The Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD) and the Draw-A-Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP:SPED) are intended to facilitate therapeutic discussion and assess emotional disturbance; however, little research exists on their use with victims of trauma or for identifying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examined drawings by 43 mothers who experienced intimate partner violence and 56 children who witnessed violence between parents. Quantitative analysis of drawings showed no differences between participants with and without PTSD. A grounded theory approach to analysis of the KFD identified themes that differentiated the groups. Our results conflict with previous research on the DAP:SPED as an effective screening tool, and confirms research indicating that qualitative interpretation of drawings is a useful tool with trauma-exposed clients.