Receiving Art Therapy individual and group sessions
The reasons which lead someone to undergo Art Therapy are varied; from the desire to embark upon the work of self-expoloration, to the search for the resolution of a psychological conflict or the need for professional accompaniament at a difficult stage in one's life. In the three cases Art Therapy can be of great assistance.
• Do you need to know about art?
• What is a session like?
• What does the process consist of ?
• How to find an Art Therapist
• Art Therapy at Metafora
You don't need to be an artist or have any training in art inorder to to udergo Art Therapy. All that is necessary is the desire to use fine arts media as a means of personal exploration.
In Art Therapy the level of ability is not important. What matters is the creation of an art object within a defined setting and with a suitably qualified therapist.
What is an Art Therapy session like ?
Sessions usually last fifty to sixty minutes. Shortly after beginning, the Art Therapist usually encourages his or her patients to start some kind of artistic work with the materials to hand. Once the work has been finished or the patient does not wish to continue working on it, the work is usually discussed.
Art work carried out in the sessions often reflects problems and emotions which are hard to express in other ways . The therapist uses this capacity of art to help the patient understand the nature of his or her problems more deeply and consequently, when possible, find a way out of their difficulties.
In Art Therapy two processes run in parallel: An art-making process and a therapeautic process. An important function of the therapist is to facilitate movement between the two. A course of treatment in Art Therapy consists of a number of sessions carried out with a therapeutic end. The frequency of sessions is usually one to two per week. The Art Therapy process begins with a number of initial assessment sessions in which the Therapist and patient decide if starting Art Therapy at this stage is the most suitable option.
During the assessment the most apporopriate form of intervention is decided. If Art Therapy is that option, the frequency and duration of sessions are arranged. The course of treatment can be: Brief (1 to 24 sessions), or long (24 or more sessions). Treatments are classified differently depending on the difficulties to be explored. Whatever the case, Art Therapy is organised on the basis of the needs of the patient, and not the other way around.
Finding a Therapist
If you would like to receive Art Therapy, or are thinking of refering someone to Art Therapy, you must first of all ensure that the therapist you approach is suitably trained and qualified. In Spain the ATe (the Spanish Professional Association of Art Therapists “ Asociación Profesional Española de Arteterapeutas” ) acts as a professional body, regulating clinical practice and training in Art Therapy.
If you would like information on where to find an accredited Art Therapist please send an enquiry to
asociacion@arteterapia.org.es or visit the lists of accredited therapists at www.arteterapia.org.es .
Once you have found an Art Therapist you arrange an interview to find out if Art Therapy is indeed what you are interested in. Fees vary, but you may get free treatment if it is through a public health or education centre. Fees vary in private practice. The Ate publishes a table of fees which can serve as a guide.
By agreement with the U niversity of Barcelona (UB), Metáfora offers free Art Therapy treatment to users of a growing number of public institutions within as well as outside Spain . To find out which institutions we are collaborating with, please contact us to let us know what you are looking for and where you live.
Metafora also has a small private practice where we attend to a limited number of people. The Art Therapists at Metafora are all members of the ATe with proven clinical experience.
At the moment Metafora offers three types of treatment:
Individual Sessions
For people wanting personal therapy in order to explore their difficulties. The fees and session timetable are arranged directly with the client .
Experiential Art Therapy Groups
These groups are aimed at people wishing to use Art Therapy as a resource in their personal develpment or as a means of exploring problems.
The goups are highly recommended for people considering training in Art Therapy. The maximum number of people per group is ten
Sessions last one and a half hours and take place on Tuesdays from 19'15 to 20'45, from September to July.
Open Group
This group is aimed at mental health service users enduring chronic illness who are interested in using art as a support activity.
Sessions last two hours and take place on Wednesday mornings from 11'00 to 13'00.
Conditions:
• Before starting individual or group Art Therapy, you must have an interview with an Art Therapist from the team.
• The first interview is free.
• To begin Art Therapy a committment to at least three months' attendence is required.
If you would like to find out more details about this service please get in contact with us
by email: arteterapia@metafora.org or by telephone: + 34 93 330 00 89.