MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Every week, a group of veterans meet for a class that focuses on healing. What they're doing isn't something you would expect.
"I was a National Guard and Army reserves logistics officer. 1980-2001," said veteran Henry Armstrong.
With that military background, the camaraderie of taking on a challenge as a team still speaks a lot to Armstrong.
"You got Vietnam veterans, Gulf War veterans, veterans from Afghanistan," he said, looking around an open air pavilion.
Armstrong — like a lot of these veterans — never expected to be at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro for a class in Chinese martial art tai chi.
"Breathe in and breathe out," said Terry Mahone of Whole Health as he instructed the class. "Relax. Today, we're going to be doing the four moves for rehab pain."
"Some of them have PTSD," Mahone said of his class. "Some of them have anxiety."
"I have chronic pain, traumatic stress disorder," said Armstrong.
Mahone said tai chi helps the mind by having veterans learn this new skill. He said it helps the body through slow rounded movements. Focus above any distractions is key.
"We're not just focusing on how our issue compounds us, beats us down necessarily," said Armstrong. "We're thinking about the mindfulness, how to go forward with our issues. The camaraderie is therapy in itself."
