education
A
rt Therapy is a form of
psychotherapy that uses
a wide range of creative
art processes to improve
general wellbeing or address mental
health issues. It is a stand-alone
form of therapy but is based on
various psychological and human
developmental theories within a
psychotherapeutic relationship.
Art therapy can be used to help
children, teenagers, adults and the
elderly to address a wide range of
difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses.
These include emotional, behavioural
or mental health problems, learning
or physical disabilities, neurological
conditions and physical illnesses.
Art therapy can help participants to
explore emotions, improve self-esteem,
manage addictive behaviour, relieve
stress, improve symptoms of anxiety
and depression, and cope with crisis
and challenges in one’s day-to-day life.
What is involved with art therapy -
what does 'treatment' consist of?
Treatment can be in the form of individual
or group meetings in a variety of settings,
including private clinic, hospitals, social
service centres, schools, rehabilitation
facilities, elderly homes, and other
community organisations. The emphasis
is on the therapeutic process, artistic
talent is not necessary for the art therapy
to succeed.
At the beginning of the process, it’s
essential for the therapist to understand
the need and expectations of the patient
in order to discuss the treatment plan.
A therapist will make an assessment
depending on the mental and cognitive
abilities of the patient.
Participants will be invited to engage
in creative activities actively with or
without suggestion by the therapist.
Meanwhile, the therapist observes
without interference or judgment.
The understanding and reflection of
the process and artwork is part of
the treatment where psychological
disposition could be constructed.
Through finding associations and
exploring or understanding a
participant's inner thoughts and feelings,
the art process and artwork become
a safe outlet to express, examine or
integrate what is needed.
Who are art therapists, do they have
qualifications; how are these achieved?
A qualified art therapist must have
the minimum of a master’s degree with
a background in both visual arts and
psychology. Art therapists need to be
knowledgeable in arts and are trained to
understand the role that colour, texture,
and various art media can play in the
therapeutic process. More importantly,
they must be educated in psychology,
human development and behaviour.
Accredited programmes require
trainees undertake significant hours
of supervised clinical practice before
they can be licensed or registered
by the approved institution of each
country. The requirement varies from
country to country, yet all are strictly
guided by ethical standards and
scope of practice, and there are post-
graduate requirements to maintain the
credential or registration. The Hong
Kong Association of Art Therapists is
the official resource providing relevant
information and listed qualified art
therapists in Hong Kong.
Is art therapy particularly successful
with children, why? Is it common in
Hong Kong?
Children benefit from art therapy as the
art process allows them to express non-
verbally at a time when their language
acquisition and development is not
yet flourishing, meaning it is difficult for
them to articulate their feelings verbally.
The free but structured creative art
process can meet their developmental,
psychosocial and emotional needs
on many levels. Art can help them
communicate thoughts and feelings
more spontaneously. More importantly,
children tend to be more open to
creating art, which aligns with the
therapeutic arts framework effectively.
The application of creative arts
for child development has gained
recognition due to increased clinical
research in the last decade, but the
practice of clinical art therapy for children
in the general public is still developing in
Hong Kong. There has been an increase
in the need for art therapy for children
with special education needs (SEN) both
at schools and private settings in the
past few years.
With the current situation in HK, have
you seen an increase in clients, can art
therapy help?
At the moment, people in Hong Kong
are experiencing a lot of stress, anxiety,
change and emotional disturbance
that they might struggle to articulate
or express verbally. People who
were affected by SARS in 2003 may
especially find the current situation
difficult, acting as a trigger for post-
traumatic stress disorder. Art therapy
can provide a non-threatening, non-
judgmental and tangible space for
positive venting and may help transform
underlying emotions for positive change.
The creative activities encourage
creative thinking, one of the key
components in coping with stress.
Additionally, there is an increasing
amount of scientific evidence that art
can enhance brain function. Active
engagement in the art process requires
concentration and focus on the
moment, like meditation, and allows the
brain to relax and reduce stress.
Mimi Tung is the Secretary of Executive
Committee for the Hong Kong Association
of Art Therapists. www.hkaat.org.hk
Spring 2020
41