Hello AFTHAS family,
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and staying cool working on some art. I am currently working on partnering with a veterans PTSD therapy group. There are a lot of veterans that could benefit from one of our journals or art supplies. I had a female veteran tell me yesterday that she has tried to journal but she didn't have the money to purchase an art journal. She has 2 kids and says all of her money goes to her kids and paying the bills. She said it has been a very hard transition since coming back to the states and getting out of the military after her injury. I am working on making a personalized journal for her as well as some art supplies so she has all of the tools she needs to begin her healing process.
On another note, Patti has been diligently working on putting together some AFTHAS coloring books. We've noticed adult coloring books are the new thing this year. Patti has a wonderful idea of having coloring parties with our members. If you can't make it in person we can always have you join us via the internet. Technology has made our options endless when it comes to meeting as a group. Our goal is to try and bring all of our members together and let you know how much we appreciate your love and support. Keep your eyes open for a blog from Patti that will explain this in more detail in the next couple of weeks.
I am currently reaching out to a few local groups to see if we can partner with them to build a strong presence int he community. I will keep you updated as these talks move along. If you know of anyone that could benefit from something as small as a journal or something as simple as paint or pencils, please let us know. We are all about paying it forward and would love to help in any way we can. I know first hand how much of a life saver all of you have been. When my health was bad a year ago it was all of you and your small acts of kindness that got me through.
Thank you to each and every one of you for letting us be a part of your life. We are blessed and can't wait to continue to pay it forward.
With all of our love,
Tina, Patti and Tim
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Monday, June 15, 2015
Exciting news for everyone involved with Art for the HeArt and Soul...
Hello AFTHAS Family,
We have waited a long time in order to announce that we are finally, completely tax exempt. This opens up so many doors for us as an organization and gives us limitless opportunities to grow.
Our Mission:
Art For the HeArt and Soul is a nonprofit organization 501 (3)(c) that helps people heal through art. We understand that everyone's situation is different and because of this, the type help we offer will vary. We want everyone to know they are not alone and we care. One of our goals is to help people build self confidence and self worth. We feel strongly that this can be done through art therapy and by becoming part of a supportive community. We want to help people in hopes they will one day be in a situation where they can pay if forward and make a difference in someone else's life.
We will now be able to carry out and fulfill our mission which makes my heart smile. We now have the opportunity to help a specific group such as veterans dealing with ptsd. We can also help anyone in need of therapy by possibly providing a venue and art therapist to those who would benefit from these services. We can help give back to our community and watch it grow while work hand in hand with it's locals in need or locals that want to help and give back.
I hope that you can see the endless possibilities and why we are so excited. This is what we have been waiting for, for over a year. In the past we helped where we could and when we could. We will now build our own facilities and programs that can help everyone around us at all times. Our help should not and will not be conditional from this point forward.
The board will be meeting next Wednesday June 24th to discuss where we currently are and start building a plan on how we will grow and procedure in the future. Please feel free to give us your feedback. Your opinions matter and gives us and idea on who to best serve the you and the community.
Thank you for being part of this wonderful organization and I look forward to working with each and everyone of you while we build this organization into a magnificent tool that helps others.
All my love,
Tina
We have waited a long time in order to announce that we are finally, completely tax exempt. This opens up so many doors for us as an organization and gives us limitless opportunities to grow.
Our Mission:
Art For the HeArt and Soul is a nonprofit organization 501 (3)(c) that helps people heal through art. We understand that everyone's situation is different and because of this, the type help we offer will vary. We want everyone to know they are not alone and we care. One of our goals is to help people build self confidence and self worth. We feel strongly that this can be done through art therapy and by becoming part of a supportive community. We want to help people in hopes they will one day be in a situation where they can pay if forward and make a difference in someone else's life.
We will now be able to carry out and fulfill our mission which makes my heart smile. We now have the opportunity to help a specific group such as veterans dealing with ptsd. We can also help anyone in need of therapy by possibly providing a venue and art therapist to those who would benefit from these services. We can help give back to our community and watch it grow while work hand in hand with it's locals in need or locals that want to help and give back.
I hope that you can see the endless possibilities and why we are so excited. This is what we have been waiting for, for over a year. In the past we helped where we could and when we could. We will now build our own facilities and programs that can help everyone around us at all times. Our help should not and will not be conditional from this point forward.
