Child Art Psychotherapy Techniques

This programme is open to doctors in training in paediatrics and to doctors in training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

This course will provide both practical and theoretical training, with teaching on child and youth mental health disorders, an introduction to psychotherapy models and an introduction to the provision of psychotherapy.  

This course provides students with the opportunity to gain some training in the Vasarhelyi method of Child Art Psychotherapy, while also training in paediatrics or in child and adolescent psychiatry. Students are given training in child and youth mental health disorders and services which may be provided to those with mental health difficulties. Students are taught about various psychotherapy theories as well as given some training in the provision of Child Art Psychotherapy, using the Vasarhelyi method. Completion of this course will provide introductory experience in child art psychotherapy; it is not expected that graduates of the course will become accredited psychotherapists. Students will attend some group experiential sessions of child art psychotherapy and will also be asked to engage in a group psychotherapy/reflective process as part of the course. Students will be encouraged to engage in the practice of child art psychotherapy in their own workplace (paediatric or CAMHS) with a small number of children who have possible psychological distress or mental health difficulties, under supervision of child art psychotherapists or suitably qualified psychotherapists, with supervision provided as part of the course. 

Some modules will be delivered in conjunction with students of the Professional Masters in Child Art Psychotherapy.

Course Features

• Learn to understand and be able to recognise common child mental health disorders

• Improve your ability to listen to and communicate with children      

• Introduction to the fundamental concepts of Psychotherapy    

• Develop appropriate personal self-reflective skills

• Introduction to the the Vasarhelyi Method of Child Art Psychotherapy

• Learn to incorporate Child Art Psychotherapy techniques into paediatric and child psychiatry practice

• Apply the knowledge and understanding of Child Art Psychotherapy in your paediatric or child and adolescent psychiatry practice    

• Develop the capacity to learn from supervision and the capacity for reflective practice through engagement in clinical supervision groups

• Have an improved understanding of mental health difficulties in children, and the role of child psychiatry and other mental health therapies in order to be able to work collaboratively with other professionals.