Table 2.

Structure of the art therapy protocol conducted at the NICoE.

Session	Directive	Brief description
1	Initial therapy stage (mask-making)24	Participants were provided with a blank paper-mache mask template and instructed to alter the mask how they wish using paint and other art materials
2	Initial therapy stage (mask-making and writing prompt)35,36	Participants completed mask and wrote (15 min) using the prompt: “Create a title for your mask and describe what your mask conveys about you or your experiences including those related to TBI, PTSD, or other aspects of your military career.”
3	Bridge with Path drawing37	Participants chose a drawing medium and “Draw a bridge from someplace to someplace. The bridge connects to a path. Draw the path and write where the path leads you to.”
4	Box Project24	Participants were given an empty paper-mache box and asked to depict aspects of career and self on the outside of the box, and commemorate aspects of career, self, or lost friends inside the box using mixed media
5	Box project24	Participants finished the paper-mache box task
6	Pour painting	Participants chose symbolic acrylic paint colors, diluted and stacked the paint, spilled the paint onto a blank canvas, and maneuvered the canvas to create a marbling effect
7	Final therapy stage (mask-making)	Participants repeated Session 1 with a different mask
8	Final therapy stage (mask-making writing prompt)	Participants repeated Session 2 with the new mask