02 January 2013

Where to BEGIN in the NEW Year: An Update

It's a new year and so much has happened since my last post I'm not sure where to begin. The Vet Art Project is going strong with a contract to provide creative art therapeutic services to Family & Community Services for all their veterans programming. Currently we offer drama therapy, art therapy, and creative writing & poetry therapy at a residence for veterans who are homeless in Kent, Ohio. Another residence will open in the first quarter of this new year and we'll provide therapeutic services there, too. More residences are planned in other cities in Northeast Ohio in the coming year, too, and we'll provide program in these locations as well.

I offered a therapeutic theater program at the VA in Parma for 10 weeks last Fall and that was successful--perhaps the first program of its kind offered IN network. This program was supported by an outside grant.

The Women Warriors Project continues to reach out to women veterans and women who have supported our veterans and current service members--approaching it's one year anniversary in NE Ohio!

And I've been invited to present a paper at the 9th International Congress of Qualitative Research to share changes in feelings of empowerment among veterans who participate in therapeutic programming offered by the Vet Art Project. So I am working to help drama therapy and creative arts therapeutic programming gain the attention and respect it deserves.

The Vet Art Project Chicago continues to offer quarterly showcases and Vet Art Project Pittsburgh is revving up with more programming.

Hope
Thanks to everyone who has supported and continues to support this project. Donations can be made in support of this project through the Web site vetartproject.com and contributions are tax-deductible through our national fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas (link on the site). A lot of changes and a lot of good growth for us all--thanks for your kindnesses! Wishing you all peace through art!