HELM Recovery
Navigating Healing Together.
About
Founded by a veteran, built for veterans
Our Mission
Serving Those Who Served
HELM Recovery was founded on a simple principle: veterans deserve substance abuse treatment that understands military culture and uses proven clinical methods.
We know that military service brings unique challenges - combat trauma, difficult transitions to civilian life, loss of military identity, and the weight of experiences that only fellow service members truly understand. We also know that 44.6% of veterans with PTSD struggle with substance use disorders, and that traditional treatment often misses the connection between trauma and addiction.
That's why we built HELM Recovery differently.
Our program combines two evidence-based approaches—Matrix Model and Seeking Safety—specifically designed to address both substance use and trauma simultaneously. We deliver treatment via telehealth, removing geographic barriers and allowing you to receive care in the comfort and privacy of your home.
Most importantly, our groups include only veterans. You'll work alongside fellow service members who understand what you've been through, creating a community of mutual respect, shared experience, and authentic support.
Our Founder's Story
Lawrence B. Librando, MSL, Navy Veteran (Ret.)
24 Years of Service, A Lifetime of Commitment
Lawrence served 24 years in the United States Navy, experiencing firsthand the challenges, sacrifices, and unique pressures of military life. After honorable retirement, Lawrence pursued graduate education in leadership and healthcare management, driven by a desire to serve veterans in a new way.
From Military Leadership to Healthcare Leadership
Following his military service, Lawrence served as Chief Operating Officer of a California mental health organization, where he demonstrated exceptional business acumen and clinical commitment. Under his leadership, the organization grew from $433K to $5.4M+ in annual revenue over three years while maintaining the highest standards of clinical quality and regulatory compliance.
This experience revealed a critical gap: veterans struggling with substance use and trauma often face barriers to quality care—long waiting lists, programs that don't understand military culture, and treatment that addresses addiction without addressing trauma.
A Personal Understanding
Lawrence's commitment to serving veterans with substance use disorders isn't just professional—it's personal. During his Navy service, he faced his own challenges with substance use and co-occurring PTSD, completing an intensive outpatient program that changed his life.
"I know what it's like to struggle in silence, to worry about career consequences, to feel like admitting you need help means you're weak. I also know that treatment works, recovery is possible, and asking for help is the strongest thing a service member can do.
That personal experience drives everything about HELM Recovery. I built the program I wish had existed for me—treatment that understands military culture, addresses both substance use and trauma, and meets veterans where they are without judgment."
Today, with years in sustained recovery, Lawrence brings both professional expertise and lived experience to HELM Recovery, creating a program that honors the reality of veteran experiences while providing evidence-based care that works.
Education & Credentials
Lawrence's commitment to excellence in healthcare leadership is reflected in his education:
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Health Services
National University (In Progress, Expected 2027)Master of Science in Leadership (MSL), Magna Cum Laude
Trident University InternationalHarvard Medical School Executive Education:
AI in Health Care: From Strategies to Implementation
Health Care Transformation
Leading Digital Transformation in Health Care
Why HELM Recovery?
"During my years in the Navy and my career in healthcare leadership, I've seen too many veterans struggle with substance use and trauma after service. I've watched fellow service members face barriers to quality care.
I founded HELM Recovery because veterans deserve better. We deserve treatment that honors our service, understands our experiences, and utilizes evidence-based methods proven to be effective. We deserve counselors who understand what it means to serve, to deploy, and to carry the weight of experiences that civilians can't fully comprehend.
HELM Recovery is my ongoing commitment to those who served alongside me and to every veteran navigating the challenging path of recovery. This isn't just a business—it's my mission, my purpose, and my way of saying 'I've got your six' to the veteran community."
— Lawrence B. Librando, MSL, U.S. Navy Veteran (Ret.)
Our Approach
Evidence-Based Treatment, Military-Informed Delivery
Matrix Model: Structure and Success
The Matrix Model is a structured, 16-week intensive outpatient treatment approach with over 30 years of research demonstrating its effectiveness for substance use disorders. Originally developed for stimulant use, it has proven effective for all substances.
Key Components:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques
Relapse prevention focus
Family education and involvement
12-step facilitation
Social support development
Research Outcomes:
Program completion rates >70%
Sustained abstinence at 6-month and 12-month follow-up
Improved family relationships and social functioning
Reduced criminal justice involvement
Seeking Safety: Trauma-Informed Care
Seeking Safety is an evidence-based treatment specifically designed to address both PTSD and substance use disorders simultaneously - critical for veterans who often experience both.
Key Components:
Four areas of safety: emotional, physical, behavioral, thinking
Coping skills that work for both trauma and addiction
Present-focused (not requiring trauma processing)
Grounding and emotion regulation techniques
Research Outcomes:
Significant reductions in PTSD symptoms
Decreased substance use
Improved quality of life and functioning
Reduced depression and anxiety
Why This Combination Works for Veterans
Military training emphasizes structure, clear objectives, and measurable progress - exactly what Matrix Model provides. Military experience also often includes trauma exposure - exactly what Seeking Safety addresses.
By combining these approaches and delivering them in veteran-only groups via accessible telehealth, we create treatment that:
Feels familiar (structured, goal-oriented)
Addresses root causes (trauma and addiction together)
Removes barriers (no transportation, no waiting rooms)
Builds community (fellow veterans who understand)
Our Values
Honor: We honor your service by providing treatment that respects military culture and values your experiences.
Excellence: We maintain the highest clinical standards, using only evidence-based approaches with proven outcomes.
Integrity: We operate with transparency, honesty, and ethical practices in all aspects of our business.
Service: We serve those who served, viewing our work as a continuation of the mission to support fellow service members.
Community: We build supportive communities of veterans helping veterans, recognizing that recovery happens in connection.
Our Commitment
To Veterans: We commit to providing professional, compassionate, evidence-based care that honors your service and supports your recovery journey.
To VA Providers: We commit to collaborative care, regular communication, standardized outcome tracking, and comprehensive coordination with your treatment teams.
To Families: We commit to involving and supporting families in the recovery process, recognizing that addiction affects entire family systems.
To the Community: We commit to operating with the highest ethical and clinical standards, maintaining regulatory compliance, and contributing to the broader mission of serving veterans.
Get Started
Ready to begin your recovery journey?
For VA Providers: