Orlando VA and Dr. Phillips Center Partnership Helps Veterans Reclaim Connection and Confidence
By Hansraj Raghunandan, Public Affairs Specialist
When U.S. Army Veteran Jose Rivera walked into his first creative arts session at the Orlando VA Medical Center, he was not looking for a hobby. He was looking for a way out of the isolation that had consumed his life for years.
Rivera, who lives with depression and post-traumatic stress, rarely left his home except for church on Sundays.
Music had never been part of his world, and he joked that he had “two left hands.” But after seeing other Veterans smiling and energized after a drum circle session, he decided to take a chance. “I really enjoyed it. It is the greatest thing the VA has done for me,” Rivera said. “It calms me down. It relaxes me. My memory has even gotten better. I never thought music could do something like that to a person, but it does.”
Rivera’s experience is one of many success stories emerging from the Orlando VA Healthcare System’s growing partnership with Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The collaboration began through donor Margie Pabst Steinmetz, whose passion for arts and wellness inspired the two organizations to explore how creativity could support Veterans in healing and reconnecting.
Rachel Moalli, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs and Community Engagement at Dr. Phillips Center, said the goal has always been clear. “We wanted to use the power of the arts to support emotional healing, build community and enhance well-being among veterans. The arts provide a safe and uplifting space where participants can connect, express themselves and grow.”
At the Orlando VA, mental health social worker Elizabeth Jackson has seen the transformation firsthand. She helps facilitate the drumming and choir groups and works closely with Veterans who participate in the eight-week sessions held in the fall and spring.
“These therapeutic art groups really help nurture personal growth, increase mental adaptability and promote resilience,” Jackson said.
She explained that the program was first identified as beneficial because it encouraged communication, social connection, and presence in the moment. These are core areas many Veterans often struggle with during recovery.
According to Jackson, many Veterans who once hesitated to join social activities are now actively engaged in peer support groups and community events because of the confidence they gained through the arts.
“Their self-esteem just increases. Some of them didn’t want to go to social activities before, and now they volunteer to perform, participate, and support others. It has had a big impact on their quality of life.”
One of Jackson’s favorite moments was watching the Veterans proudly take the stage during a performance at the medical center.
“You could see the pride in their family members’ faces. The audience felt like a brotherhood to them again, just like when they were in the military,” she said.
Moalli has seen similar momentum. Veterans have purchased their own drums to continue practicing, and one participant started attending classes each week with her hair and makeup done because the program made her feel more confident.
“Creative expression builds confidence, connection and self-awareness,” she said. “It helps individuals rediscover joy and meaning.”
The therapeutic elements of drumming, improv, and choir go far beyond entertainment. Jackson explains that the arts support emotional, cognitive, physical, and social well-being. Drumming helps regulate emotions, releases endorphins and requires participants to stay present for one another.
“You must be mindful in the moment. The people next to you rely on you to keep the rhythm, and that speaks to Veterans because they are used to that sense of teamwork and trust.”
Working with professional artists from Dr. Phillips Center also enhances the experience. “They are subject matter experts,” Jackson said. “And because they are civilians, it creates meaningful connections between two communities that may not always interact.”
Veteran Rivera says the impact has been life changing. “It gives me a sense of being alive again. Not being depressed. Not being stuck at home. It changed my life.” His message to other Veterans is simple. “Give yourself a chance. It can change your life for sure.”
Veterans interested in creative arts sessions can contact the Orlando VA Mental Health team or fill out an interest form here.
Generous support for the program is provided by Hatalom Corporation, Pabst Steinmetz Foundation, VyStar Foundation and Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation.
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Established in October 2006, the Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS) was designated a 1a facility (most complex) in 2021, with more than 5,660 employees and an annual budget of $1.5B and serves more than 149,000 Veterans in Central Florida. The Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona provides outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services. Lake Nona’s 65-acre medical campus encompasses 134 acute inpatient beds, providing complex Medical/Surgical/Mental Health specialty care, advanced diagnostic services, and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic, as well as a 120-bed Community Living Center, two Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs/Domiciliaries (60-beds located at the Lake Nona Campus and 56 beds at the Lake Baldwin Campus). Outpatient services are provided at a Health Care Center in Viera, a Multispecialty Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Daytona Beach, and five Community-Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Lake Baldwin, Kissimmee, Deltona, Palm Bay and Tavares.
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