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The article reports on the first international scientific and practical conference on ecological art therapy. The conference has an interdisciplinary character and reflects active development of the ecological direction in art therapy in its close connection with the ecology movement, ecotherapy, ecopsychology, environmental education (education for sustainable development) and “green” art. The report reflects the current state and development objectives of this innovative approach, which has significant potential for preserving health of the population, developing ecological culture and ecological awareness in close connection with the problem of preserving well-being of the environment.

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2017) 3(2):3–16DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2017/3/2 The ‘Green’ Mandala: Where Eastern Wisdom meets Ecopsychology “绿色”曼陀罗：东方智慧遇到生态心理学 Alexander Kopytin St.-Petersburg Academy of Post-Graduate Pedagogical Training, Russia Abstract Mandalas are circular images often created in various religious and indigenous traditions. Due to the development of Jungian analysis and transpersonal studies diagnostic and therapeutic potential of the mandala was extensively explored. Analytical psychologists and art therapists understand visualized or created mandalas of their clients as the symbolic mirror of the psyche, a means of containing and integrating its energies, both conscious and unconscious dynamics and states of mind. This paper presents ecological and environmental perspectives on our understanding and therapeutic application of the mandala as an expressive/creative tool that helps to bring the arts and nature together and provide beneficial effects both for human and nonhuman worlds. Basic theoretical, ethical and instrumental ingredients related to the ‘green’ mandala, or eco-mandala, together with case vignettes illustrating their therapeutic application and functions will be presented. 摘要 曼陀罗是通常在各种宗教和土著传统中创建的圆形图像。由于荣格分析和超个人研究的发展，对曼陀罗的诊断和治疗潜力进行了广泛的探索。分析心理学家和艺术治疗师将他们客户的可视化或创造的曼陀罗理解为心灵的象征性反映，这是一种遏制和整合其能量的手段，既有意识的也有无意识的动态和精神状态。 本文将我们对曼陀罗的理解和治疗应用的生态和环境视角作为一种表现力/创造性工具，帮助将艺术和自然融合在一起，并为人类和非人类世界提供有益的影响。本文还将介绍与“绿色”曼陀罗或生态曼陀罗相关的基本理论、道德和机制成分，以及说明其治疗应用和功能的案例简介。

The article explores humour as a significant human phenomenon and therapeutic factor in interactive group art therapy with war veterans. The multidimensional approach integrating developmental and clinical perspectives on the nature, role and functions of humour has been applied. The emphasis is placed on how humour can be generated and expressed through art in clinical art therapy. Researchers postulated that humour may be especially significant as a coping or defensive means among war veterans somehow related to their specific ‘male culture’, mental disorders involved and therapeutic and group dynamics. Different expressions of humour in spontaneous or task-specific art activities have been studied in their connection with various therapeutic situations and targets involved. High frequency of humorous artistic expressions and their significant correlation with cognitive characteristics of the clients was found.

This article presents findings from a study of the therapeutic effects of group art therapy in a psychotherapy unit of a Russian hospital for war veterans. The researchers randomly assigned 112 veterans being treated for stress-related disorders to an experimental group (art therapy) and a control group. The emphasis was on the use of humor in the Draw A Story assessment and the Silver Drawing Test with respect to cognition, emotions, creativity, and self-image. Findings included a high frequency of humorous responses in both groups, and an increase of humor in the art therapy group post treatment. Results suggest that image formation and artistic activity foster cognitive and creative problem solving and increased self-esteem, and that humor serves as an important therapeutic function in this population.

Photography is a visual medium. It would seem natural for art therapists to consider its therapeutic use and potential. Paradoxically, however, there are only rare instances where art therapists have explored the use of photography. The aim of this article, therefore, is to stimulate thinking about photography from an art therapeutic stance that involves its use in clinical practice. A wide range of therapeutic factors implied in the taking and perceiving of photographs are presented. Additionally, a variety of creative activities based on photography are described. Case illustrations demonstrate different forms of thematic group activities and contexts where photographic pictures may be used.