Veteran Art Therapy

My friends, its official - Veteran Art Therapy is now more than just an idea in my mind!  After much searching and inquiring about getting an internship with the VA and being constantly told no I gave up on that idea.  I committed myself to Veterans Village which is a Volunteers of America program here in Tallahassee that helps homeless veterans get back on their feet and find a job or get more education.  A great program, but then they told me that they could not give me the hours I needed to fulfill my internship requirements unless I committed EVERY Saturday next semester.  I just couldn't do it.  As much as doing art therapy with veterans means to me I need some time to take care of me or I won't be a good therapist.

Thankfully, my tireless inquiries about VA internships resulted in the VA Benefits Coordinator for Florida State University (FSU) and Tallahassee Community College (TCC) contacting me and asking if I might be able to do some of my internship under the direction of a music therapies.  It just so happened that I knew this music therapist too!  I set up meetings with the music therapist and with my clinical coordinator and as of Tuesday this idea was approved!

Next semester I will be splitting my internship between Veterans Village and TCC/FSU.  I will be doing counseling with veterans at both sites!!  I am super excited to being doing art therapy with vets!  The TCC/FSU program will offer music and art therapy to individuals and groups, all for FREE.

Since the TCC/FSU program is not already established - the music therapist and I are doing this grass roots style - I put in a printing order and it just came in!!  So, here are all the goodies I got!!

Front side of the information cards

Back side of the information cards

Note book and pen!  

Contact / Business Card (I left off my phone number on prupose)

Logo on T-shirt to wear to events!!  

Tote bag to transport art materials!! 

Veteran Art Therapy (Vet ATx) is my name/idea - I will be using it in the future (at least that is the plan!)  The program here at FSU/TCC will be called "Veteran Creative Arts Therapies," however my Vet ATx cards include the music therapy component on them because we do not have a budget or a way to get publicity at this time so I did this out-of-pocket.  I think its well worth it, and hopefully by the time we order more cards we can change them name and have some funding to pay for these things!  I'm going to keep Vet ATx for me though!!

We have a lot of ideas in store for next semester.  We want to have a concert/art show at the end of the semester to raise money for equipment and art materials as well as giving the students a venue to show off their musical skills and their wonderful works of art!  The idea is that we work hard next semester and over the summer and by next fall someone can work the TCC/FSU program as a full internship.  We hope to increase the program over time and offer many different types of creative arts therapies.  Big things are in store!!

My friends, this makes me so happy and that is why I wanted to share it with you.  It is inspiring to be so close to doing what I really want to do.  It feels great to have a goal and see it happening!  I know that veterans can benefit from art therapy, and I am so blessed to be able to help them!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the goodies I ordered and learning about the program!!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!