Leisure Participation as an Intervention Tool

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For this assignment I chose to listen to the "Leisure exploration and creativity with veterans and service members" podcast by Glass Half Full OT. I was excited to see this episode as an option because I have been researching the work that OT's do with the military and the VA. My grandfather served for 22 years and always said the joining the Air Force was one of his best decisions. I have so much respect for servicemen and women and I am very interested in possibly working with them one day!
Rusty Noesner started the War Paints non-profit to encourage veterans to engage in the creative process. Noesner, former Navy Seal, has endured two traumatic brain injuries and suffers from general anxiety disorder. He explained that during military training the brain is "rewired" to function within a unit. This deactivates the creative process and strips away the individuals' identity. He described brain function as a black and white modality that is operational and rational. In turn, the creative process allows the brain to reactivate what was deactivated during training. To him the creative angle presents a way to internalize experiences and produce a tangible outcome for everyone to see. 
The OT's went on to explain how leisure participation as a tool can significantly improve the quality of life. An article they mentioned described the most challenging occupations young veterans encounter when returning to civilian life are engagement in relationships, school, physical health, driving and sleeping. They also introduced the Quality of Life After Brain Injury Scale assessment tool. The tool has several sections which allow the client to self-identify areas of concernment such as cognition, autonomy, and social relationships. Overall, the podcast reinforces the importance of leisure participation and how we as (future) OT's can improve veterans quality of life through engaging in the creative process. 

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