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.
