Art therapist
Art therapists help people express difficult thoughts and feelings through creative activities.
Also known as: Art psychotherapist
- Starter salary£40,000 a year
- Experienced£57,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
You might work with clients who have:
- learning disabilities
- emotional, behaviour or mental health problems
- speech and language difficulties
- an injury or illness or are recovering from an addiction
You'll help clients:
- gain greater awareness of their feelings
- express themselves
- work through their emotions
- come to terms with difficult times in their lives
- move on in a positive way
Working environment
You could work in a prison, in an NHS or private hospital or at a school.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- knowledge of psychology
- customer service skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to understand people's reactions
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a art therapist
You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.
University
You'll need to complete a postgraduate master's qualification approved by the Health and Care Professions Council .
Full time postgraduate courses normally take 2 years to complete. Part-time courses take 3 years.
You should have a degree in art or creative therapies to do a postgraduate course.
You may be able to apply for a master's course if you've got a degree in a related subject, for example psychology, nursing or social work.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
Apprenticeship
You may be able to apply to do an Arts Therapist Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship with an organisation like a healthcare trust.
This normally takes around 2 years to complete and is at postgraduate level. You should talk to your employer about potential opportunities.
You'll usually need a qualification or experience in art, drama or music to apply.
Entry requirements
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
Volunteering
You can get paid or volunteering experience with:
- community arts projects
- youth work charities
- disabled people
- people with mental health issues
Volunteering in the NHS is also a good way to get work experience in healthcare. This can be helpful when you apply for jobs or training.
You can also find opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Do it .
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become self employed and create your own business.
You could also:
- become a senior art therapist
- manage a team of therapists
- manage an arts therapy unit
- move into teaching
Career tips
You could try an introduction or foundation course in art therapy to give you an idea of what the work is like.
When applying for jobs, you would be expected to have an understanding of how the NHS values would apply in your work.
Professional and industry bodies
You can join the British Association of Art Therapists for access to professional development and networking opportunities.
Registration
- you'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council
Guides for this industry
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- Job roleMusic therapist
- Job roleFine artist
- Job roleDramatherapist
- Job rolePlay therapist
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0