2025 Ella Beardsley Healing Through Art: Exploring Art Therapy for Trauma Recovery

Dive into the transformative potential of art therapy with Ella Beardsley, a passionate art therapy graduate student at the Herron School of Art + Design, part of Indiana University Indianapolis. In her compelling thesis video, Ella presents a mixed-method study exploring the use of art therapy with patients recovering from traumatic injuries in a trauma one unit. This groundbreaking research addresses a critical gap in mental health support for trauma patients, highlighting art therapy’s role in fostering resilience and emotional healing.

Inspired by her internship in a trauma one unit, Ella identified a lack of research on art therapy for this population. Her study combines a literature review, an interview with a practicing art therapist, and survey results from patients who experienced art therapy during their hospital stay. The findings are powerful: art therapy helps reduce depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms, promotes emotional expression, and supports mobility. Patients reported overwhelmingly positive experiences, using art as a vital outlet for processing trauma and gaining emotional insight.

Ella’s research also sheds light on the challenges trauma patients face, from short-term pain and PTSD to long-term chronic pain and mobility issues, underscoring the urgent need for mental health resources. Yet, funding for such interventions remains scarce, with the interviewed art therapist being the only one serving this population at her hospital. Ella’s work, enriched by her reflective response artwork, calls for greater investment in art therapy to support trauma recovery.

Join Ella in advocating for innovative mental health solutions! Produced as part of her graduate studies at Herron School of Art + Design (https://herron.indianapolis.iu.edu), this video showcases the promise of art therapy to transform lives in trauma care. Explore Herron’s Art Therapy program at https://herron.indianapolis.iu.edu/academics/gdegrees/art-therapy/index.html and help spread the word. Like, share, and subscribe to support this vital research and enhance mental health care for trauma patients!