Cognitive benefits of art therapy for individuals who have sustained traumatic brain injuries:

When one acquires a traumatic brain injury (TBI), they must begin to navigate life with new cognitive and physical deficits, making it difficult to go back to their prior state of independence. A traumatic brain injury occurs when sudden impact causes damage to the brain. This can occur through blunt force or from objects piercing the brain. Individuals can struggle with a range of cognitive impairments such as memory, motor skills, and executive functioning skills. These challenges may also lead to an increase in mood disorders for the affected individual. Utilizing an art therapy-based curriculum aimed to improve cognitive skills can also assist in socialization and stress relief for TBI patients. This proposal is for development of a resource guide to aid in the acquisition of cognitive skills for individuals who have sustained traumatic brain injury.