Creating Art Based Mental Health Programs
I am a 23.5 year combat wounded veteran. Currently I am a mental health therapist and designed an art based mental health program to treat ADHD and PTSD. We own a 501(c) non profit for adaptive sports and performing arts. I started painting as a research process for my thesis and people started to like my work. Painting is a way to help others find mindfulness through arts. I never painted before until i had surgery to get feeling back into my hands (lost from mortar blast in 2003. I am inspired by the impact others have made through their art. Whether it is Mache doing a new pair of shoes or Joshua Samuel Smith tap dancing his way into our hearts; art is universal and brings us all together and knowing art is just a tool for the mental health program really inspires me! Knowing we need more platforms for mental health and knowing art is a universal language makes my process unique because the art is just the beginning!!!
