Ideas change everything

Art can heal PTSD's invisible wounds

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Melissa Walker |

TEDMED 2015

• November 2015

Trauma silences its victims, says creative arts therapist Melissa Walker, but art can help those suffering from the psychological wounds of war begin to open up and heal. In this inspiring talk, Walker describes how mask-making, in particular, allows afflicted servicemen and women reveal what haunts them -- and, finally, start to let it go.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Trauma silences its victims, says creative arts therapist Melissa Walker, but art can help those suffering from the psychological wounds of war begin to open up and heal. In this inspiring talk, Walker describes how mask-making, in particular, allows afflicted servicemen and women reveal what haunts them -- and, finally, start to let it go.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

Check out Retire the Colors: Veterans and Civilians on Iraq & Afghanistan, in which Melissa Walker contributes her personal experience with the military.

About the speaker

Creative arts therapist

See speaker profile

Melissa Walker helps military service members recover from traumatic brain injury and mental illness.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

Check out Retire the Colors: Veterans and Civilians on Iraq & Afghanistan, in which Melissa Walker contributes her personal experience with the military.