The board will be meeting next Wednesday June 24th to discuss where we currently are and start building a plan on how we will grow and procedure in the future. Please feel free to give us your feedback. Your opinions matter and gives us and idea on who to best serve the you and the community.
Thank you for being part of this wonderful organization and I look forward to working with each and everyone of you while we build this organization into a magnificent tool that helps others.
All my love,
Tina
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Art for the HeArt and Soul and our mission to help Veterans.
ART THERAPY, POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER, AND VETERANS
From the American Art Therapy Association (AATA)
Art therapy can be beneficial to people of all ages, including adults who have emotional, cognitive, and /or physical disabilities. Our nation’s Veterans often return home with acute psychological or medical condi- tions that impair functioning, disrupt family relationships, and prevent reentry into the workforce. Others may develop chronic disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that require months or even years of counseling or rehabilitation. For Veterans who are receiving psychiatric care for PTSD and other emotional conditions, art therapy can be an effective form of treatment, either as a adjunct to other thera- pies or as a form of individual or group psychotherapy.
Senator Bob Graham (FL) emphasized the value of art therapy with US veterans in The Congressional Record, stating: “Art therapists provide effective treatment and health maintenance intervention for veter- ans, focusing on all of their life challenges, such as mental, physical, and cognitive impairments. Intense emotion and memory, often difficult to convey in words, often are more easily expressed in images with the guidance of a trained clinician...Given the number of veterans gradually returning from the current war in Iraq, art therapy has the potential to assist them as a form of rehabilitation.”
Members of the American Art Therapy Association hope that the following information will give you a greater understanding of how art therapy can be used in the treatment of our nation’s veterans and offers unique value in enhancing and improving mental health. Art therapists use a a wide variety of art-based techniques in the assessment and treatment of adults. For combat veterans of recent or previous conflicts, art therapy provides ways to express feelings and experiences that are difficult to ex-
From the American Art Therapy Association (AATA)
____________________________________________________
About Art Therapy
Art therapy can be beneficial to people of all ages, including adults who have emotional, cognitive, and /or physical disabilities. Our nation’s Veterans often return home with acute psychological or medical condi- tions that impair functioning, disrupt family relationships, and prevent reentry into the workforce. Others may develop chronic disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that require months or even years of counseling or rehabilitation. For Veterans who are receiving psychiatric care for PTSD and other emotional conditions, art therapy can be an effective form of treatment, either as a adjunct to other thera- pies or as a form of individual or group psychotherapy.
Senator Bob Graham (FL) emphasized the value of art therapy with US veterans in The Congressional Record, stating: “Art therapists provide effective treatment and health maintenance intervention for veter- ans, focusing on all of their life challenges, such as mental, physical, and cognitive impairments. Intense emotion and memory, often difficult to convey in words, often are more easily expressed in images with the guidance of a trained clinician...Given the number of veterans gradually returning from the current war in Iraq, art therapy has the potential to assist them as a form of rehabilitation.”
Members of the American Art Therapy Association hope that the following information will give you a greater understanding of how art therapy can be used in the treatment of our nation’s veterans and offers unique value in enhancing and improving mental health. Art therapists use a a wide variety of art-based techniques in the assessment and treatment of adults. For combat veterans of recent or previous conflicts, art therapy provides ways to express feelings and experiences that are difficult to ex-
press verbally.
Asaformof
psychotherapy,
art therapy helps
veterans com-
municate and
resolve trau-
matic memories,
relieve stress,
and reduce
symptoms of
trauma-related
conditions. Art
therapists en-
courage Veter-
ans to reflect on
the meaning of
their artwork to
assist their psychological recovery, promote in-
sight, and improve functioning.
For veterans in extended care facilities or hos- pitals, art therapy helps enhance quality of life by providing a meaningful creative vocation to in- crease self-esteem and a sense of personal self- worth. Based on their knowledge of art materials, human development, and physical, mental, and emotional conditions, art therapists select specific drawing, painting, or sculpting activities to aug- ment cognitive, psychological, and physical reha- bilitation.
