Applying the Expressive Therapies Continuum to the Treatment of Trauma and Emotional Dysregulation
A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychiatric, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 88
Special Issue Editor
Interests: expressive therapies continuum; effects of art medium and process on therapeutic outcomes; art therapy outcome studies; ethical considerations in art therapy; effects of art therapy on eating issues and substance use
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The experience of trauma results in cognitive and emotional dysregulation as well as physical symptoms, yet art therapy, guided by the model of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) offers experiences that can help reorganize cognitive, emotional, and physical systems to provide relief from PTSD symptoms. The ETC, with its three hierarchical levels representing cognitive, affective, and body-based forms of information processing, provides a structure for the measured organization and integration of trauma in an individualized and outcomes-based manner. The articles in this Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences will demonstrate the ability of the ECT model to guide personalized and effective art therapy treatment for PTSD and other trauma-related disorders.
Aim
This Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences aims to explore the role of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) model in guiding individualized and effective art therapy interventions for individuals experiencing PTSD and other trauma-related disorders. It seeks to highlight how the ETC framework can support the reorganization and integration of trauma through cognitive, emotional, and sensorimotor processing.
Scope
The Special Issue will feature empirical studies, theoretical articles, case reports, and clinical applications that demonstrate the use of the ETC model in the art therapy treatment of PTSD and emotion dysregulation. Topics will include:
- The theoretical foundations of the ETC and its relevance to trauma treatment;
- The clinical outcomes of ETC-based interventions for PTSD and trauma-related disorders;
- The integration of cognitive, affective, and somatic processing in trauma healing;
- Case studies illustrating individualized, ETC-guided treatment approaches;
- Innovations in art therapy assessment and intervention through the ETC lens;
- Cross-disciplinary perspectives on trauma integration using expressive therapies.
This collection will be of interest to clinicians, researchers, and educators seeking evidence-based, individualized approaches to trauma treatment within the field of creative arts therapies.
Dr. Lisa Hinz
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- expressive therapies continuum (ETC)
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- post-traumatic growth (PTG)
- art therapy
- emotional dysregulation
- trauma
- trauma integration
- visual expression
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