Kunsttherapieblog

The BBC’s Culture Show visited an art therapy session at Combat Stress to see how it is helping veterans

With the lack of military hospitals, many veterans are turning to charities for help. One is using the unlikely weapon of art to help fight the psychological wounds of war, while another organisation is actively encouraging artwork in the army.

Outside of the NHS, the charity Combat Stress is the biggest provider of support to armed forces veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety.

Art therapy is one of the treatments it uses. Drawing, sculpting and painting are helping patients manage their symptoms with great success.

“Traumatic memories take a different path from our normal memories and tend to be frozen in the body in the central nervous system,” explains Janice Lobban, who has been a trauma therapist at Combat Stress for the past 10 years.

“When a trauma happens, the person will react to get through the experience, but it leaves the trauma unprocessed. A person might then get a sensory memory like a sound, or sight, or smell, that is reminiscent of the trauma and they re-experience it happening again.”

Read this great article by Genevieve Hassan, Arts reporter on BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15676268

Art therapy combines art and psychology to help adults and children cope with mental and emotional illnesses. A brief but good definition. I received an article from my good friend Rebecca, who found this article in a magazine.

Art therapist Joanna Tan says that the creative process is healing. Here, she shares the other benefits of art therapy:

1 Art helps you express feelings and thoughts that are too difficult to put into words. That’s why it works for all ages and social classes.

2 Art therapy helps you sort through your feelings so you can come to terms with tricky situations. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment, enjoyment and personal expression. Its other benefits include:
- reduces anxiety and stress,
-  improves self-esteem and confidence,
- helps cope with grief and loss,
- develops better interpersonal skills,
- helps one overcome anger and depression.