I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress and have been diagnosed with depression and through the Veteran's Administration I became involved in "Mindfulness" therapy, While I initially dismissed it as psychobabble, I soon found that it took my mind off of my mental health issues, as well as my physical chronic pain and other ailments. I also came to realize that playing music was the most "mindful" activity I've ever experienced and I became an advocate to bring music therapy to my VA Medical Center in Salisbury.
I'm co-chair of the Veteran's Mental Health Council, the Veteran liaison on the Veteran's Education Council and a member of the Veteran's Family Advisory Council. Through these connections I set out to bring music therapy to the VA Hospital in Salisbury. You see, the VA have saved my life at least twice. I survived a decade of Graves Disease (2000-2010) and four years ago was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive bladder cancer with resulted in multiple surgeries and finally ended in a radical cystectomy. The VA also awarded me a modest disability pension which keeps me going.
I spent 2017 navigating the VA bureaucracy and being told various versions of "no", but, by joining Voluntary Services and working with the Recreational Therapy department and my various councils as sponsors - and recruiting several peer support specialists and doctors willing to donate their time, we inaugurated "G.I. JAMs" in February of this year.
I'm technically the "facilitator" or "coordinator" of the project, but my dream of "paying it forward" and helping Veterans through music has come to fruition because I never gave up. I still hope to see a "sanctified" music therapy program at the Salisbury VAMC, even if I have to go back to college and get certified in MT and get hired as a peer support specialist. At this point, I'm quite busy just promoting and growing G.I. JAMs which has gone from 14 attendees in Feb. to over 100 last month. The entire process has been a cornerstone of my own mental health therapy and practically a full-time job, I haven't time to be depressed. I have some wonderfully talented musicians involved and others who make up for talent with their enthusiasm and joy.
I transport and set-up my own PA system and an array of percussion instruments; I donated the drum-kit and G.I. JAMs has become Karaoke with a live band. The smiles of the participants and audience makes it all worthwhile. The event is open to the general public, although the people in the photos are mostly patients and VAMC staff. I invite everyone who is able to come to our events the first Monday evening of every month from 7-9 PM (set-up prior) at the Salisbury VAMC, 1601 Brenner Ave., Salisbury, NC 28144 in the Learning Center at Building 6. It's an awesome room and some wonderful people.
The War Department began studies on the benefits of music therapy as early as the mid-1940's and I'm convinced that my obsession is God's will and it is perhaps the most rewarding experience (short of the birth of my son) that I've ever had. I took these photos last month.
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That's The Way of the World (Earth, Wind & Fire)
