From Shock to Awe
Fri, Oct 25
|Social Engagement Salon
This documentary asks ‘How do we heal our deepest wounds?’ An intimate and raw look at the transformational journey of two combat veterans suffering from severe trauma as they abandon pharmaceuticals to seek relief from the mind-expanding world of psychedelics.
Time & Location
Oct 25, 2019, 7:00 PM
Social Engagement Salon, 190 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301, USA
About the event
From Shock to Awe raises fundamental questions about war, the pharmaceutical industry and resulting opiod crisis, and the US legal system. Centering on the experiences of veterans, Matt Kahl and Mike Cooley, and their challenging post-war lives, lives shattered by the trauma of war. The vets personally struggle with anxiety, fear, depression, anger, and an overall inability to find an equilibrium in society and with their families. In order to deal with their erratic emotions and haunted state-of-mind, doctors prescribe intense pharmaceuticals with various side effects that bring them face-to-face with death. In response to the negative impact of traditional Western medicine, both vets begin to use cannabis as an alternative. Although beneficial on many levels, our heroes yearn for deeper healing.
Mike and Matt decide to take ayahuasca, an Amazonian brew traditionally used for healing and spiritual insights. These warriors attend a weekend ceremony filled with hope for change and fear of the unknown.
Upon returning to home, they quickly learn that their families are not prepared for the rapid transformation. Through unexpected twists and turns and a desire to understand their husbands’ journeys, Their partners Aimee and Brooke embark on their own psychedelic healing journey with ayahuasca and MDMA.