Music therapy for Veterans

NEWS

News of an innovative and beneficial collaboration between law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp and therapy organisation Chroma, from Rhicha Kapila, partner and head of the Military Claims Team at Bolt Burdon Kemp and Daniel Thomas, managing director and music therapist at Chroma

After a period of active duty, rehabilitation is so important for Service personnel. All too often, Veterans are concerned about their resettlement into civilian life, especially following an injury. For many, being a part of the Armed Forces becomes a way of life and leaving can seem alien – and all the more challenging when also faced with a physical or mental injury.

Rehabilitation can be of great assistance and is not just limited to medical treatment. PTSD is one of the most common issues we see our clients struggling with at Bolt Burdon Kemp, and military personnel can suffer from this for more than 15 years after combat, with 30% of sufferers dealing with this condition for the rest of their lives. 

For many, talking therapies, such as CBT or counselling, can be both distressing and intrusive. That’s why, at Chroma, we use music therapy to help Veterans. Music listening is widely experienced as an activity associated with pleasure and not considered a treatment, so participants are more likely to respond positively to its use.

Music therapy may include music listening, group drumming, song writing or musical improvisation on instruments chosen by the participants. It’s important that they use instruments that best reflect their mood. The therapist can facilitate discussions about how the music sounds or feels.

In instances of PTSD, music therapy is proven to help an individual to self-regulate through difficult emotional states and restore social relationships by fostering feelings of belonging. It is also a successful non-pharmalogical approach to pain and anxiety management,both of which are common to Veterans with PTSD or physical injuries. 

Music therapy has been used to help rehabilitate Veterans since the Second World War, but more could still be done to support Service personnel struggling with a transition back to civilian life. In our experience it is a powerful way to ease the symptoms of conditions like PTSD.

Partnerships, like ours – between therapy organisations and law firms – can help ensure Veterans are receiving the advice and support they need to ensure a smooth and stress-free transition. Alternative therapies are available to help ease symptoms and have proven beneficial for many Veterans who may be going through a tough time. 

Bolt Burdon Kemp welcomes Veterans to attend its upcoming Military Conference on Wednesday 26September in London, to hear more about the legal, employment and rehabilitation challenges faced by our Service personnel and Veterans through a series of talks by leading lawyers, experts and charities. For more information please email info@boltburdonkemp.co.uk