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Dance therapy for veterans
Alyse Zwick reports.
Injured veterans are getting back into the swing of things with the help of a VA dance class.
Kyle Higginbotham isn't just toe-tapping to his favorite country music. He's taking part in dance movement therapy at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital. It's steps of healing for the young Navy veteran, who always loved to dance.
"We do what is called the brain dance to wake up the mind and the body. To work on different parts of our bodies," explained his dance movement therapist, Brittni Cleland.
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This therapy has been part of his recovery from a devastating motorcycle accident back in 2021.
Kyle Higginbotham was injured in a devastating motorcycle crash.
"It's helped me immensely because when I first got out from my coma, I thought to myself, oh, great, I'll never be able to move really again," Higginbotham shared.
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But now he's working on perfecting his two-step.
Kyle Higginbotham spins his dance instructor around the dance floor.
"I saw dancing as a chance to work on the motor controls of my lower body and the mental functions," said Higginbotham.
"Dance movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement to work on the individual's social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities for their overall well-being," explained Cleland.
Kyle Higginbotham and his dance teacher practice movements.
Seeing her son's progress and determination makes Kyle's mom especially proud of her veteran.
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"It’s a miracle. It’s a miracle. It makes us very excited to see that he’s still able to continue to do something that he loved," she stated.
Kyle Higginbotham is a Navy veteran.
I’m thankful for the VA and the community and all the support they have shown him," said Jeanie Rutledge.