Academic | Performer | Musician | Public Speaker | War Veteran
Background & Transition
Dr. David Jackson is a former Royal Marine Commando whose 21-year military career including service in Northern Ireland and the Falklands War continues to shape his life’s work. Medically discharged in 1995 and diagnosed with PTSD in 1996, In 1997 he qualified as a psychotherapist and now exclusively works with veterans. David’s transition from military life to psychotherapist, academic and the arts has been marked by a commitment to exploring and retelling the stories of veterans and their families.
Academic Journey
After earning a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the Open University in 1995, David turned his focus to how veterans are represented in popular culture, media, and academic research. He completed an MA in Counselling Studies at the University of East Anglia in 2002 and an EdD at the University of Bristol in 2010. His scholarship explores social and cultural narratives, using creative methods to uncover lived experiences often lost in conventional storytelling.
David is a lead researcher for the Military Afterlives Project and played a key role in the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded The Stories in Transition Project initiative. Through these projects, he continues to give voice to veterans and their families, using creativity as a tool for truth telling and transformation.
Creative Expression
Beyond academia, David is a passionate writer, poet, and musician. He’s published journal articles, written poems that evolved into songs, and performed in the internationally acclaimed play Minefield . His short film What is a Veteran? marks a milestone in his creative evolution.
Currently, he’s developing Threads a self funded music project involving the local veteran community. Blending acoustic, blues rock, and post/progressive rock, Threads weaves a vivid tapestry of memory and meaning.
Public Speaking And Engagement
David’s diverse experiences make him a compelling public speaker, blending insight, warmth, and lived understanding. He has shared his work across the UK and internationally in Argentina, Switzerland, and Germany engaging audiences through storytelling shaped by creativity, service, and personal history
Philosophy of Storytelling
For David, creative storytelling is more than communication it’s emergence. Through words, music, and performance, he opens spaces for connection, inviting audiences into lived experiences shaped by his life. His work doesn’t just share it enacts. By showing rather than telling, he brings authenticity to the stage and page, embracing the autonomy of each storyteller.
