Catharsis

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For a long time, he had used songwriting to turn his own emotions into artwork, but in the past eight years he had turned the process into a service for others.

He’d learned that listening to people’s stories and reflecting them back in an artistic format was a cathartic experience for them.

He continuously witnessed how it positively impacted people to be able to turn a past experience into a cherished piece of music.

Doing the work with veterans and their families had produced some incredibly powerful songs over the years, and he was extremely grateful to the VA for believing in the healing power of the program.

Listener Poet Beck Klassen

Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services

August 2020

sharing your story

is like pouring water

on a wound

it might hurt at first,

but after a moment

the pressure is welcome

you quickly realize that

the sooner you clean it out

and let the light bathe it

the quicker it heals

until one day you look back

and you feel peace

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