Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Jordyn Hay, Program Director and Lead Facilitator at SongwritingWith:Soldiers, who highlights the Nashville, Tennessee-based nonprofit organization that works nationwide to pair professional songwriters with veterans to share their story and connect with others through the songwriting process. SongwritingWith:Soldiers (SW:S) holds nationwide creativity and wellness based retreats for veterans, active duty, and their families. The organization partners professional musicians and songwriters to lead collaborative songwriting sessions with participants to help put their stories into song, and rounds out the retreats with workshops in creative journaling, mindfulness, nature walks, strengths coaching, and peer to peer community building. Since its founding, the organization has served more than 2,000 combat veterans through retreats and partnership programs. In 2024, more than 1,100 songs were written with veterans and first responders.

During the interview, Jordyn discusses the SW:S model and talks about the power of the retreats, including the importance of the facilitators who bring a depth of understanding of positive psychology, post-traumatic growth, and how to use creative outlets to tell one's story. She shares how working with SW:S has allowed her to bring both her lived and learned experiences to help facilitate retreats, guide veterans in telling their stories, and empower both the veterans and their families along their healing journey. Jordyn talks about impact and how a pilot study conducted by Harvard University found participants experienced a 77% increase in hope and optimism post retreat.

Jordyn wraps up talking about some of their other programs, partnerships, and initiatives and how the community can get involved, which includes helping to spread the word, create connections, and listen to the music, which is meant to help bridge the gap between civilians and veterans.

Learn more about SongwritingWith:Soldiers by visiting https://songwritingwithsoldiers.org/.