I started coming to Blended Spirits Ranch almost two years ago. I was introduced to the ranch by a friend of mine and then later attended the veterans program through the Vet Center. What led me to attend the program was that I came home from Iraq with injuries, both physical and mental. The physical issues I could work through but the mental wounds made me shut down and push everyone away. Through the program I have learned many things that have brought me back to a state where I feel like myself again. I struggled for a long time with thoughts of suicide because I couldn’t forgive myself for things I had done and some of the things that I had seen, but through a combination of traditional therapy and the equine assisted psychotherapy I’ve been given a chance to make a difference. Thanks to Sandy and everyone else at Blended Spirits Ranch I have hope for the future and I feel as though I have a sense of purpose again by helping to mentor other veterans who are struggling just as I did. I cannot express how thankful my family and I are for Blended Spirits Ranch and all those who are involved for what they do, because they have given me much more than I could ever hope to repay.