This book focusses on art therapy as a treatment of PTSD in both theory and practice. It includes an in-depth look at what PTSD is, how it develops, and how art therapists should approach and treat it, with a focus on furthering social justice.

The chapters cover a wide variety of contexts, including adults at a rape crisis centre, veterans, children in group homes and patients at substance use facilities. The second section of the book includes invaluable practical strategies and interventions based on the author's decades of experience in the field. It also discusses more complex concepts, including the impact of avoidance in maintaining symptoms of PTSD, and considers how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can guide art therapy interventions.

How therapists can use art therapy to treat PTSD, with a focus on social justice

About the Author
Dr. Amy Backos is a licensed psychologist and certified art therapist based in San Francisco, CA. She is the Chair of the Graduate Art Therapy Psychology Program in the San Francisco Bay and has over 20 years of experience working with adults, young people, and children who have experienced substance abuse disorders, intimate partner violence, combat trauma, and sexual assault. Her past work includes Clinical Director and Art Therapist at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Centre as well as Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Cleveland Veterans' Affairs Medical Hospital.


Book Information
ISBN 9781787752047
Author Amy Backos
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publisher Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Weight(grams) 460g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 152mm * 20mm