Veterans living in a transitional housing facility participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based art therapy group with the goal to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as increase mindful awareness and well-being.
The results indicated that depression, anxiety and stress reduced over the course of the group and additionally, the veterans reported subjective experience of reduced symptoms and increased coping skills. Present moment awareness increased slightly. Art analysis indicates qualitative changes in the veteran’s self portraits including shifts in energy levels such as increased energy and shifts in mental health status. This research shows promising benefits for teaching veterans to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress by using art therapy and mindfulness.
","abstract_html":"<p>Veterans living in a transitional housing facility participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based art therapy group with the goal to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as increase mindful awareness and well-being.</p> <p>The results indicated that depression, anxiety and stress reduced over the course of the group and additionally, the veterans reported subjective experience of reduced symptoms and increased coping skills. Present moment awareness increased slightly. Art analysis indicates qualitative changes in the veteran’s self portraits including shifts in energy levels such as increased energy and shifts in mental health status. This research shows promising benefits for teaching veterans to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress by using art therapy and mindfulness.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wittmershaus, Chanel R."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy","degree_level":"Master's Thesis","degree_discipline":"Art Therapy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC","Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:06:30Z","subjects":["Art Therapy","Stress","Veterans","Transitional Housing","Counseling Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholar.dominican.edu/art-therapy-print-theses/258","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC","Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wittmershaus, Chanel R."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-09-27T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Art Therapy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Art Therapy","Stress","Veterans","Transitional Housing","Counseling Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/art-therapy-print-theses/258"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Veterans living in a transitional housing facility participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based art therapy group with the goal to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as increase mindful awareness and well-being.
The results indicated that depression, anxiety and stress reduced over the course of the group and additionally, the veterans reported subjective experience of reduced symptoms and increased coping skills. Present moment awareness increased slightly. Art analysis indicates qualitative changes in the veteran’s self portraits including shifts in energy levels such as increased energy and shifts in mental health status. This research shows promising benefits for teaching veterans to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress by using art therapy and mindfulness.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Stress Reduction with Veterans Living in Transitional Housing"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Amy Backos, PhD, ATR-BC","Richard Carolan, EdD, ATR-BC"],"dc:creator":["Wittmershaus, Chanel R."],"dc:date.available":["2021-09-27T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Veterans living in a transitional housing facility participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based art therapy group with the goal to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, as well as increase mindful awareness and well-being.
The results indicated that depression, anxiety and stress reduced over the course of the group and additionally, the veterans reported subjective experience of reduced symptoms and increased coping skills. Present moment awareness increased slightly. Art analysis indicates qualitative changes in the veteran’s self portraits including shifts in energy levels such as increased energy and shifts in mental health status. This research shows promising benefits for teaching veterans to manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress by using art therapy and mindfulness.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/art-therapy-print-theses/258"],"dc:subject":["Art Therapy","Stress","Veterans","Transitional Housing","Counseling Psychology"],"dc:title":["Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and Stress Reduction with Veterans Living in Transitional Housing"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Art Therapy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:06:30Z"}