ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines some key aspects of the military-to-civilian transition experience that were identified by participating veterans at the Veterans Outreach Center (VOC) in Rochester, NY. It focuses on how studio and gallery services at the Center addressed the concerns of participating veterans. Transition, a term used by participating veterans at Veterans Outreach Center, Inc., refers to service members' passage from military life to civilian life, which often involves emotional, physical, and social changes. Veterans without mental health concerns or transition challenges are typically better educated than their civilian counterparts, more likely to be employed, earn higher than average salary, and are more likely to vote and volunteer in their communities. For some veterans the difficulties with transition may include mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and traumatic brain injury. The art therapy studio was developed as a place for veterans to connect to other veterans through activities such as drop-in art therapy studio group sessions.
