Art Therapy with Navy Seals, Knowledge Check #14

     I listened to the podcast " Leisure Exploration and Creativity with Veterans" from the Glass Half Full website. It was interesting to learn about some of the efforts being implemented to help our service men and women who are struggling with PTSD and/or the adjustment of life after deployment. The concept of using arts therapy with top tier military operators had never crossed my mind. When I think of military members especially Navy Seals, I think of some of the most alpha dog personalities on the planet, not someone who is going to sit down and knit some socks. However I learned from the podcast that art therapy can be woodwork, metal work, construction,  and many more activities along those same lines. They even discussed photography as a popular method of art therapy.

     The also enjoyed learning about the nonprofit War Paints which was being promoted by Seal Team member Rusty Noesner. War Paints creates studios around the country and offers classes for veterans to get connected with art therapy to help them adjust to life back in the States. Rusty also talked about the barriers that sometimes have to be torn down before veterans can fully take advantage of art therapy. He talk about how sometimes masculinity can prevent certain male veterans from trying actives such as photography or art painting. Rusty stated that one of his favorite activities is photography even though it is more common with female veterans. I really enjoyed the podcast because I think it is important we take care of our veterans since they sacrifice so much to protect our lives and freedoms. 

OT misconception meme

What is "blissful ordinariness"?

There are things we do everyday that are so routine and ordinary that we do not even think about it. We often even take them for granted. This can be things like showering, making coffee, driving a car, and getting dressed. The term "blissful ordinariness" describes just that very concept. Things we do in a routine manner that can often feel almost religious because they are so ordinary and ingrained into our every day. However, people often only see how important these activities are to them when they are no longer able to perform them without hinderance. This is where the holistic approach within occupational therapy really excels. Instead of just looking at a referral and starting from there, an occupational therapist will make use of their therapeutic relationship with the client to find out what is important for the client and why the client wants to get back to doing this activity. An occupational therapist wants to know how this affects the client in order to know the best way to help. Everyone has a daily routine that can be interrupted in many ways it is an occupational therapist's job to use their skills to return the client to their " blissful ordinariness" of every day the best way possible.