Drawing strength from trauma

Serving as a boatswain's mate at HMAS Kuttabul, LS Christopher Hill’s role included ship maintenance, supporting day-to-day operations, small-arms responsibilities and developing core seamanship skills.

“I’d been doing this for almost eight years but was medically discharged due to PTSD,” LS Hill said.

Due to a range of factors, he suffered a nervous breakdown in 2023 and could no longer go to sea or serve on a ship.

While LS Hill sought assistance from Navy mental health staff, doctors and psychiatrists, he felt he could further benefit from additional forms of support.

A turning point came when his transition coach introduced him to the ADF Arts for Recovery, Resilience, Teamwork and Skills (ARRTS) program.

It is a four-week live-in program held twice a year at the University of Canberra, where experienced mentors teach music, creative writing and visual arts techniques to help participants discover new outlets and enhance their wellbeing.

With the support of a new supervisor, LS Hill applied.

“My first challenge was deciding which stream to join, because I love writing and creating visual art,” he said.

On the morning the choice had to be made, he consulted creative writing mentor Russell and visual arts mentor Mariana. However, this made the decision even more difficult as both streams sounded incredible.

“So, on the application form, I marked both of these streams as my first choice and put music as my third, because I’m a dreadful singer. I then let fate decide,” he said.

LS Hill was allocated to creative writing, which proved a good fit because, in addition to writing several poems, he also drew a spectacular multi-coloured ARRTS poster freehand. Displayed in the foyer, it featured three people engaged in different ARRTS activities.

He was also able to merge writing with drawing by creating a graphic novel, which combined comic-style illustrations with the story text.

“The story was about a soldier who was killed during fighting in Afghanistan while his wife was pregnant with their child, and I illustrated it with endless hand-drawn pictures,” he said.

“Because he had killed people there as part of his Defence service, he was sent to hell.

“In hell, the devil offered him a deal in which he would be sent back to Earth to face his demons and, while he could then see his family from afar, he could not interact with them.”

Writing and illustrating the story helped LS Hill with his own battles.

“The hero ended up developing abilities to face his demons and things like that, and being in that space definitely helped me too, as shown in my poem The Struggle I Feel Within,” he said.

Every ARRTS program ends with a spectacular celebration showcase attended by family and friends, in which participants perform music, present poetry, read stories and display their artistic creations.

“This was an amazing end to the program, and my partner drove down from Sydney to be there with me,” he said.

Towards the start of the showcase, a video was played in which LS Hill read two of his poems, accompanied by images from his graphic novel, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Living in the accommodation centre with the 25 other participants was another aspect of the program that resonated strongly with LS Hill.

“Having served in the Navy, I was extremely used to living with others and was able to help people feel comfortable,” he said.

“We spent evenings and weekends together, and even though I’ve now left Defence, I’ve stayed in touch with many of them.”

In his new life beyond Defence, LS Hill has remained connected to what he started at ARRTS.

“I’ve continued working on my graphic novel, applying necessary tweaks, and I eventually plan to release it online, perhaps with the help of crowdfunding platforms such as Indiegogo or Kickstarter, because I believe it could help others facing similar challenges,” he said.

“Writing gives me a disconnect from my demons. It’s like escaping into your own little world for a while, and it’s a world that you’re creating and can control.”

He strongly encourages others to consider joining the program.

“I’d recommend ARRTS to anyone, and it’s worth speaking to your supervisor about,” he said.

“The program, activities and mentors are outstanding, and it’s definitely helped me transition to a new outlook and a new life.

“And it has built on my participation in the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler last year, where I competed in a range of events and wore the Australian colours proudly.”

The next ADF ARRTS program will be held in Canberra from November 1 to 27. Applications are open until September 28.

For more information, email adf.arrts@defence.gov.au, visit defence.gov.au/arrts, or call 02 6127 6505 during business hours.