Exploring the impact of expressive therapies on military veterans with PTSD🔗 Exploring the impact of expressive therapies on military veterans with PTSD: A systematic review — PubMed entry summarizing results of expressive therapies (including music) and PTSD outcomes. �https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37997751/PubMed

The Effect of Music Therapy in Individuals with or at Risk of Bipolar Disorder (2024)This systematic review examines existing research and discusses how music therapy may benefit people living with bipolar disorder by supporting emotional regulation, mood symptoms, and therapeutic engagement.🔗 Read the abstract/full text: www.scirp.org/journal/psych(Psychology, 2024)

Isolation can happen for many reasons, including health issues, mental health struggles, or major life changes. While long periods of isolation can lead to depression, anxiety, and mental fatigue, music therapy can help reduce these effects and support emotional well-being.

Research and program descriptions emphasize several key ways music therapy fosters camaraderie and connection among veterans:

🎤 Shared goals and activities: Making music together creates a common purpose that can mirror unit cohesion. �VA News

🤝 Safe social spaces: Programs often provide veterans with non-judgmental group settings where they can express themselves and feel understood by peers. �

🎶Music For Veterans Meaningful interaction: Music provides a nonverbal medium for connection that can be easier for some veterans than talking about trauma directly. Research and program descriptions emphasize several key ways music therapy fosters camaraderie and connection among veterans:

🎤 Shared goals and activities

🤝 Safe social spaces: Programs often provide veterans with non-judgmental group settings where they can express themselves and feel understood by peers. 

Music For Veterans

🎶 Meaningful interaction: Music provides a nonverbal medium for connection that can be easier for some veterans than talking about trauma directly. �

Guitars for Vets:

1. Provides free guitar lessons and instruments to veterans with PTSD, focusing on peer support and healing. Help Veterans Heal Through music.

Why Guitars? - Guitars 4 Vets https://share.google/wejQtfOIofIqXQFIf

2. Creativets:

Offers songwriting and visual arts programs, helping veterans express trauma and build positive attitudes.

https://share.google/UxhLOnoCivU0IfAvYCreatiVets

3. OperationEncore:

Supports veteran and active-duty musicians with artist development, recording, and showcasing their original music.

https://www.operationencore.org/about-us

4. Operation Song:

Connects veterans with professional songwriters to turn their stories into songs.

https://www.operationsong.org/who-we-are

5. Semper Fi & America's Fund:

Offers an Arts & Music Program with grants for instruments and education for healing. https://thefund.org/about-us/

6. Music for Vets:

A national association connecting veterans through bands, camps, and instrument learning for community.

https://musicforvets.com/

7. ChallengeAmerica:

Provides free music therapy, guitars, and tutorials for veterans with PTSD/TBI.

https://www.challengeamerica.com/our-story

8. Music For Everyone:

  Connects musicians with veterans to create songs from poetry for healing. 

https://musicforeveryone.org/our-mission/