Industry Collaborations

Rehabilitation through art therapy

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The MA Art Therapy Programme organised an innovative, interactive and inspirational art, culture and mental health experience at Napa, California from 23 – 30 June 2016. Home-based at Napa State Hospital, Department of State Hospitals, State of California, six postgraduate students and Programme Leader Ronald Lay from LASALLE collaborated with the Rehabilitation Therapy Department in a community arts participatory project with staff and adults residing at this large forensic mental health facility. Students had the opportunity to interact with several key art therapy clinicians, researchers, educators and writers from an American context.

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Visits to world-class museums and galleries further stimulated the students to consider the impact of the arts on others, and how best to further their own personal art inquiry and practice. Another highlight was working alongside a range of art, music, recreation and dance-movement therapists to exchange ideas on culture, art and mental health practice. Through their participation in this structured international field trip with peer, professional and institutional (both arts and clinical) engagement, students deepened their knowledge base and appreciation of how art therapy is taught, applied and practiced at the international level.