We’re proud to share that Dr. Michelle Dees, board-certified psychiatrist and founder of Luxury Psychiatry Clinic, was recently featured in PBS Independent Lens’s November 2024 article, “Make Art or Die? For Some Veterans Creating Art Can Heal from Trauma.” The piece highlights the powerful role of art therapy in the lives of veterans, showing how creative expression can aid recovery from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, depression, and grief. By showcasing the stories of veteran artists across the country, the article underscores art’s potential to rebuild not just individuals, but also community bonds.
The feature explores how art therapy complements traditional approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), offering a more holistic path to healing. Experts note that creative practices foster mindfulness, improve cognitive function, and provide a safe avenue to reframe traumatic experiences. Stories from veterans such as Richard Casper, Ron Clements, Jessica Rambo, and Peter J. Buotte illustrate how ceramics, wood carving, painting, and sculpture have not only served as coping tools but also built platforms for advocacy and connection. Their work, from battlefield crosses carved for Gold Star families to large-scale community art installations, demonstrates how creativity can transform personal pain into collective healing.
Dr. Dees brought her psychiatric expertise to the conversation by focusing on the community-building aspect of art therapy. She emphasized that veterans benefit not only from the creative process itself, but also from the sense of belonging that comes from engaging in group artistic activities. “By creating a sense of community, veterans are more likely to feel understood and receive support related to them in the process of healing,” she noted. Her perspective reinforces that art therapy is not only an individual intervention, but also a social one—counteracting loneliness and restoring human connection, which are vital in trauma recovery.
The significance of Dr. Dees’s contribution lies in broadening how we think about mental health support for veterans. Art therapy doesn’t just treat symptoms—it builds resilience, identity, and community. By integrating it with evidence-based psychiatry, clinicians can help veterans rediscover meaning and purpose after service. This human-centered approach aligns with growing research in “neuroarts,” showing the brain’s profound connection to creativity and its ability to foster healing.
At Luxury Psychiatry Clinic, we share this commitment to whole-person care. Our services include:
- Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and individualized treatment planning
- TMS and Exomind® therapy to improve mood, focus, and neuroplasticity
- Spravato® (esketamine) for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD
- Psychotherapy addressing trauma, grief, and adjustment to civilian life
- Integrative approaches that support creativity, mindfulness, and emotional resilience
With offices in Chicago, IL and Orlando, FL, Luxury Psychiatry Clinic partners with patients to move beyond symptom relief and toward thriving.
Dr. Dees’s feature in PBS reflects what we see every day: healing is not linear, and sometimes the path forward is found in unexpected places. Whether through art, advanced treatments, or compassionate psychiatry, the goal is the same—to help people reclaim their voice, their balance, and their life.
