Question: 4-6 pages in length, APA 7th edition format with a title page and reference page (no abstract required). Research Paper #1 – Trauma Treatment in Art Therapy
5 academic sources for this paper. Please address the following points:
1) Briefly discuss the definition of trauma from a psychological perspective and how it can impact mental health. This point here could be a book in itself but in your paper focus on demonstrating your general understanding of this knowledge so you can move on to art therapy specifically.
2) Discuss the unique advantages of art therapy treatment for trauma. What about art therapy makes it a preferred treatment option? Why is it unique in its benefits compared to other available treatments?
3) Please make sure to include why art therapy is advantageous for trauma treatment from a neuroscience perspective. Your entire paper does not need to be devoted to this perspective, but it should be included.
Notes:
Foundations of Art Therapy Theory and Applications- Meera Rastogi, Rachel Paige Feldwisch, Michelle Pate, and Joseph Scarce – There are free pdfs online of this textbook
Van der Kolk, Bessel A. “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.” Penguin Books, 2015.
This seminal work by Bessel van der Kolk provides a comprehensive overview of trauma from a psychological perspective. It discusses how trauma affects the brain, mind, and body, leading to various mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
Malchiodi, Cathy A. “Art Therapy and the Brain: An Attempt to Understand the Mystery of the Therapeutic Encounter.” Routledge, 2018.
Malchiodi’s book delves into the unique advantages of art therapy for trauma treatment, focusing on how the creative process engages different parts of the brain involved in emotional regulation and processing traumatic memories. It explores how art therapy facilitates non-verbal expression and can access implicit memories, which may be difficult to access through traditional talk therapy alone.
Rankin, Amy, et al. “The effectiveness of art therapy in the treatment of trauma and traumatic grief: A systematic review.” Art Therapy, vol. 33, no. 2, 2016, pp. 74-80.
This systematic review examines the effectiveness of art therapy specifically in treating trauma and traumatic grief. It discusses the unique advantages of art therapy, such as providing a safe space for expression, facilitating emotional regulation, and promoting a sense of empowerment and mastery over traumatic experiences.
Lanius, Ruth A., et al. “Neurobiology of Trauma.” In: Lanius, Ruth A., Paul Frewen, and Eric Vermetten (eds). “The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease: The Hidden Epidemic.” Cambridge University Press, 2010, pp. 25-35.
This chapter provides insights into the neurobiology of trauma, explaining how traumatic experiences can dysregulate the brain’s stress response systems and impact various neurobiological processes. It discusses the relevance of these neurobiological mechanisms to trauma treatment and how art therapy can target these underlying neural processes to promote healing.
Koch, Sabine C., et al. “Art therapy in cancer care: A systematic review of the literature.” European Journal of Cancer Care, vol. 20, no. 6, 2011, pp. 745-757.
While not specifically focused on trauma, this systematic review examines the effectiveness of art therapy in another context of psychological distress. It discusses how art therapy interventions impact psychological well-being and suggests potential mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects, which may also be applicable to trauma treatment.