! Art therapy has been a valuable part of men- tal health services offered by Veteran’s Hospitals (VA) since 1945 when the Winter VA Hospital in Topeka, KS, offered art therapy as part of their psychiatric services to returning World War II vet- erans. By 1980, a job series was established to facilitate the hiring of arts therapists nationwide-- the GS638 series for Creative Arts Therapists and Recreation Therapists. Today, art therapists are employed in VA hospitals and offer therapeutic services to military personnel and their families in hospitals such as Walter Reed in Washington,
For veterans in extended care facilities or hos- pitals, art therapy helps enhance quality of life by providing a meaningful creative vocation to in- crease self-esteem and a sense of personal self- worth. Based on their knowledge of art materials, human development, and physical, mental, and emotional conditions, art therapists select specific drawing, painting, or sculpting activities to aug- ment cognitive, psychological, and physical reha- bilitation.
! Art therapy has been a valuable part of men- tal health services offered by Veteran’s Hospitals (VA) since 1945 when the Winter VA Hospital in Topeka, KS, offered art therapy as part of their psychiatric services to returning World War II vet- erans. By 1980, a job series was established to facilitate the hiring of arts therapists nationwide-- the GS638 series for Creative Arts Therapists and Recreation Therapists. Today, art therapists are employed in VA hospitals and offer therapeutic services to military personnel and their families in hospitals such as Walter Reed in Washington,
DC, and in clinics, mental health programs, and
private practice. Depending on their credentials,
many art therapists provide services to military
personnel through TRICARE, managed health
care, and other programs for military, reserve, and
retired service men and women.
How Does Art Therapy Help Veterans with PTSD?
Art therapy helps Veterans in a variety of ways. For returning military with mental health condi- tions, art therapy provides emotional relief by en- couraging expression of feelings and concerns. Art making is observed to relieve depression and anxiety as well as to improve reality orientation. ! ! Currently, art therapists and researchers are studying the value of art therapy in treating post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a problem ex- perienced by many combat Veterans returning from the recent conflicts in the Middle East and those who have have returned from previous wars. PTSD is a widely recognized condition that includes a number of symptoms that interfere with day-to-day functioning, job performance, and fam- ily relationships. After World War I, PTSD was referred to as “shell shock,” and sometimes called “war neurosis” or “combat exhaustion.”
For returning military suffering from PTSD, art therapy is used to reduce debilitating symptoms, provide opportunities for expression and resolu- tion of painful memories, and enhance stress re- duction through art-based relaxation techniques and copingl skills. In particular, art therapy helps by:
• Reducing anxiety and mood disorders common to military personnel with PTSD; • Reducing behaviors that interfere with emotional and cognitive functioning;
• Externalizing, verbalizing, and resolv- ing memories of traumatic events;
• Reactivating positive emotions, self- worth, and self-esteem.
How Does Art Therapy Help Veterans with PTSD?
Art therapy helps Veterans in a variety of ways. For returning military with mental health condi- tions, art therapy provides emotional relief by en- couraging expression of feelings and concerns. Art making is observed to relieve depression and anxiety as well as to improve reality orientation. ! ! Currently, art therapists and researchers are studying the value of art therapy in treating post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a problem ex- perienced by many combat Veterans returning from the recent conflicts in the Middle East and those who have have returned from previous wars. PTSD is a widely recognized condition that includes a number of symptoms that interfere with day-to-day functioning, job performance, and fam- ily relationships. After World War I, PTSD was referred to as “shell shock,” and sometimes called “war neurosis” or “combat exhaustion.”
For returning military suffering from PTSD, art therapy is used to reduce debilitating symptoms, provide opportunities for expression and resolu- tion of painful memories, and enhance stress re- duction through art-based relaxation techniques and copingl skills. In particular, art therapy helps by:
• Reducing anxiety and mood disorders common to military personnel with PTSD; • Reducing behaviors that interfere with emotional and cognitive functioning;
• Externalizing, verbalizing, and resolv- ing memories of traumatic events;
• Reactivating positive emotions, self- worth, and self-esteem.
overall quality of life of our nation’s Veterans. In
these settings, art therapists capitalize on the
strengths, courage, and pride of military person-
nel, helping them to create visual records of their
autobiographies, memories, and legacies. In addi-
tion, art therapy helps these Veterans to sustain
cognitive skills and reduce stress. Finally, for Vet-
erans undergoing physical rehabilitation, art ther- apy enhances fine motor skills, encourages rec- onciliation of physical changes and injuries, and promotes the discovery of new strengths.
