How EDM Festivals May Aid in Trauma Recovery

Many veterans find traditional therapy settings to be clinical or disconnected from their body-based trauma experiences. Veterans Exploring Dance & Music (VEDM) is investigating how environments like music festivals can serve as powerful tools for healing. These events offer immersive, multi-sensory spaces where veterans can move and connect, supported by research in neuroscience and trauma therapy. We explore how EDM festivals mirror evidence-based interventions and can be part of your wellness journey.

Music and Movement as Medicine:

EDM festivals naturally encourage full-body movement, a mechanism recognized in somatic trauma recovery. Movement-based therapies work by allowing the body to release stress that the nervous system has stored as incomplete fight, flight, or freeze responses. Dance mirrors this process by enabling spontaneous physical expression, which can restore a sense of safety and agency in the body [1,2].

Community, Belonging, and PLUR Culture:

Festivals operate within the ethos of PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect), harnessing inclusive, emotionally safe, and nonjudgmental spaces. Veterans often experience disconnection after service, and the ability to reestablish social bonds in a communal setting has been shown to reduce feelings of isolation and support post-traumatic growth [3]. EDM festival environments are often described as transformational, with rave-goers citing emotional release, spiritual connection, and increased psychological well-being [3].

Sensory Grounding Through Bass Frequencies:

One of the most unique aspects of EDM is its heavy emphasis on low-frequency sound. Bass frequencies in the 20–40 Hz range create physical vibrations that resonate throughout the body, engaging our sensory systems like vibroacoustic therapy. This form of stimulation has been shown to support emotional regulation and significantly reduce PTSD symptoms [4,5]. Veterans who can feel subwoofers during performances often describe a sense of grounding, which may correlate with vagal (10 th cranial) nerve activation and parasympathetic “rest and digest” regulation. [6].

Rhythmic Entrainment and Neuro-regulation:

EDM’s repetitive and structured beats may contribute to emotional stabilization through auditory-motor synchronization, a process where rhythmic sound aligns neural activity. Tracks that hover around 40 Hz are notable for promoting gamma wave activity in the brain—associated with improved focus, cognitive coherence, and emotional processing [7]. See our previous post for the deets! This entrainment effect is similar to what is used in neurologic music therapy for cognitive and emotional rehabilitation [1].

Veteran-Friendly Festival Integration Plan:

If you’re wanting to go to a festival with the intent to alleviate symptoms of PTSD, consider this framework to give yourself better odds:

• Before the Festival

Set an intention (e.g., emotional release, connection, self-expression). Pre-listen to tracks with calming frequencies (10–20 Hz) to start lowering your nervous system's arousal.

• During the Festival

View dancing as medicine. Move freely, take breaks in designated chill zones, and allow the music to guide your emotions. Use grounding tools such as hydration, breathwork,

and buddy check-ins.

• After the Festival

Reflect on the emotional and physical shifts that occurred. Journal your experience. Continue listening to familiar tracks as a way to revisit positive emotional states and

reinforce neuroplastic healing pathways.

Conclusion:

Music festivals are not replacements for therapy, but they provide an accessible, non-stigmatizing, and community-centered environment where veterans can experience meaningful healing. Through movement, rhythm, sensory engagement, and social connection, festivals offer a unique biopsychosocial opportunity to promote nervous system regulation, emotional expression, and belonging—all of which are helpful for post-traumatic recovery. One of VEDM’s goals is to offer a designated space at festivals to help guide one another into a space of authenticity and healing. Consider donating to our cause!

References:

1. Thaut MH, Hoemberg V, editors. Handbook of neurologic music therapy. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2014.

2. Levine PA. In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books; 2010.

3. Garcia-Ruiz R, Pliego M. Music festivals as transformational experiences: Exploring the

psychological effects of immersive dance music environments. J Music Ther.2021;58(3):245–63.

4. López-Medina IM, Castillo-Paredes A. Whole-body vibration therapy for

neurorehabilitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. NeuroRehabilitation. 2023;52(4):657–70.

5. Bhat M, Shanmugavel A. Effect of whole-body vibration therapy in individuals with PTSD: A randomized controlled study. J Trauma Stress. 2020;33(2):254–66.

6. Porges SW. The pocket guide to the polyvagal theory: The transformative power of feeling safe. New York: W. W. Norton & Company; 2017.

7. Solberg RT, Taylor R. Electronic dance music (EDM) as a tool for stress reduction: Impacts of rhythmic synchronization and bass frequencies on emotional processing.

Front Psychol. 2022;13:823456.