For veterans with PTSD, music is scientifically proven to heal

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00:00In an auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska, a group of veterans grip their guitars,

00:07some notes shaky, others ringing clear. At the center, a voice guides them, steady and warm.

00:17As chords ripple through the room, it's more than music, it's a lifeline.

00:28For many service members, the fight does not end when they leave the battlefield.

00:44Post-traumatic stress disorder affects roughly 7% of all veterans, often bringing anxiety,

00:50depression and sleepless nights. In 2022, the suicide rate among veterans nearly double that

00:57of those that have not served. But these veterans are trying a different kind of therapy.

01:03Heroes Encore is turning guitars, chords and melodies into tools for healing.

01:08I had a severe PTSD crisis and, you know, just laying there on the floor contemplating life.

01:16And then in that place, I just began to think about my children, the legacy I would be leaving them.

01:26In fact, going back to my birth father, who was a Vietnam vet, who succumbed to PTSD by suicide when I was three.

01:35Taylor Olam founded Heroes Encore to give other veterans a chance at recovery.

01:40The nine-month program combines guitar lessons, songwriting and public performance,

01:45all designed to strengthen the mind and the spirit.

01:48Music engages multiple areas of the brain at once, helping regulate emotions and lower anxiety.

02:08Being able to be immersed with veterans again, you just have that brotherhood, that camaraderie.

02:15It's just something you don't experience anywhere else. And then being able to play music with each

02:20other on top of that, it just, it really truly is just wonderful.

02:25Once they've mastered the basics, members move into songwriting and jam sessions.

02:31It's here they start to channel their experiences without being forced to dwell on trauma.

02:36You know, when I'm playing music, I'm not focused on some of the mental health problems I have or,

02:41you know, what's going on in life. I'm just focused on, on learning the craft. And so it's,

02:48it's been really positive and it's been a really good coping mechanism.

02:54The final stage is performance. Veterans step on stage, face an audience and experience good stress.

03:01Day one, I tell everybody good stress is still stress and a dysregulated nervous system can't tell the

03:07difference. Even for older veterans, the impact is profound. Patricia White Bear, a Navy veteran,

03:14joined the program to pursue her dream of playing the guitar.

03:17I think it brought out another side of my temperament and my personality. I think it

03:25made me feel that I had more value than just being a person there. I had a talent that I'm going to

03:34explore. Music therapy is not just a creative outlet. It's a clinically recognized approach that helps

03:41alleviate PTSD symptoms. According to recent studies, by engaging multiple brain regions simultaneously,

03:48music can stimulate neural pathways, enhance emotional regulation, improve mood, lower anxiety,

03:54and foster social connection. The study found that expressive art therapies, including music,

04:01have shown small to moderate benefits in reducing PTSD and depressive symptoms among veterans.

04:07Heroes Encore is tailored for veterans, first responders, and transitioning service members.

04:12The full experience, from equipment to performance opportunities, costs the nonprofit about $5,000 per

04:19participant. The program relies on volunteers, skilled instructors, and funding to sustain its mission.

04:25The investment pays off. Veterans leave with confidence, community, and hope. For Taylor Olem, the mission is clear.

04:33I see a rapt tour bus going city to city, preaching mental health, resilience through the power of music

04:42and community, and that we take the spark and ignite it nationwide. Every chord strummed, every lyric sung,

04:49is a reminder that they've survived and that they still have more to share.

04:53The best thing anybody can do is show up as a fan. Show up as a fan in the comments on social media,

05:01cheering our heroes on. Show up to the live events and be there to cheer them on.

05:06For Straight Arrow News, I'm Alexandra Nolte. For more in-depth reporting,

05:21download the Straight Arrow News app or head to san.com.

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