Finding Calm in the Hive: How Beekeeping is Helping Veterans Reconnect

They are here to look after bees – thousands of them, also dressed in their own uniforms of yellow and black.  

Inside the hive, the tiny insects work together in perfect rhythm. Outside the hive, Veterans have their own tasks: learning to slow down, focus, and reconnect.

The beekeeping effort is a collaboration between VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s (VAGLAHS) Whole Health program and community partners at the Valley Hive. Led by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Melissa Lewis, the program brings Veterans into the intricate, fascinating, and calming world of the hive.

What began as a small idea has quickly grown, with groups of up to 20 Veterans participating, many praising its healing and mindfulness benefits.

“It feels like it uses another part of my brain that I don’t use every day,” said Air Force Veteran Mickey Clarke. “I can feel something opening up. It’s peaceful, it’s joyful… like I’m tapping into something. For those couple of hours, you literally forget about your worries.”

The beekeeping bug

Lewis has a deep passion for working with Veterans, and pursued her PhD with the sole intention of working at VA.

The beekeeping bug stung Lewis a few years ago after a girl’s trip. “We did a beekeeping excursion and I absolutely loved it,” she said.

After joining the LA County Beekeeper’s Association, she later discovered the Manchester VA Medical Center’s Honeybee Initiative for Veteran's Empowerment and Support (HIVES) program. The HIVES program was launched in 2019 to promote connection and mindfulness for Veterans in a nontraditional health care setting.

Research has shown that Veterans in HIVES showed improvements in anxiety, depression and overall health scales, as well as a decrease in loneliness, sadness, and pain.

Lewis was instantly inspired to bring something similar to VAGLAHS, but she needed a master beekeeper to partner with. Turns out the experts at the Valley Hive in Chatsworth – led by Keith Roberts and Danny Finkelstein were up to the task. They’d already been looking to work with Veterans and first responders through their nonprofit Share the Buzz.

“They’re such wonderful partners,” said Lewis. “Keith and Danny are amazing, and the Valley Hive is such a beautiful, magical little place.” She also added that she could not do this project without the support of her leadership, especially Drs. Katherine Bailey, Mona Lam, Shana Spangler, Joanna Rowles, and Mickie Fisher.

The beekeeping class meets twice a month on the second and fourth Thursdays. “Bee days are my favorite days,” said Lewis.

Each session starts with a lesson from the master beekeepers, then a mindfulness exercise from Lewis, followed by the Veterans suiting up and heading into the apiary (or hive area) for hands-on training.

They could hurt you, but they don’t

For many, the idea of working with bees sounds scary at first. When his therapist recommended the program, Army Veteran Michael Malone had reservations.

“Stinging insects don’t exactly sound relaxing,” he said. “But when you learn how calm the bees are, it changes everything. They could hurt you, but they don’t. They’re focused on maintaining the hive.”

The experts at the Valley Hive take all safety precautions and put everyone at ease, said Malone.

Clarke had similar fears at first. “Initially, I didn’t even go into the hive. I stayed on the perimeter,” she said. But she got more and more comfortable. Now, she loves spending time with the bees.

The exercises that Lewis uses help to ground the Veterans through their senses and prepare them to engage fully in the moment.

“You have to be really mindful in the hive,” said Lewis. “You can’t move quickly. You have to move with intention.”

Calm and camaraderie

For Marine Corps Veteran Greg Martinez, the connection to bees runs deep.

“I’ve always been intrigued with bees,” Martinez said. “One of my first paintings, about 50 years ago, had bees in it. Now … I’ve fallen in love with them.”

Standing among the hives, listening to the hum, carefully lifting frames of honeycomb and searching for the queen, Martinez found a sense of calm he hadn’t felt in years.

“I have PTSD like most of us [Veterans],” he shared. “When I’m with the bees, I feel relaxed. It’s like having a dog I can talk to ... only there’s 10,000 or 20,000 of them.”

Having to focus, he said, is part of what he loves about the process. “Being at task and not thinking about other things… it keeps me grounded,” he said.

A sense of camaraderie is another of the program’s most powerful outcomes. “I’ve seen really sweet connections form,” said Lewis.

Veterans who may not have otherwise crossed paths are developing friendships. “We’ve had such a wide range join,” said Clarke. “People in their 20s, people in their 50s, even older Veterans with walkers. Somehow it all works,” she said.

As a Veteran-only class, there’s calmness in the shared experience, she added.  

“Isolation is hurting a lot of Veterans,” added Clarke. “Being outside, with other Veterans, learning together ... it really matters.”

Bees: they’re just like us

For Clarke, the hive reflects something familiar: a military unit.  

“Every bee has a job to do, and they all support each other,” she said. “Together they keep the hive and community alive. Together they all have a mission.”

And if one part of the hive isn’t working right or is sick, it affects everything, just like any unit or squadron, she said. The program has given her a new appreciation for these incredible insects.

“Did you know that when you eat dinner or go to a restaurant, bees are responsible for almost 30% of what’s on your plate? If they didn’t pollinate, we wouldn’t have any food.”

Martinez shares her admiration.

“They’re just amazing,” he said. “I’ve fallen in love with the bees.”

The future is bright

The program continues to grow, with the hope of bringing beehives directly onto VA’s Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center campus in the coming months.

While some Veterans may go on to pursue beekeeping professionally, there are no expectations in the program; these sessions are designed so all Veterans can participate and take from it whatever they choose. “You are welcome no matter what your goals are,” said Malone.

For Lewis and her partners, the idea is simple: create a space where Veterans can learn, connect, and heal, one hive at a time.

“It gives them purpose and meaning and connection,” said Lewis. “That’s been really powerful to see.”

Malone and Martinez encourage other Veterans to try it, even if they’re nervous.  

“It’s allowed me to take my attention off of issues that I’m having,” said Malone “It gives me a chance to breathe for the day and unwind and not be so focused on my own internal problems and other outside stimulus that I can’t control. It’s really been enlightening.”