Atlanta, Georgia -- A veteran of the Iraq war stands beneath the eaves of a white clapboard church and scrawls two tiny eyes on a small scrap of canvas. He is painting a self-portrait, yet aesthetics are the furthest thing from his mind. He is painting for one reason and one reason only. He is trying to get better.

According to drama therapist and Director of Training and Supervision, Emily Nash, art has a unique way of helping trauma survivors make peace with events they have witnessed and taken part in. Ms. Nash, along with a number of other therapists, war veterans and military family members, is helping to shape a revolutionary new program called ArtReach: Project America. 

While still in its infancy, this GA pilot program conducts 2 to 5-day workshops with soldiers and veterans.  Through painting, music, drama,  and a group dynamic process, the ArtReach program offers a new and unique way to overcome the debilitating effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Art as treatment, particularly for war trauma, may seem like a strange idea. But as ArtReach’s faculty members point out, it provides a safe, gentle way to express very powerful, very negative emotions, because art plays in the realm of metaphor.  Art therapist and ArtReach Director of Programs, Stephanie Wise explains, “When we work in metaphor, we create a safe distance from whichever issues may come up… when working with people who are traumatized, what’s helpful is for people to feel safe enough to be able to gently manage whatever issues come up.”

It’s not uncommon for an ArtReach session to explore a number of themes and troubling memories, and over a brief 3-day workshop veterans work through a variety of issues, one of which is the recurring topic of untold goodbyes.  As Emily Nash describes, “It’s the grief that never quite gets resolved when soldiers are never given a chance to say farewell to comrades who have died - to their buddies in the war who they left behind. “

One of the soldiers who left comrades behind is retired Sgt. Hugo Patrocinio, an Infantry Marine who served two tours in Iraq. He admits to being sceptical, upon first taking part in the program. “Never in my life did I think I would be doing this kind of work,  art, I mean…  you know, art never really played a big role in my life.  I was never really a guy who painted,  or wrote poems,  or acted in plays.”

Still, Patrocinio insists, the benefits far outweigh the initial reluctance to pick up a paintbrush or act out a role in a play. “After these workshops, I feel like this weight has been lifted off my back… I don’t have to tell exactly all the things that have happened, but with the use of metaphor, they still get out.”

Just as importantly, the ArtReach program provides a way for veterans to continue to work through their issues, while simultaneously coming to the aid of fellow soldiers.  For men and women like Sgt. Patrocinio, that means a lot. As he explains, “I was asked to be a part of the team working directly with other veterans, and I agreed to because the military has meant so much. It’s been such a big part of my life for so long that…  this is a way for me to stay connected and still serve the military,  veterans, Americans.”

The goal of ArtReach:Project America is to make this new therapeutic model available to the tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of veterans all across the country who from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. To that end, a fundraiser called "Vets First USA" is being held this November 7th in Atlanta.

To inquire about information, or how you can take part, the organizers ask that you visit their website at www.artreachprojectamerica.com  or call (404) 264-9349.