Dancing Back to Life: The Role of Movement in Veteran Social Reintegration
Returning to civilian life after military service often involves more than adjusting routines; it’s
also redefining an identity, rebuilding social bonds, and reconnecting with our physical and
emotional selves. For many, this transition comes with isolation, hypervigilance, and the long
shadow of trauma. While talk therapy and reintegration programs play important roles, an often-overlooked tool in
this journey is movement, particularly dance and rhythmic expression. Far from being a leisure
activity, dance-based interventions can be powerful for supporting reconnection, regulation, and nervous system healing.
Reintegration and Disconnection:
Veterans report high levels of social disconnection, even years after service. A 2020 study by the
Pew Research Center found that 44% of post-9/11 veterans struggle with the transition to civilian
life, citing loneliness, identity loss, and difficulty relating to others [1]. These challenges are
compounded in those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where symptoms such as
avoidance, emotional numbing, and physiological hyperarousal can inhibit social re-engagement [2,3].
Traditional reintegration efforts, while helpful for some, often center on cognitive or talk-based
approaches. However, trauma is not only a mental injury; it is also stored in the body [4]. This is
where movement-based practices, including dance therapy, somatic movement, and rhythm-
driven community engagement, offer value.
Dance as Somatic Reintegration
Dance engages the body directly, activating the motor cortex, cerebellum, and limbic system,
while also integrating sensory and emotional processing [5]. In trauma-informed contexts,
movement can help process “stuck-points”, or unprocessed fight-flight-freeze cycles, and restore
agency within oneself [4,6]. Dance/movement therapy (DMT), lol, recognized by the American
Dance Therapy Association, has shown efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms, improving
emotional expressiveness, and increasing interpersonal confidence among veterans [7].
Moreover, rhythmic movement enables autonomic nervous system regulation through vagal tone
engagement. As described in polyvagal theory, spontaneous social engagement becomes more
accessible when the body perceives safety and structure, something movement can help restore [6].
Dancing in Community: Rebuilding Belonging
Beyond the nervous system, dance can be a social ritual. Veterans participating in DMT or
rhythm-based workshops cited a relief of being able to connect without having to talk, a major
barrier in traditional therapy. A 2014 meta-analysis found that dance movement therapy not only
improved emotional well-being, it also enhanced social functioning, especially in trauma-affected populations [7].
The Role of Music and RhythmDancing Back to Life: The Role of Movement in Veteran Social Reintegration
Most times, dance is rarely done in silence. The rhythmic foundation of movement is intimately
tied to the neurobiological mechanisms of safety and regulation. Studies show that low-
frequency rhythms (20–40 Hz) entrain the brain to synchronize activity, improve attention, and
regulate emotions [9,10]. EDM and percussion-based environments create full-body sensory
experiences that enhance presence and reduce dissociation, common symptoms in trauma
survivors [11].
Conclusion: Movement as a Bridge Home
For veterans navigating the complexities of reintegration, movement can be a bridge between
self and body, between isolation and community, between memory and future. Dance doesn't
need disclosure. It doesn't pathologize or diagnose. It invites participation, rhythm, and
authenticity.
Movement offers a trauma-informed, biologically attuned, and socially connective method of
healing. And for many of us, it may be the first place we feel truly alive again.
References:
1. Parker K, Cilluffo A. The Difficult Transition to Civilian Life. Pew Research Center;
2020.
2. Hoge CW, Terhakopian A, Castro CA, Messer SC, Engel CC. Association of PTSD with
post-deployment symptoms in soldiers. JAMA. 2007;295(9):1023–32.
3. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: APA; 2022.
4. van der Kolk BA. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of
Trauma. New York: Penguin Books; 2015.
5. Berrol CF. Neuroscience meets dance/movement therapy: Mirror neurons, the therapeutic
process and empathy. Arts Psychother. 2006;33(4):302–15.
6. Porges SW. The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.;
2017.
Dancing Back to Life: The Role of Movement in Veteran Social Reintegration
7. Koch SC, Kunz T, Lykou S, Cruz R. Effects of dance movement therapy: A meta-
analysis. Arts Psychother. 2014;41(1):46–64.
8. Ehrenreich B. Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy. New York:
Metropolitan Books; 2006.
9. Altenmüller E, Schlaug G. Neurologic music therapy: From basic research to clinical
practice. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2015;1337(1):257–64.
10. Solberg RT, Taylor R. Electronic dance music as a tool for stress reduction. Front
Psychol. 2022;13:823456.
11. Ganesan K, Acharya H, Mooventhan A. Vibroacoustic therapy: A narrative review. Int J
Yoga. 2021;14(1):47–55.
