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Background/aim: Art therapy and drawings may serve as alternative means of expression and release from trauma among veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)., Methods: The retrospective clinical study of drawings of war veterans was performed. A total of 89 war veterans met the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) PTSD criteria and were consecutively admitted to the Day Hospital during 5 years. Art group therapy as part of integrative treatment was performed once a week. The group was open and heterogeneous. Qualitative analysis of drawings content and group protocols were obtained. The drawings were made by free associations. War related themes were explored and descriptive statistics were applied., Results: The most frequent type of common themes of combat stress presented battle and witnessing wounded and killed combatants. Less frequent were themes of graves, destroyed cities and broken trees. The veterans preferred black and red colors with association to death, blood, wounds and destroyed objects., Conclusion: Drawing could provide a unique, complex, visual illustration of war traumatic experiences and memories of posttraumatic stress disorder veterans. Art group discussion might enhance war veterans’ verbal expression due to group support in safe setting. As adjuvant psychotherapy, art group therapy could enrich awareness and the ability of clinicians to treat hard posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms related to uncovered war trauma.

Introduction: War veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer family and parenting functioning, but little research has focused on these impairments., Case Report: This paper presented how the series of drawings and the group art therapy process enhanced bridging the psychological barriers of a 33-year-old male PTSD war veteran to engagement with the child. After two years of deployment he returned home and suffered mostly from PTSD numbness and avoidance symptoms. The veteran had the family readjustment difficulties and felt guilty for being detached from his 3-year-old son. He under-went integrative treatment in the Day Unit Program. The drawings series were made by free associations. Clinical observations and group discussions were recorded in the group art therapy protocols. The presented patient got gratifications and support from the group members for his illustration of popular cartoon heroes, and decided to draw Mickey Mouse at home. On the next session he shared his satisfaction for bridging the gap between him and his son, having done the same drawings with his son at home. Beck's depression inventory (BDI) was used for self-rating of depression and a reduction of BDI score from 18 to 6 during the treatment course was recorded., Conclusions: Series of drawings illustrated shift from war related past toward current family life of the war veteran. Group art therapy gave him gratification and support with hope and a sense of belonging, thus facilitated his parenting readjustment.

Introduction. The neuropsychological impairment such as different severity of executive deficit and mnestic disturbance among chronic alcoholics is frequent, but usually not explored. Case report. Two clinical vignettes of alcoholics who were not simultaneously treated in day hospital are presented, and they illustrated similar visuospatial impairments in free association drawings of a house made by. In this paper, the focus was on drawing not only as diagnostic tool, but also as a means of a confrontation within the group. Qualitative analysis of drawings and protocols from the group analysis were applied in the integrative day program. After confrontation, one alcoholic increased the insight into his cognitive impairment and strengthened motivation for early abstinence and treatment maintenance. He continued drawing houses as a theme of the following sessions till his obvious visuospatial impairments were repaired. Thus, he spontaneously trained his executive abilities and got group support for their improvement. Conclusion. Drawing could be a simple means of illustration cognitive impairments and the group analysis of drawings may serve as useful adjuvant method of strengthening insight and motivation for abstinence and treatment maintenance with documented cognitive recovery during abstinence.

Introduction. Drawings may give an insight into the complex mental process, however they have been underutilized in patients with psychosis associated with epilepsy. Case report. A 33-year-old, right handed female, diagnosed with schizophrenia- like psychosis associated with epilepsy, was treated in the Day Unit due to psychosocial rehabilitation. Besides other treatments, the patient underwent group analysis of drawings once a week. Qualitative analysis of the form and content of drawings made by free associations were performed. The varying of size and motives with vivid colours and the curve of perspective were documentated in three figures, followed by the last drawing which was without such elements. Conclusion. A series of drawings of patients with psychosis associated with epilepsy is needed to record a possible variations and disturbance of the immediate mental process. Group sessions may additionally contribute to diminish stigma and enhance psychosocial reintegration.

Introduction. The schizophrenics are frequently disinterested and resistant to standard care. Case report. We presented clinical observations of group art therapy of two schizophrenic patients during integrative therapy in Day Hospital. We modified the original “Synallactic collective image technique” (Vassiliou G, Vassiliou V.). The group is open, heterogeneous, meets once a week and discusses on exhibited drawings, drawn by free associations. The patients' drawings and group protocols showed clinical improvement by lowering depressive themes, more human figures and self-confidence. The obvious severity of markedly impairment on Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scales on admission with minimal improvement at discharge was rated. Conclusion. Group art therapy enables visual expression of emotions, perceptions and cognitions, develops creative potentials and support within the group, thus facilitating the integrative therapeutic process of schizophrenics. It may be useful adjunctive therapy for schizoprenic patients.