Case studies: Art therapist: Andrea

Andrea has a degree in fine art and is currently employed as an art therapist for a charitable organisation working with children and young people who are homeless.

I decided to train as an art therapist after working for several years as an artist in community and educational settings. Having completed a degree in fine art, I worked predominately to engage young people with behavioural issues through arts-based projects. Involvement in the creative process has an inherently therapeutic quality, but in order to understand this in relation to the emotional issues presented by the individuals I was working with I realised further study was required. It felt like a natural and necessary progression to train as an art therapist.

Deciding to return to study as a mature student required a considerable commitment, financially and practically. I was responsible for meeting all costs including tuition fees, weekly personal therapy and travel. The art therapy training was full time over two years and combined theoretical and experiential learning with two clinical placements. During this time, I developed a greater understanding of art as a means of communication, and how art therapy can provide a space to work through emotional experiences. However, the intense level of study required means the course can be both academically and emotionally challenging. Working within diverse placement settings allowed me to develop an understanding of art therapy with different client groups and provided a valuable opportunity to establish positive relationships within multidisciplinary teams.

Since qualifying, I have drawn upon the contacts I made through placements, previous employment and as a self-employed artist to gain sessional work as an art therapist. I have worked with varied client groups, including adults with autism, substance misuse issues and also within a young offender institution. As there are very few advertised positions, a proactive approach to seeking employment is required to create opportunities. To increase my experience with a range of client groups, I arranged a voluntary work placement within an NHS setting and I found attending conferences and seminars helped me to keep developing professionally while seeking employment.

I am now employed in a permanent position within a charitable organisation working with children and young people who are homeless. My role requires me to assess the client’s needs and work therapeutically in an individual or group setting to minimise trauma and provide emotional support. I am responsible for managing my personal caseload and duties include maintaining written records, attending meetings and working closely with external agencies. The nature of this work is often unpredictable and an organised but flexible approach is helpful.

I have always enjoyed exploring different art materials and techniques, and I think this is important when encouraging individuals to play with different mediums and forms of expression. Good supervision is important as the work can be very demanding. As an art therapist, an ability to build positive, trusting relationships is crucial when working with clients and this is an attribute that should also be used, where possible, to create employment. The work is challenging but rewarding and I am glad I made the decision to train as an art therapist.