09/02/2026
What role can art, dance/movement, and music therapy play in a veteran’s recovery and return to wellness?
A new opinion piece in The BMJ looks at that question through the work of Creative Forces® and the creative arts therapists at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida. The piece shares powerful examples of what that work can mean for veterans during recovery.
Read an excerpt:
“At the James A Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida, a programme bringing arts therapies to injured service members is a source of common ground in the United States. Creative Forces, the National Endowment for the Arts’ Military Healing Arts Network, works with patients who may be emerging from comas—relearning how to walk, speak, swallow, or express themselves—in the hospital’s severe traumatic brain injury programme. In partnership with the US Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, it brings creative art therapies into healthcare for service members and veterans affected by trauma, including post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and related conditions.
The patient stories are powerful. One navy veteran arrived after an accident left him unable to walk, use his limbs, or speak audibly. Through singing, he began strengthening his voice and regaining the breath and muscle control needed for speech. Another veteran found that the rhythm of drums, guitar, and violin helped slow his thoughts and that movement helped reconnect his body and mind after a traumatic brain injury. Creative Forces uses art therapies to help regain function, expression, and sense of self. The wider network also supports community arts programmes for service members, veterans, families, and caregivers.”
See this work in action and hear directly from veterans and providers at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital:
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