Analysis of the activities of art therapists

Training in art therapy can be completed in five different directions, leading to a joint degree:

• Movement and dance therapy
• Drama and speech therapy
• Design and painting therapy
• Intermedia therapy
• Music therapy

What does the day-to-day work of art therapists look like?

The specific work differs depending on the method, but the basic aim is always to accompany and support people in cases of illness and crisis or in psychological problem situations. Art therapists use their artistic means to strengthen the resources and self-healing powers of their clients, promote sensory perception and stimulate processes of change. Through artistic activities, it is often possible to come into contact with forgotten or repressed feelings and needs, to express them and thereby facilitate change.

Art therapists often work together with doctors or are part of an interdisciplinary team, e.g. in rehabilitation centers, retirement homes, social or educational institutions.

Work with the individual methods:

Design and painting therapy encourages people to engage with the material and with the figures, forms and expressions they have created. By reflecting on their own work when they look at it, it can trigger emotions and insights that, for example, reveal connections with their own biography and open up new possibilities for interpretation and change. Through movement and dance, people are sensitized to their own bodies, their movement possibilities and their physical expression, thus creating new impulses for further development. Experimenting with the voice and instruments can also create new approaches to one's own body awareness and initiate energetic healing processes. Voice and speech exercises as well as playful theater and role play have a similar effect. The staged reality can open up new access to one's own body and resources in conjunction with one's own body awareness.

According to job advertisements, the tasks of art therapists and art therapists are roughly distributed as follows:

The distribution of tasks can vary greatly depending on the job profile and type of institution.

What is usually required in job advertisements for art therapists?

• Completed training in a method of art therapy
• High social competence and communication skills
• Empathy and flexibility
• Independence and personal responsibility
• Load capacity
• Willingness for interdisciplinary cooperation
• Ability to work in a team

Who is the "Art therapist (HFP)" course suitable for?

Target group:

• Professionals from the healthcare, social services or education sectors who wish to use their artistic talent for therapeutic purposes
• People working in the arts who want to train for a therapeutic activity

Personal requirements:

• Artistic talent
• Interest in psychological issues
• Enjoy accompanying people in their personal development
• Mental resilience and ability to reflect
• High social and relationship skills

Course description:

The other important features of the "Art Therapist (HFP)" course, such as duration, costs and content, are described here:
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Admission to the federal higher professional examination:

Admission to the final examination is required (at the end of the course):

• A tertiary-level qualification (BP, HFP, HF or FH) in healthcare, education, art or social services
• Three years of professional experience (at least 50%) in the healthcare sector or in education, art or social services
• Passed module qualifications or certificates of equivalence

Financing of further training

The course fees for the "Art Therapist (HFP)" course are to be paid per module or per semester. However, in individual cases it is also possible to arrange individual installment payments.

Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal higher professional examinations have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination.You can find more information here.

Time and effort for classroom teaching and own learning achievements

Further training to become an art therapist takes an average of five years on a part-time basis. Either afterwards or during this time, 250 hours of supervised practical training are also required. The teaching days are often organized as block seminars, e.g. Thursdays to Saturdays. There is also time for individual lessons, supervision, group work, self-study and term papers.

The exact amount of time required depends on the previous training, the chosen therapy method and the training model, but amounts to several hours per week.

Conclusion

Will I graduate?

To be admitted to the final examination, the 8 module examinations of the training course must be passed.

Module examinations:

Higher professional examination:
The federal final examination consists of 4 parts and lasts a total of 12 hours:

• Oral presentation and technical discussion of the diploma thesis (1 h)
• Written case study (8 h)
• Practical treatment demonstration (2 h)
• Oral treatment demonstration (1 h)