MOVING
FORWARD
A Healing Space in Nature
Many IDF soldiers, police officers, and security personnel injured during combat, continue to live with both physical and emotional scars, including PTSD. Moving Forward, LOTEM’s flagship program, helps them heal and reintegrate into daily life.
By creating a safe and restorative environment in nature, through nature-based retreats and group journeys, participants can take necessary breaks, to recharge with the strength to cope empowering them with the resilience and strength to move forward.
ABOUT MOVING FORWARD
In Israel, thousands of IDF soldiers - active-duty soldiers, reservists, and veterans injured during their military service are suffering from PTSD. While some carry visible scars, many others struggle with hidden wounds that affect every aspect of their lives. They often grapple with recurring memories and environmental triggers that transport them back to the battlefield. Nature therapy has emerged as a valuable tool for coping, sensory regulation, and soothing overwhelming emotions. This therapeutic approach utilizes experiential activities in natural settings to facilitate healing and emotional growth. LOTEM’s nature-based interventions provide a vital and proven path toward healing, resilience, and recovery.
LOTEM’s "Moving Forward" nature therapy retreats help IDF veterans cope with the dissonance and daily challenges of integrating back into civilian life.
The retreats are guided by leading professionals in the field in Israel. Using their 32 years of experience in nature therapy and their extensive expertise in the field of mental health within the world of disabilities, LOTEM is dedicated to working with these populations facing stress-related disorders.
“Moving Forward” is designed to strengthen mental resilience and support coping with life’s challenges following the impact of conflict, through nature-based activities. The program includes therapeutic retreats as well as specialized subprograms such as 100+, Friends for Life, and Warriors on a Journey.
NATURE THERAPY
Nature-based therapy, often referred to as ecotherapy or green therapy, is an innovative therapeutic approach that leverages the healing power of natural environments to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This methodology integrates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and experiential learning within nature. Structured activities such as wilderness treks, gardening, forest bathing, or simply observing nature are designed to reduce stress, improve mood, enhance self-awareness, and foster a connection with the natural world.
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Therapists guide participants in mindful engagement with their surroundings, encouraging the use of all senses to ground themselves in the present moment. This approach has shown promise in reducing PTSD symptoms, improving emotional regulation, and enhancing overall well-being. By facilitating personal and group changes in calm, natural settings, nature therapy helps individuals in their recovery process from PTSD, enabling them to regain a sense of purpose and productivity. This method has proven benefits and is particularly valuable in addressing the complexities of daily life, prolonged exposure to stressors, and states of uncertainty that make rehabilitation challenging. The personal adjustment, flexibility, accessibility, and tolerance inherent in nature therapy are essential and form the basis of effective treatment.
OUR PROGRAMS
MOVING FORWARD
Moving Forward consists of two- to three-day nature-based retreats, during which participants immerse themselves in the natural environment, hike, take part in unique workshops, and engage in group discussions. They are accompanied by a professional team of certified hiking guides with extensive experience, support from veteran organizations, social workers, and additional specialized staff. The retreats take place in Israel, ensuring maximum peace and isolation.
Since the beginning of the war, approximately 1,700 participants—wounded soldiers from Israel’s wars—have attended the retreats. Participants also include Israel Police officers coping with PTSD following the events of October 7, as well as members of rapid-response teams from kibbutzim. Participants join the program through Israel’s major veteran organizations, and the program’s operations are coordinated continuously through meetings between LOTEM staff and partner organizations.
The Moving Forward program includes three complementary initiatives—100+, Friends for Life, and Heroes on the Journey. Each addresses a different set of needs identified in the field, and together they form a holistic approach to supporting injured soldiers on their path to recovery and reintegration.
100+
100+ offers retreats similar to Moving Forward, but they are designed for participants with more severe physical injuries, requiring a higher level of accessibility.
These retreats are held several times a year and involve meticulous planning and substantial resources in both logistics and operational management. The program ensures that all participants can safely and fully engage in the experience, combining outdoor activities, workshops, and community support.
Warriors on a Journey
Warriors on a Journey is a professional, unique horseback journey in Israel. Participants begin with an orientation phase, learning to bond with their horse, ride, care for, and feed it, as well as acquiring field and survival skills. The journey then continues for five days across the country’s landscapes, with each participant responsible for their own horse.
The program includes workshops and survival activities that foster connection between participants and horses, providing immediate and tangible feedback. These journeys are in high demand and have already included groups such as bereaved siblings who lost their brothers at the Nova festival, for whom the experience offered a first opportunity to be themselves and share their thoughts and emotions since October 7. More journeys are planned in the coming year for groups of soldiers and rapid-response teams from local communities. Each journey lasts five days, preceded by preparation days, totaling 11 days. There are also shorter journeys of three days.
Friends for Life
Friends for Life is a program that trains emotional support dogs and strengthens the bond between participants and their dogs. Many soldiers attend retreats accompanied by their dogs, which are considered permanent guests and play a crucial role in their emotional well-being. The program provides an additional professional layer of guidance, helping participants develop a deeper, supportive emotional connection with their dogs.
During the program, participants take part in daily hikes accompanied by professional guides, therapeutic staff, and experienced dog trainers with backgrounds in military, police, and emotional support training. Activities include hiking, dog training exercises, and challenges that connect participants with their dogs, teaching both sides to communicate effectively on an emotional level. Each course consists of four full-day sessions.
OUR IMPACT
Therapeutic Retreats Amid Crisis – Impact Data and Participant Feedback
As part of LOTEM’s emergency response to the ongoing war, we have expanded our nature-based therapeutic retreats tailored to the unique needs of affected populations. wounded IDF veterans coping with PTSD are taking part in retreats through the “Moving Forward” program. Since the beginning of the war, approximately 1,700 soldiers and security forces personnel have participated in the program.
At the conclusion of each retreat, both participants and accompanying professionals complete evaluation surveys assessing the program’s relevance, emotional impact, and effectiveness.
Highlights from Recent Evaluations:
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90% agreed strongly with the statement: “I felt a sense of calm during the retreat.”
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98% experienced a reduction in stress or anxiety.
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89%+ reported a strong sense of belonging and feeling they are not alone.
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60% stated they acquired tools to help with future emotional challenges.
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30% expressed mixed feelings about this aspect.
Participants overwhelmingly noted the healing power of nature as a key contributor to their mental well-being.
Identified by participants as key elements in fostering trust, inspiration, and a sense of purpose:
Nighttime activities
Shared musical experiences
Small-group bonding
Open-Ended Participant Feedback:
Before the retreat:
“Exhausted and overwhelmed”
“Stressed and uncertain”
“Emotionally drained from ongoing displacement”
“Alone with my stress and unable to focus”
After the retreat:
“Recharged and refocused”
“Three days of peace—finally able to set aside worries”
“Regained a sense of calm and practical tools to manage stress”
“The collective community spirit gave me a sense of belonging and grounding”
Participants Sense of Connection During Retreats:
