Table of Contents
How do I become an art therapist in London?
You’ll need to complete a postgraduate qualification approved by the Health and Care Professions Council. Full time postgraduate courses normally take 2 years to complete. Part time courses take 3 years. You should have a degree in art or creative therapies to do a postgraduate course. Art Therapy is a 2 years Masters (MA) or Post Graduate (PgD) qualification which has up until now, only been available internationally. South Africa has now finally begun our own legitimate Art Therapy training! However, there is no quick fix in becoming an Art Therapist. How to become an art therapist. You need to do an approved full or part time Masters degree in art therapy or art psychotherapy and then register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You must register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to practise as an art therapist in the UK. You must be registered with HCPC to use any of these job titles: art therapist. art psychotherapist.
Where can I study art therapy in the UK?
The University of Hertfordshire has an established international reputation for producing outstanding art therapists. Boasting one of the first established art therapy courses in the UK, our graduates have played an important part in shaping the art therapy profession in the UK and internationally. Art therapy may be an excellent career path for individuals who enjoy working with others. It gives them the opportunity to work with patients personally and to collaborate with other therapists and medical professionals. Satisfying, fulfilling, rewarding work Art Therapy is satisfying work. It’s satisfying to see clients create work and see them transformed through art therapy. You get to see how clients feel so much more calm, centered, and empowered through art. In some areas, you may be able to access arts and creative therapies through the NHS as part of a mental health service, either in the community or as part of the treatment provided if you spend time in hospital. This varies from area to area though. Art therapy is a mental health treatment, also known as art psychotherapy. It utilises art materials to facilitate expression alongside verbal communication, although in some cases it may be solely non-verbal (dependant on the client group). The average therapist salary in the United Kingdom is £35,667 per year or £18.29 per hour. Entry level positions start at £29,510 per year while most experienced workers make up to £50,023 per year.
Is there a demand for art therapists UK?
The number of art therapists in the UK has increased over the past few years and The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) now has around 1,600 members. However, entry is still competitive. Employers include: The NHS (the largest employer). As a newly qualified art therapist, your starting salary is likely to be £32,306 (band 6), rising up the pay scale to £39,027. Experienced NHS art therapists can earn between £40,057 and £45,839 (band 7). NHS senior and principal art therapists can earn salaries ranging from £47,126 to £53,219 (band 8a). Community and public access to art therapy To access art therapy provided by your local NHS Community mental health team, first of all you’ll need to talk to your doctor (GP). Your GP can introduce you to the available mental health services in your area. This process is known as a GP referral. The average Art Therapist salary in California is $50,109 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $44,601 and $57,108. From glassdoor.com, the average salary was $50k, which was based on 62 salaries anonymously submitted to their website by art therapists. The highest was at $68k, and lowest at $37k. According to salary.com, the average salary was $41k and it said most salaries fall into the $37-47k range.
How do I start a career in art therapy?
Art therapists must have a master’s degree in art therapy or counseling or a related field with an emphasis in art therapy and must complete the required core curriculum as outlined in the American Art Therapy Association’s (AATA) education standards. Art therapists administer assessments, document clients’ progress, and discuss client cases with colleagues. They typically work in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, and in private practice. Self-employed art therapists usually have duties such as billing clients and promoting their business. Art therapy is an effective treatment for persons experiencing developmental, medical, educational, social or psychological impairment. A key goal in art therapy is to improve or restore the client’s functioning and his/her sense of personal well being. Art therapists are trained in both art and therapy. Art Therapy Is Not for Everyone While high levels of creativity or artistic ability aren’t necessary for art therapy to be successful,10 many adults who believe they are not creative or artistic might be resistant or skeptical of the process. Income Sources for Self-Employed Art Therapists teaching – you can teach at schools, programs, and online with courses; you may also do public speaking as a part of your teaching work) publish books – as an art therapist, you can write and publish a book. Selling books can become a part of your passive income as well.
How many art therapists are there in the UK?
There are over 2,000 art therapists in the UK. Currently this search shows therapists who are in our supervisors or private practitioners categories. Is there Demand in the UK for Occupational Therapists? Yes. Although there are currently over 41,000 occupational therapists working in the UK, there’s still a large shortage with the role being included on the UK’s Shortage Occupations List. Art therapy integrates psychotherapy and some form of visual arts as a specific, stand-alone form of therapy, but it is also used in combination with other types of therapy. An art therapist knows that art-making facilitates transformation within the client/artist. Art therapists know that art can serve as a solvent, a catalyst, a salve, a stepping stone or a philosopher’s stone depending on the needs of the artist. Typical Art Therapy Requirements in the United States A Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as psychology, counseling, art, art education. A designated number of hours in studio art, showing a proficiency in things like drawing, painting and sculpture. Typically, a portfolio is required. It is not therapy. Therapy aims at transformation through understanding. Art aims at transformation more directly. When we make a piece of art about something we don’t understand, we come to understand it, or, at least, our relationship to it through our own experience—which is more full-bodied than merely cerebral.