NEA: Creative Forces is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs as well as state and local arts agencies to provide access to creative arts therapies—art, music, and dance/movement therapies, as well as creative writing instruction—for service members and veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through telehealth, creative arts therapists connect with patients in rural and remote places via video conferencing platforms.
5 comments:
The National Endowment for the Arts, or the NEA, is a federally funded independent organization that provides money to programs that increase the arts across the United States. It also commissions a lot of studies about the arts. One of these was about how the creative arts therapies can improve access to care and help those suffering from trauma recover. One of my friends had originally thought about getting a degree in art therapy in order to help children overcome childhood traumas through art. This application of art and creative art in general, is such an amazing way to help others and starts a different conversation about art in society. Many see art as a higher form of media that is only accessible to those who can afford it or understand it. However, with art therapy, everyone uses the medium of art to communicate their feelings and daily struggles without having to contrive a higher meaning or purpose behind it. This article also mentioned that music and dance will also be funded as creative therapies for veterans suffering from TBI or PTSD. I think that expanding to other mediums is an amazing way to help veterans overcome a disorder that is still relatively unknown and stereotyped by society. I also love that the NEA has partnered with the Department of Veteran Affairs in expanding their telehealth services. Its such a great way to use art to help people and give back to society.
It is so great reading about government agencies working together to help out a community of healing people. People talk about the healing effects of art and this article highlights those. My friend became an art therapist for sexual abuse and domestic violence victims center and has told me about so many incredible experiences aided by art therapy and so I am so glad to see this article and learn about the Creative Forces Network. On top of that, it is great to hear about the use of telecommunication being used. One issue in making art accessible is that it so rarely is able to travel to people but by using telecommunication this issue is solved to a certain degree. This article has been so informative to me as someone who nothing about the separation in the VA of Rural Affairs. This is a great concept because the needs of someone in a city, town, or country landscape are so very different and it is great to see the government recognize this need.
The National Endowment for the Arts, in my opinion, is one of the most important government programs. I am excited to see that they are expanding their Creative Forces Healing Arts Network and providing services for Veterans as a method of healing. Art in all forms truly has the power to heal those who have been traumatized in any aspect. I had a teacher in high school who was a registered Drama Therapist, and she would often time teach exercises in class that combined both therapy and theatre. As a class, we would go through these exercises and it contributed to students feeling secure in the space and the group dynamic as a whole. While we were not working through larger issues that some of these Veterans are struggling with, the exercises worked. I would be very interested to see the results of these programs and the impact that they have on these veterans.
This is really exciting news and I think it will be very beneficial for those impacted by the newly allocated funds for the creative arts for the Veteran’s Affairs department. I have seen first hand the power that the creative arts have in helping to heal people. My grandfather suffered from Alzheimer’s and it was hard for him to remember certain things, but when we put some headphones on him with music that he liked, it was like it was opening him up and we got to see some of his thoughts come out. He would get up and dance and sing and it was truly and awesome moment. I believe just the little things like that can go a long way for Veterans with PTSD or other brain injuries. It is important to try to get their mind off of all the trauma they have been exposed to and to help them heal with the power of the arts. I think that this money will do a lot of great things for the VA.
There is such a large connection between the arts and therapy and healing processes. It’s a large reason that art therapy is a big part of rehab processes for mental illness and used to help people in prisons. Art allows people to channel emotions in a healthy way that is productive. I am glad that the National Endowment for the Arts, a fund that helps promote art across all of the United States, is putting more money and effort into Creative Forces, and art therapy. I also really like the idea of bringing the arts to rural areas, because there tends to be a lack of reliable health as you get farther away from major cities. Telehealth allows for more people to be connected to crucial healthcare that can help larger communities. The National Endowment for the Arts has the opportunity, and the responsibility, to help provide arts across the states, and the Creative Forces and Rural Veterans TeleRehabilitation Initiative are allowing for this to be reached by everyone.
Post a Comment