Brittany Kelley
DRIPPING SPRINGS — Veterans will soon be able to receive a new form of therapy, with the help of bees, through the Fireside Chat Support Network.
The nonprofit began after a local decorated veteran died by suicide, said Melody Burns, treasurer of the Fireside Chat Support Network.
“Our founder and president and several others felt like there was an important need to do something about the suicide rate and [to] reach out to the veterans and first responders to help them deal with their [post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)] and the stresses from their lives,” explained Burns.
Since then, the support network has hosted weekly fireside chats at 12 Fox Beer Co. in Dripping Springs, where veterans can participate in a peer-led discussion.
This event has been helpful for many, said Burns, but she also noted that alternative therapies have been used to treat PTSD, such as sound, light, vibration, yoga and more. So, when Burns, who is also a beekeeper, discovered bee therapy, she knew it was something she wanted to begin implementing.
Though not widely popular in the United States, she explained that it has been used in Europe through air inhalation and beekeeping, which provides something to look forward to, while using a calm attitude and precision to tend to the bees. Organizations, such as Hives to Heroes, have implemented some of these practices, but Burns wants to focus on inhalation of bee air in her sessions.
“The buzzing of the bees, the vibration of the bees and the breathing of the bee air — the propolis infused air — that is around the beehives in Europe, those things are used for alternative healings and the thought is that the frequencies are calming and help to induce relaxation and will help the veterans and first responders sleep better,” Burns said.
There are companies in the United Kingdom that can ship out facilities for this, she said, but the cost has instead led her to create her own.
Funded through donations, the sauna-like building will have windows to prevent claustrophobia, a ramp for wheelchair accessibility and be large enough to house two benches, which will be filled with bees.
The therapy will be primarily for veterans and first responders, with availability by 30-minute slots, but may be opened to the public for a donation. Because towels are needed to lay on the bench, they can be purchased for a small price, if the individual doesn’t bring their own.
The facility is currently under construction, with an expected completion in May. After, the Fireside Chat Network Support will announce details on its Facebook, which can be found at bit.ly/48oihAd, for the opening at a later date.