How Does Art Therapy Compare with Other Therapies?
Art therapists are master’s level professionals who have a degree in art therapy or a related field. They generally hold a credential in the field of art therapy such as Registration (ATR) or Board Certification (ATR-BC). Many art therapists also hold an additional license in counseling, psychol- ogy, or marriage and family therapy.
Art therapists are skilled in using drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media in assess- ment and treatment and the clinical application of methods of psychotherapy and counseling to achieve treatment goals and objectives. Like other forms of psychotherapy or counseling, art therapists may use a specific approach or theory.
erans undergoing physical rehabilitation, art ther- apy enhances fine motor skills, encourages rec- onciliation of physical changes and injuries, and promotes the discovery of new strengths.
How Does Art Therapy Compare with Other Therapies?
Art therapists are master’s level professionals who have a degree in art therapy or a related field. They generally hold a credential in the field of art therapy such as Registration (ATR) or Board Certification (ATR-BC). Many art therapists also hold an additional license in counseling, psychol- ogy, or marriage and family therapy.
Art therapists are skilled in using drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media in assess- ment and treatment and the clinical application of methods of psychotherapy and counseling to achieve treatment goals and objectives. Like other forms of psychotherapy or counseling, art therapists may use a specific approach or theory.
Veteran with PTSD may combine drawing and col-
lage activities with cognitive-behavioral therapy to
help the individual reduce symptoms and reframe
negative thinking. Or an art therapist may use a
humanistic approach such as person-centered
counseling to enhance a Veteran’s personal
strengths and promote a sense of self-worth
through the creative process.
As a form of rehabilitation, art therapy pro- motes social skills and cognitive and physical functioning. In VA hospitals, art therapists may work in activity therapy departments to help Vet- erans make drawings, paintings, and sculptures for personal satisfaction or artwork to share with the public through shows like the National Veter- ans Creative Arts Festival. These unique aspects of art therapy help Veterans find value and mean- ing in their creative expressions, engage in pur- poseful activities, and improve the overall quality of their lives.
What Veterans Are Saying About Art Therapy
Veterans who participate in art therapy report that it helps understand and cope with symptoms, en- hances their strengths and abilities to reenter their communities, and improves their outlook on life. Here are a few quotes from our nation’s Veterans about the value of art therapy:
! Roy Meaders of Topeka, KS, a Veteran who spent four and one-half months in Vietnam, and who was awarded the CIB Purple Heart and Bronze Star writes: “Art therapy gave me a non- threatening place for social interaction. But more than that, it helped me to express my feelings through my art work and has given me confidence to pursue other activities, helped me to develop the skill needed to become an accomplished art- ist. It also gave me the right to meet my con- gressman, and to speak to the national news- broadcast. [Art therapy] changed my life and the lives of my PTSD peers.”
! Steve Piscatelli, a Vietnam Veteran, worked for several years with doctors who wanted to ex- plore his childhood. Piscatelli recalls that they, “couldn’t hear me when I tried to tell them: combat broke me down.” Doctors then consulted with art therapist Deborah Golub who helped Piscatelli express the terrifying experiences he encountered through pictures, paintings, and sculptures of specific combat incidents. When the medical staff
As a form of rehabilitation, art therapy pro- motes social skills and cognitive and physical functioning. In VA hospitals, art therapists may work in activity therapy departments to help Vet- erans make drawings, paintings, and sculptures for personal satisfaction or artwork to share with the public through shows like the National Veter- ans Creative Arts Festival. These unique aspects of art therapy help Veterans find value and mean- ing in their creative expressions, engage in pur- poseful activities, and improve the overall quality of their lives.
What Veterans Are Saying About Art Therapy
Veterans who participate in art therapy report that it helps understand and cope with symptoms, en- hances their strengths and abilities to reenter their communities, and improves their outlook on life. Here are a few quotes from our nation’s Veterans about the value of art therapy:
! Roy Meaders of Topeka, KS, a Veteran who spent four and one-half months in Vietnam, and who was awarded the CIB Purple Heart and Bronze Star writes: “Art therapy gave me a non- threatening place for social interaction. But more than that, it helped me to express my feelings through my art work and has given me confidence to pursue other activities, helped me to develop the skill needed to become an accomplished art- ist. It also gave me the right to meet my con- gressman, and to speak to the national news- broadcast. [Art therapy] changed my life and the lives of my PTSD peers.”
