MSc Child Art Psychotherapy
Child Art Psychotherapy is a therapy for children with mental health difficulties, where the child is supported to focus on areas causing distress in his/her life through the medium of art. The child is provided with the space and time to create images, and the child is supported to discuss his/her images with the therapist. It is considered a method to access and process trauma and possibly to access the unconscious. The image is used as a means of communication between the child and therapist, which some children find less stressful than attending verbal therapies.
This is a child–oriented therapy, with each child progressing at his/her own rate, with the end-point of therapy agreed jointly with the child and therapist. Child Art Psychotherapy is internationally accepted as a method to treat children who have mental health difficulties, with child art psychotherapists frequently employed in Child and Adolescent Mental Health inpatient and outpatient settings in the UK. Art psychotherapy is used in the UK in school settings with those with behaviour difficulties. Child Art Psychotherapy is specifically recommended in the UK for use in those recovering from first episode psychosis and is sometimes used with those recovering from eating disorders.
This two year, part-time taught masters programme, delivered at the UCD School of Medicine, Nelson Street, Dublin 7 is for professionals who wish to specialise in using images in a psychotherapeutic context to understand the inner world of the child.
Course Features
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.
Course Overview
This two year, part-time taught masters programme is delivered by the UCD School of Medicine, Nelson Street, Dublin 7. It is for professionals who wish to specialise in using images in a psychotherapeutic context to engage the inner world of the child.
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is suited to:
Psychiatrists
Psychologists
Social workers
Psychotherapists
Counsellors
Nurses
Teachers
Those who are working with traumatised children or with "looked after" children may find this course useful. It may also be useful to those who are working with children with long-term physical illnesses.
Graduates have been offered sessions within clinical and educational settings and there are a limited range of career opportunities within private practice. Past graduates have found work in voluntary and statutory organisations and also within the private sector. Some graduates are working in School completion programmes.
What Will I Learn?
Overview
This two year, part-time postgraduate course is offered every two years. It is for professionals already in possession of a third level degree or equivalent who wish to specialise in using images in a psychotherapeutic context to understand the inner world of the child. Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Child Care Workers, Teachers and Nurses are among those who find the course useful. Specific training in the visual arts is not a prerequisite.
The course is designed to provide an understanding of the theory and practice of Child Art Psychotherapy. It provides alternative therapeutic skills to enhance clinical practice when verbal methods are not adequately meeting the client's needs.
Please note: The MSc Child Art Psychotherapy runs through the Summer of Year 1 and Year 2. Although there are no lectures during the Summer months, students are expected to attend their clinical placement, supervision and write their thesis (Year 2).
Academic Teaching
There are 6 modules in each year. Teaching comprises lectures, seminars, training in Child Art Psychotherapy and group supervision sessions which are delivered each Friday of term time between 10.30am and 5.45pm. Students also attend fortnightly 1:1 supervision. There are 3 Semesters each year. Semester 1 and Semester 2 are taught Semesters. Assignments are carried out during Semester 3. Semester 1 is 15 weeks duration and Semester 2 is of 15 weeks duration with a break for the Easter holidays.
Group Process
Students participate in group process every Friday from 4.15pm to 5.45pm for the duration of the course during term time. Students reflect on their own therapeutic processes.
Clinical Placement
Students are placed for one full day per week on a Child and Adolescent Mental Health team, usually a community team. The clinical placement commences at the end of Semester 1 Year 1 and continues through to the end of the course. The clinical placement is usually arranged by the course coordinator and clinical placement supervisors who are situated within a variety of child and adolescent mental health multidisciplinary settings throughout Ireland. Fortnightly case management supervision in the clinical setting is provided by senior members of the professional CAMHS teams, and is provided in the CAMHS setting.
Individual Supervision
Method specific supervision of child art psychotherapy practice is a focal point of the course and is provided by Child Art Psychotherapy course supervisors, and is provided in the teaching centre.
Independent Study
Trainees are required to allow a considerable amount of extra hours throughout the course for independent study e.g. reading of relevant literature, preparation of supervision material, preparation for case presentations, essay on clinical case studies, thesis dissertation, the research protocol assignment and written and oral examinations.
Personal Psychotherapy
The course also requires that trainees engage psychotherapy for the duration of the course ie 100 hours of personal psychotherapy.
Where Will I Learn?
The course has been delivered at the UCD School of Medicine, Catherine McAuley Education and Research Centre, Nelson Street, Dublin 7.
Comment
Structure
Academic Teaching
This comprises lectures, seminars, training in Child Art Psychotherapy and group supervision sessions which are delivered for five hours on each Friday of term time between 10.30am and 3.45pm. There are 3 Semesters each year. Semester 1 and Semester 2 are the 2 taught Semesters. Assignments are carried out during Semester 3. Semester 1 is 15 weeks duration and Semester 2 is of 15 weeks duration with a break for the Easter holidays.
Group Process
Students participate in group process every Friday from 4.15pm to 5.45pm for the duration of the course during term time
Clinical Placement
This is for 1 full day per week. It commences at the end of Semester 1 Year 1 and continues through to the end of the course. (350 hours – approximately - over the two years). The clinical placement is arranged by the course coordinator in liaison with each trainee and clinical placement supervisors who are situated within a variety of child and adolescent mental health multidisciplinary settings throughout Ireland. Fortnightly supervision is provided by senior members of the professional teams.
Individual Supervision
Method specific supervision of child art psychotherapy practice is a focal point of the course and is provided by course supervisors. It approximates to 15 hours each year (30 hours over the two years).
Independent Study
Trainees are required to allow a considerable amount of extra hours throughout the course for independent study e.g. reading of relevant literature, preparation of supervision material, preparation for case presentations, essay on clinical case studies, thesis dissertation, the research protocol assignment and written and oral examinations.
Personal Psychotherapy
The course also requires that trainees engage in 100 hours of personal psychotherapy.