“After about five minutes of dancing, they’re smiling…and they’re smiling and laughing the rest of the night.” People with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injuries tend to be judged by those members of society who may not be educated on the subject of mental illness. Those who struggle with the traumas of their past find refuge on the dance floor – a common ground upon which all can exist in an aura of acceptance.“Everybody around me is just grinning, and it’s just a good time.” Remarkably, nearly 100% of veterans who participate in the Dancing Well program report improvement in their mood, memory, health and outlook on life. “This was the beginning of putting myself back out there. I found my smile again, just by coming here.” The therapeutic power of dance seems to heal invisible wounds that often scar people for years to come. Fortunately, for those who can dance, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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  • Rhody Streeter

    Wonderful story about worthy creative approach to PTSD

  • Micky

    All my life I knew dancing healed me. To have a wonderful way of healing together in a place without judgment - wow. Every single town in the world needs a place like this. Everyone needs this. ♥.

  • Sharon

    "I was just existing. Now I want to LIVE." What a message! We need to have this in my communty!

  • Deepak

    Thank you . Great way of bringing sunshine into the lives of suffering from PTSD .

  • La Verne

    A great way to help these people who have gone through things we can't even imagine. God Bless this group!

  • Devendra

    Wow! This is fantastic. I was actually looking at research papers around dance therapy and came across this video. Dancing or any art form certainly has its own healing effect.

  • arun phatak

    It shows that we care for veterans who fought wars for their nations

  • Semora McCampbell

    I loved this video as it allows the veterans to heal, move out of their isolation and socially interact with others in a natural fun way without any expectations.

  • Margaret

    I have volunteered with the Stephen Lewis Foundation (Canadian) for many years in their Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign. Read about it online, and you too can find a way to become involved in the type of work Nyla is doing.

  • Cindy

    Love it that this exists! Kudos to Dancing Well’s founder and visionary for making it happen. 😍

  • Enrique García

    Congratulations for this new way to heal!!! where can I learn more about this program?

  • Page 1

  • Visit Dancing Well to learn more about their work with veterans and families with PTSD and brain injuries through community dance.
  • Learn about PTSD and how it affects the brain by watching this Tedx talk by Janet Seahor.
  • Reach out to someone you know who may be dealing with post-traumatic stress today.

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