Art Therapy for Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Comprehensive Neurorehabilitation-Informed Approach to Treatment

Abstract

I describe an approach to art therapy treatment for survivors of traumatic brain injury developed at a rehabilitation facility for adults that serves inpatient, outpatient, and long-term residential clients. This approach is based on a review of the literature on traumatic brain injury, comprehensive neurorehabilitation, brain plasticity, and art therapy, as well as personal experiences working with clients. There is a paucity of recent art therapy literature on working with this population, and given the continually advancing knowledge of the brain and its plastic qualities, attention to a framework for treatment is needed. The comprehensive neurorehabilitation art therapy treatment approach presented is tailored to accommodate clients' individualized presentations while following the goals and core guidelines of brain injury rehabilitation.