Research ArticleUsing distance technology to deliver the creative arts therapies to veterans: Case studies in art, dance/movement and music therapy
Section snippets
Methods
The three case studies below demonstrate how telehealth was specifically implemented into creative arts therapies treatment with a representative sample of veterans in the RVTRI CAT program. One example was chosen from each of the disciplines offered at the medical center. One veteran worked with two different providers in two different disciplines. In some cases, the individual creative arts therapists incorporated multimodal techniques. Examples of the integration of writing are specifically
Art therapy
Valerie: (Pseudonym) is a woman who underwent complex surgery, after which an occupational therapist referred her to creative arts therapy. Valerie served in the army and subsequently she worked in the Pentagon as a civilian employee of the Department of Defense. She survived a work accident in which she was severely injured. She required intensive inpatient rehabilitation for her injuries and experienced long-term impacts associated with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress
Discussion
As telehealth is becoming more widely implemented, it is increasingly important for providers to receive adequate training and develop comfort and confidence in adapting their practices to distance delivery. As noted, studies have indicated that despite adequate funding, personnel, technology and assistance, providers can be hesitant to adopt telehealth. It is the intent of this set of case studies to demonstrate the potential of this form of creative arts therapies delivery as a means of
Conclusion
The presentation of these case studies endeavors to encourage further exploration of distance delivery of rehabilitation and mental health care broadly, and the creative arts therapies specifically, in order to increase access to healthcare for veterans. These three case studies demonstrate the potential and feasibility in-depth through a single case per discipline. In each case study, therapeutic gains, challenges, and opportunities, were examined to better understand the practice of distance
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the VA Office of Rural Health, as well as Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network for their partnership with the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine and the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, which allowed RVTRI CAT to welcome a music therapist to its team in 2017. Creative Forces is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and the state and
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