Art Therapy Courses

With the issue of mental health attaining huge importance in present times, there have emerged new methods of dealing with mental health and its treatment, one of which is Art Therapy. A combination between art and Psychology, art therapy deals with the use of art to understand, analyse and treat mental conditions such as stress and depression while allowing the patient an outlet of expressing their emotions and fears. Art therapy is gaining popularity rapidly, with many students choosing it as a career option. So if you are looking for the best courses to start a career in art therapy, take a look at this blog!

What is Art Therapy

Art therapy uses artistic methods to boost mental health and treat psychological ailments. It uses the techniques of art including painting, drawing, sculpting, colouring etc., to determine the mental condition of an individual. An art therapist can help you in looking at the issues that affect your thoughts and behaviour through an analysis of an artwork created by you, and also provide a treatment plan for the same. Art therapy is also useful in enhancing social skills, encouraging self-awareness and esteem, improving perception etc.

Eligibility and Skills Required

To be an art therapist, you require a master’s to level degree in art therapy. Most universities offer a degree in art therapy as a postgraduate degree or diploma course, therefore you need a bachelor’s degree in any subject, preferably related to the arts, social sciences or health, although that is not a mandatory requirement. Also, students who want to pursue the course from countries abroad will have to qualify for additional requirements such as TOEFL or IELTS exams, along with submitting Letters of Recommendation and a brilliant SOP.

There are some skills that are essential for an Art Therapist. These include at least some basic knowledge in art techniques and forms, good communication, interpersonal and organisational skills along substantial critical thinking abilities.

Must Read: Occupational Therapy Courses

Subjects Covered

An art therapy course is designed to provide a total understanding of art therapy, its practices and techniques. It offers training in different counselling approaches, psychological analysis, different skills like empathy, sensitivity and formulating treatment plans based on analysis. Art therapy students need to study various concepts, some of which are mentioned below:

• Client-Therapist Relationships
• Art Based Clinical Assessment
• Working With Children
• Group Counselling
• Process and Theory
• Methodologies
• Group Dynamics

Art Therapy Courses and Universities

Art therapy degrees can be pursued at the Bachelor’s, Masters and PhD levels. Since a practising art therapist only needs a Master’s level degree in the subject, Bachelor’s and PhD degrees are relatively much less popular. If you are interested in pursuing Art Therapy for your higher education, we have listed down some of the most popular art therapy courses offered by universities around the world:

University	Country	Courses Offered
New York University	USA	Master of Arts in Art Therapy
Western Sydney University	Australia	Master of Art Therapy
The University of Queensland	Australia	Master of Mental Health Major in Art Therapy
Queen Mary University of London	UK	Creative Arts and Mental Health MScCreative Arts and Mental Health PGDip
Ulster University	UK	Art Therapy MSc
George Washington University	USA	Master of Arts in Art Therapy
La Trobe University	Australia	Graduate Certificate in Art TherapyMaster of Art Therapy
The University of Melbourne	Australia	Master of Creative Arts Therapy
University of Suffolk	UK	Creative Arts for Health and Wellbeing (Foundation Degree)
Florida State University	USA	Masters of Science in ART Therapy

Art Therapy Courses Online

There are a bunch of websites that offer art therapy courses for students as well as professionals at affordable prices or at zero cost. Here are some popular online websites that offer art therapy courses-

• Udemy
• Coursera
• Reed Courses

Art Therapy Books

• Essential Art Therapy Exercises: Effective Techniques to Manage Anxiety, Depression, and Ptsd
• The art therapy sourcebook 
• Handbook of Art Therapy, Second Edition
• 250 Brief, Creative and Practical Art Therapy Techniques: A Guide for Clinicians and Clients I Buchalter Susan
• The Handbook of Art Therapy and Digital Technology
• Introduction to Art Therapy: Sources & Resources

Art Therapy Career Options

Art therapy is gaining increasing popularity in today’s world, leading to a proportional increase in job opportunities in the field.  Some of the areas where a person with a degree in art therapy can find employment include hospitals, schools, forensic institutions, crisis centres, psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities etc. if you have an art therapy degree, you can find employment in these and other related institutions as

• Art Therapists
• Human Resource assistants
• Family Therapists
• Therapeutic Recreation Specialists
• Bereavement Counsellors
• Child Development Specialists
• Program Directors at Assisted Living Centres
• Private Practitioner

Salaries

The average salary for an art therapist in India is somewhere around ₹3,38,384 per annum. Art therapy is popular in certain cities like Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Bangalore. 

Popular Sectors

• Education
• Health
• Business and Corporate
• Social Work 

Hope this blog provided you with the necessary information about art therapy courses and career options. Are you interested in furthering your studies with an art therapy course abroad? Our Experts at Leverage Edu can help you select the best course and the best-fit university, all with the help of our AI Course Finder. Sign up for a free session today!