Let’s Talk: Music Vets

Let’s Talk: Music Vets

Not Rated
Run Time: 75 min film (followed by Q&A)
February 8, 2023 at 7pm
Main Theater

In the shadow of America’s longest war, a veteran suicide crisis, and a surging mental health epidemic, three U.S. Military Veterans use music to heal from their physical and psychological wounds. Music Vets tells the story of three proud U.S. military veterans in different stages of recovery from PTSD and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries.

Set in the coastal military communities of Southern California, and the hustle and bustle of New York City; Lito, Ben, and Deborah offer us a glimpse of humanity’s resiliency in the face of adversity. Though they each have very different backgrounds and military experience, all three use the therapeutic power of music to cope and recover – unlocking emotions and finding new ways forward.

The stories in the film present the use of music for healing the self and connecting with others. Music therapy is introduced as a non-pharmacological option to treatments that are often costly, debilitating, or sometimes even deadly. While the film’s focus is on music therapy for military populations, it shows how this under-studied and under-funded treatment can help anyone in crisis – not just Veterans. As our scientific understanding of music increases, the things we’ve taken for granted about its power and human connection have emerged as having real therapeutic outcomes.

Whether recovering from physical or mental wounds, music can play an important part in trauma-focused care and builds tangible skills that can be used when needed most.

A discussion and Q&A follows the screening.