New Recreation Therapy Clinic Brings Joy and Healing to Antelope Valley Veterans
By Lauren Bolanos, Office of Communications
February is Recreation Therapy Month, a time to celebrate the power of leisure, movement, and creative activities in promoting health and wellness.
For Veterans in Antelope Valley, this month carries special significance. Last October, the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) launched a new Recreation Therapy Clinic at the recently opened Antelope Valley VA Clinic, bringing services closer to home and making care more accessible than ever.
Previously, Veterans seeking recreation therapy had to travel long distances to West Los Angeles or Sepulveda. Now, with this new clinic, those barriers have been removed. Jennifer Johnson, a seasoned recreation therapist with nearly 28 years of experience, is leading the charge as the first recreation therapist assigned to an outpatient clinic in the Antelope Valley.
“Recreation therapy is more than just fun,” says Johnson “It helps you to feel better. It helps you to get better. It helps with your pain. It can help with PTSD … It works for a lot of people.”
A Safe Space for Veterans
Recreation therapy is a holistic approach to healing that combines physical activity, creative expression, and social engagement. It’s designed to improve overall well-being, reduce pain, ease symptoms of PTSD, and foster a sense of community.
According to the 2021 study, “Recreation for Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Clients with Mental Health Disorders: A Retrospective Review,” recreation activities can enhance problem-solving ability, goal-setting skills, and improve memory and concentration. Recreation therapy also provides social benefits such as improvements in confidence, communication skills, reciprocal relationship skills, and other interpersonal skills.
“It’s a safe space. People don’t have to feel like they’re the odd man out, or that other people don’t understand, because they’re all Veterans,” said Johnson. “You know that Veterans will understand the way that you feel and what you’re talking about.”
Programs Offered
The new clinic provides a range of activities designed to meet Veterans’ interests and needs. Current offerings include:
- Seated exercise groups for gentle movement and flexibility
- Walking groups in local parks
- Tactile therapy at Barber Family Farm, where Veterans interact with goats, horses, and other animals, is a calming experience that supports emotional well-being and helps with PTSD
- Horsemanship classes through Saddles for Soldiers
Looking ahead, the clinic plans to introduce additional programs based on interest, such as:
- Virtual reality sessions to help manage pain and anxiety
- Art classes for creative expression
- Guitar groups to foster music-based therapy and social connection
A Veteran’s Perspective
For 81-year-old Army Veteran Nickolas G. Ivanoff II, who served in Korea at Camp Humphreys with the 8th Army’s 19th Transportation Company, recreation therapy is more than a program. It is a source of joy, movement and mental clarity.
“I try to stay pretty positive, and it gets my mind off of things,” Ivanoff said. “I come out of there feeling really exuberated.”
Ivanoff is passionate about music and hopes to see more creative programs offered at the clinic.
“I want to get guitar lessons going,” said Ivanoff. “I used to play classical guitar, and I still have about 20 guitars.”
Music isn’t just a hobby for him; it’s therapy. Despite facing health challenges, including prostate cancer and sciatica, Nicholas remains determined to stay active and positive.
“Playing music takes you into a whole different world,” said Ivanoff. “You’re not constantly overthinking, it’s just really joyful.”
Whether it’s exercise, art, music, or virtual reality, recreation therapy provides a variety of options to support your health. For more information, call the Antelope Valley VA Clinic at