This book is a call to action to address the transition many soldiers face when returning to civilian life. It presents an arts-based therapeutic approach to dealing with trauma, exploring the development, performance, and reception of Contact!Unload, a play based on the lives of military veterans overcoming stress injuries encountered during military service. The book, which includes the full script of the play, offers academic, artistic, personal, and theoretical perspectives from people directly involved in the performances as well as those who witnessed the work. The play and book serve as a model for using arts-based approaches to mental health care and as a powerful look into the experiences of military veterans.

Dr. George Belliveau is a professor of theatre/drama education at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His scholarly and creative writing can be found in various arts-based and theatre education journals, along with chapters in edited books. He is the co-author (with Lynn Fels) of Exploring Curriculum: Performative Inquiry, Role Drama, and Learning (2008). He frequently leads drama workshops on integrating drama across the curriculum for learners of all ages.

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