harmful coping with healthier habits, supported by weekly mentor check-ins.
- Deepen your engagement in your chosen skill or hobby, building confidence and a sense of purpose.
Cedar Forest is built so that every phase has clear goals, real-world skills, and measurable progress. Here’s what participants work toward across the program:
Program Outcomes
Phase 2: Realignment – Facing the Hard Stuff
- Begin to name and work through core moral injury symptoms like guilt, shame, betrayal, and emotional numbness.
- Reconnect with your values and strengths so you’re not defined only by what went wrong.
- Build a steady routine around your chosen skill or hobby, logging time and progress each week.
- Practice talking about past actions and experiences without judgment, building self-compassion.
- Grow group trust and peer support so you feel less alone and more understood.
Phase 4: Renewal – Graduation & Life After the Program
- Celebrate personal and group progress, recognizing how far you’ve come.
- Gather the skills, tools, and practices that work for you into a clear plan for long-term recovery.
- Stay connected through an alumni network and peer support options after graduation.
- Share your vocational or hobby progress, building pride in what you’ve created.
- Create a realistic self-care and growth plan so you leave with direction, not just closure.