Music therapy helped Veteran heal from PTSD
A Mississippi Air National Guard sergeant who struggled with overwhelming PTSD symptoms has found significant relief through music therapy at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, highlighting an alternative treatment option that VA facilities are making available to veterans across the country. Sgt. RaMonica Felton, who deployed to Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates in 2021, experienced racing heart, emotional outbursts, and uncontrollable stress that affected her daily life and relationships with her husband and four children. Through VA music therapy, she learned to use carefully designed playlists to bring herself from crisis-level anxiety back to calm, giving her a portable coping tool she can use anywhere.
Music therapy at VA is a clinical service provided by board-certified and licensed music therapists who use music intentionally to help veterans meet specific treatment goals. This is not music lessons or recreational listening—it's an evidence-based therapeutic intervention where trained clinicians work with veterans to process trauma, manage symptoms, and develop practical coping skills. Sessions may include songwriting, lyric discussions, guided relaxation, learning simple instruments, or building personalized playlists that support emotional regulation and self-awareness. Veterans do not need any prior musical experience or ability to participate in these programs.
For veterans dealing with PTSD, music therapy offers an alternative pathway when traditional talk therapy feels inadequate or when finding the right words to describe traumatic experiences seems impossible. Board-certified music therapist Jade Witt, who works with veterans at the Montgomery VA Medical Center, explains that music provides another way to process difficult experiences that may be locked beyond verbal expression. The therapy gives veterans practical tools they can continue using long after they leave the therapy room, making it particularly valuable for managing symptoms in real-world situations like driving, working, or spending time with family.
Felton's experience demonstrates the concrete benefits this approach can deliver. She created different playlists for different emotional states—gospel music for reflection and comfort, more energetic songs to meet her where she is emotionally before gradually easing into calmer states. When her chest feels tight or her heart races, the music helps release tension and restore control. She credits the skills learned through music therapy with strengthening her relationships and helping her better understand herself, showing that the benefits extend well beyond symptom management into overall quality of life.
For disabled veterans struggling with PTSD or other mental health conditions, music therapy represents an important expansion of treatment options within the VA healthcare system. Many veterans find that having multiple therapeutic approaches available increases their chances of finding something that works for their specific needs and circumstances. The portability of music-based coping skills makes this particularly relevant for veterans managing service-connected mental health disabilities while maintaining employment, family responsibilities, and community engagement.
Veterans interested in music therapy should ask their VA primary care provider or mental health clinician about availability at their local VA medical center. Not all facilities may offer music therapy programs yet, but asking about it helps VA understand demand and can influence resource allocation decisions. Veterans already enrolled in VA healthcare can typically access music therapy as part of their mental health treatment plan, and those not yet enrolled should explore whether their service-connected conditions qualify them for VA healthcare benefits that would include access to these specialized therapeutic services.