Memorial Day, Healing, and Service: What This Month Means to Us at Brain Treatment Center Ashburn

Brain Treatment Center Ashburn

As May comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on two powerful themes: Mental Health Awareness Month and Memorial Day, both of which strike deeply at the heart of who we are and why we do what we do.

Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It is a sacred day of remembrance, a time to honor those who gave their lives in military service to this country. Its roots go back to the years following the Civil War, when Americans gathered to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. Since then, it has grown into a national day of mourning, gratitude, and reflection, a solemn reminder of the cost of freedom and the enduring legacy of sacrifice.

At Brain Treatment Center Ashburn, Memorial Day is personal.

Our clinic was founded by Chris Lessard, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, who served multiple combat deployments and experienced firsthand the invisible wounds that so often accompany military service: post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, depression, and disconnection. Like so many veterans, Chris faced dark and difficult chapters after leaving active duty. His journey toward healing led him to innovative therapies that addressed not just symptoms, but root causes of neurological dysfunction.

Among those therapies was MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy), a non-invasive, individualized approach to brain modulation that targets abnormal brainwave activity. It was life-changing. Not just for Chris, but for his family.

When his young son was diagnosed with nonverbal autism, it was this same technology that helped bring his voice back. What was once a source of fear and heartbreak became a story of recovery, resilience, and hope.

This clinic is our family’s continuation of service.

It is built on the belief that healing is possible, especially when we address the brain and body as a whole system, neurologically, nutritionally, and emotionally. We offer MeRT therapy, functional health, and integrative care programs for veterans, first responders, and families facing complex neurological challenges like autism, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury.

This Memorial Day, as we remember the fallen, we also recommit ourselves to the living—to those who made it home but carry scars no one can see. At Brain Treatment Center Ashburn, our ethos is service, and our work is an offering of that continued mission: to bring healing to those who need it most.

We proudly accept Tricare and VACCN, and we are honored to serve the military community, because we’ve walked that road too.

If you or a loved one is struggling, you are not alone. We are here. We understand. And we are ready to walk alongside you on your path to healing.