! Steve Piscatelli, a Vietnam Veteran, worked for several years with doctors who wanted to ex- plore his childhood. Piscatelli recalls that they, “couldn’t hear me when I tried to tell them: combat broke me down.” Doctors then consulted with art therapist Deborah Golub who helped Piscatelli express the terrifying experiences he encountered through pictures, paintings, and sculptures of specific combat incidents. When the medical staff
saw the artwork, then they finally understood. He
says, “If art therapy programs had been there
when I returned from Vietnam, I would have taken
advantage of them and would most likely be able
to work today, but I suffered with it too long. Not
only would art therapy have helped me it would
have saved a lot of money in the long run. If I
hadn’t found art therapy I would probably have
committed suicide. I needed art therapy to purge the horrific experiences. So many returning veter- ans did commit suicide.”
! Piscatelli goes on to recommend, “The gov- ernment should have reentry programs with art therapy — it works wonders. You have to purge the sound, the smell, the feel in your fingers oth- erwise you grit your teeth and might end up ex- ploding. There are good men and women return- ing from Iraq and Afghanistan that need to get the poisons out, clean the wounds of war –- it will help them talk about and purge the gruesome events so that they can heal. The faster you get art therapy treatment the fewer problems there are down the road — and you need follow-up — that’s the operant word, follow-up art therapy is very important too.”
committed suicide. I needed art therapy to purge the horrific experiences. So many returning veter- ans did commit suicide.”
! Piscatelli goes on to recommend, “The gov- ernment should have reentry programs with art therapy — it works wonders. You have to purge the sound, the smell, the feel in your fingers oth- erwise you grit your teeth and might end up ex- ploding. There are good men and women return- ing from Iraq and Afghanistan that need to get the poisons out, clean the wounds of war –- it will help them talk about and purge the gruesome events so that they can heal. The faster you get art therapy treatment the fewer problems there are down the road — and you need follow-up — that’s the operant word, follow-up art therapy is very important too.”
Courtesy of The Washington Post, April 15,
2007: Eric Edmondson, a newly returned soldier
writes, “I cannot express in words what I remem-
bers about the fall day in Iraq 18 months ago
when a roadside bomb and then a heart attack
left me with shrapnel wounds and brain damage.”
The 26-year-old veteran is no longer able to eat, walk or talk. But he can pick up a paint brush. When he does, his father sees in the for- mer Army ser- geant's face glimmers of memory and healing as he seeks to paint his thoughts on
The 26-year-old veteran is no longer able to eat, walk or talk. But he can pick up a paint brush. When he does, his father sees in the for- mer Army ser- geant's face glimmers of memory and healing as he seeks to paint his thoughts on
blank paper. "I can tell by his expression he's en-
joying it," Ed Edmondson said of the art therapy
class Eric has taken in the weeks since he left a
VA hospital in Richmond for a private rehabilita-
tion center in Chicago. "I don't care what it looks
like. It's beautiful to me."
Jackie Spinner, military affairs correspondent for The Washington Post and the former Baghdad bureau chief in Iraq, summarizes the value of art therapy, stating:
! “Veterans with traumatic combat injuries often find healing power in art. They communicate through pencil and charcoal drawings, sculpture and painting. Their images range from calm, col- orful landscapes to mangled vehicles, prisoners and carnage. It's a therapy recognized as espe- cially helpful to those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “
Jackie Spinner, military affairs correspondent for The Washington Post and the former Baghdad bureau chief in Iraq, summarizes the value of art therapy, stating:
! “Veterans with traumatic combat injuries often find healing power in art. They communicate through pencil and charcoal drawings, sculpture and painting. Their images range from calm, col- orful landscapes to mangled vehicles, prisoners and carnage. It's a therapy recognized as espe- cially helpful to those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is dedicated to initiating art therapy pro-
grams that will help our returning combat military and our nation’s Veterans recover
emotionally, cognitively, and physically. In particular, AATA is committed to the develop-
ment of outcome research that will ameliorate the effects of posttraumatic stress disor-
der (PTSD) and other mental health problems Veteran’s experience as a result of active
combat. Our national initiative is to provide military with access to art therapy services in
Veterans Administration Hospitals as well as in clinics, medical centers, and other facili-
ties where Veterans receive treatment.
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