Child Art Psychotherapy Studies University College Dublin

Overview

Art psychotherapy is internationally recognised as an effective support for children with mental health difficulties and is utilised across clinical, educational, and private settings. The Vasarhelyi Method of Child Art Psychotherapy (CAP) is a specific method of art psychotherapy for children and adolescents up to the age of 18, originally developed in the UK by Vera Vasarhelyi within the context of a multidisciplinary Child and Adolescent Mental Health team setting. CAP is a psychodynamic approach to art psychotherapy, where young people are supported in exploring and processing past experiences and current difficulties at both conscious and unconscious levels. This exploration is done through the medium of art materials  in a safe and contained therapeutic space. Vera Vasarhelyi said: ‘The symbolic content of images can facilitate a unique insight into the dynamics of the unconscious, and allow the privilege of seeing hidden processes, which would otherwise remain largely inaccessible to exploration.’

Course Features

• The Child Art Psychotherapy Studies programme at the University College Dublin provides students with an excellent grounding in the area of child mental health

• Students are placed for approximately 18 months in Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams

• Developed for professionals who wish to specialise in using images in a psychotherapeutic context – helping children and adolescents to communicate their distress through the use of art

What will I learn

• Academic Teaching

Teaching comprises lectures, seminars, training in Child Art Psychotherapy and group supervision sessions which are delivered each Friday (all day) of two fifteen week trimesters. Clinical practice and supervision continues through the Summer Trimester of year 1.

• Personal Psychotherapy

Engaging in one’s own personal psychotherapy is a fundamental component of training in the major modalities of psychotherapy. The MSc CAP programme requires that trainees engage in their own weekly psychotherapy with an accredited psychotherapist for the duration of the course, at least.

• Group Process

Group process work is a component of the Vasarhelyi Method Training and Experiential Modules. Students participate in a process group with an accredited group facilitator every Friday for the duration of the course during term time. Students reflect on their own therapeutic processes, experiences, and group dynamics.