(COLUMBIA, MO) – Healium is excited to partner with the nation’s VFWs to bring groundbreaking immersive biofeedback experiences to its more than 6,000 posts and 1.4 million members. The VFW will feature Healium’s technology at its 126th VFW National Convention in Columbus, Ohio, and at the VFW Headquarters in Kansas City. VFW will also encourage its local posts to integrate Healium’s tools into their wellness programs.
Healium is already popular at VA hospitals across the country. The U.S. military awarded Healium sole source contract status to bring its specialized mental wellness solutions to veterans and active duty service members. The new partnership expands VFW’s Combat Tested Gaming league, launched in 2023 to create a virtual community among veterans using state-of-the-art tools. The expansion focuses on mental wellness resources and partnerships with gaming and VR industry leaders.
Veterans often return home carrying the invisible wounds of service, including emotional suppression, chronic stress, and trauma. Nearly 20% of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from PTSD or depression. According to the VA’s most recent National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (2024), an average of 17.6 veterans die by suicide every day. Although this figure is widely accepted, the real number may be even higher.
Traditional coping mechanisms often aren’t enough to address these issues. Healium offers a safe, drugless, science-backed solution that uses virtual reality and specialized biofeedback to help veterans see their feelings and learn to self-regulate them. By visualizing their internal state, veterans can begin to understand and self-regulate their feelings.
“It’s hard to heal what you can’t see,” said Sarah Hill, CEO of Healium. “That’s why we’re honored to partner with VFWs across the country, so more Veterans can visualize their feelings and learn to self-regulate their mental well-being. Healium gives users a window into their own brainwaves and heart rate, helping them build resilience through immersive, biofeedback-powered experiences.”
Healium’s specialized biofeedback products support service members’ emotional resilience by turning real-time biometric data into interactive, relaxing media experiences. In multiple peer-reviewed journals, Healium has been shown to reduce anxiety or improve mood in as little as 4 minutes. These proven outcomes have helped Healium form strategic alliances that bring mental wellness tools directly into the hands of those who need them most.
“Leveraging these new relationships helps ensure Combat Testing Gaming can continue to foster a strong, welcoming virtual community that meets veterans where they are,” said Al Lipphardt, VFW National Commander. “This expansion represents a powerful convergence of technology, community, and purpose. By embracing innovation and supporting veteran-owned businesses, we’re creating new pathways for healing, connection, and growth for our members.”
About Healium
Healium is a media channel and patented technology that connects biometric data from consumer wearables to modify and recommend objects. Its products for anxiety and sleep allow users to learn to self-regulate their stress by giving them the ability to SEE their own EEG brain patterns or heart rate in real-time. In multiple peer-reviewed journals, Healium has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety and improve mood in as little as four minutes. Healium's social purpose is "Honor Everywhere", a free program for Veterans to virtually visit their WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Women's Memorials.
About VFW
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation's largest and most established major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard, and Reserve forces. With more than 1.4 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information, or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.
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