University Certificate: Arts Therapies and Wellbeing Foundation

Why choose this course?

The Art Therapies and Wellbeing Foundation programme provides:

• A broad introduction to current, therapeutic use of the arts and wellbeing
• Art school context
• University Certificate
• Transferable skills.

What will I study?

You'll be taught by practising, registered arts therapists and visiting lecturers. The teaching team have experience working in a range of clinical settings with a variety of ages. This ensures you learn current methodologies, as well as benefit from varied expertise.

Alongside a qualified practitioner, you’ll develop your own creative arts practice and identity. They will also introduce you to therapeutic approaches and facilitation techniques. During the second semester, your journey is supported by fellow students in studio art experiential groups.

As well as learning about practical applications, theoretical frameworks will underpin your work. You’ll explore different arts modalities and core theories relating to: psychology, neuroscience, psychodynamics, attachment and child development, physiology, creativity, and artistic expression.

The course is open to students across the UK as we develop an interactive online teaching method alongside the experiential studio-based sessions. The theory module can be accessed online and the studio art experiential groups are blended with both face-to-face and online options available.

Programme structure

Teaching follows a structured approached enabling you to transition between theoretical knowledge, to practical application with ease.

• Week one: Introduction to Art Therapy – Myths and models – psychodynamic art therapy and group interactive approaches
• Week two: Arts therapies - Creativity, health and the artists self-identity
• Week three: The triangular relationship and transitional objects
• Week four: Child development - Art, play and story in therapy work with children
• Week five: Working with developmental trauma – neuroscience and creativity
• Week six: Groupwork in adult mental health services – attachment theory and relational patterns in adult life
• Week seven: Creative enactment and the dramatic body - Dramatherapy – body, movement and narrative
• Week eight: Introduction to art therapy and mindfulness – breath, the ‘felt sense’ and body oriented art psychotherapy
• Week nine: Jungian analytic art therapy – active imagination, individuation and dialoguing with images
• Week ten: Art, restorative justice, social action and the ‘Art Table’ - work with refugees
• Week eleven: Expressive Arts approach - Integrating the arts and imagination across the arts modalities
• Week twelve: Environmental arts therapy – an ecological approach to healing and creativity