Professional context of Art Therapy

   From a historical viewpoint, it can be said that the practice of Art Therapy was first developed within psychiatric hospitals.
   From the nineteenth century onwards, many different attempts were made to help the mentally ill organize, for example, theatre performances in asylums (Charenton and Sainte-Anne) and concerts in hospitals. At that time, Philippe PINEL, the founder of psychiatry, created an educative and social treatment characterized by different collective activities. Thus, art, especially music, found its place and later on the fine arts whose practice is more individualistic. 
   After World War One, a new idea was making its way through the current of socio-therapy: teaching the patient to become productive.
   In the 1950s and with institutional psychiatry, ergotherapy was placed at the center of therapeutic activities. Ergotherapy was given a special status and thus recognized as a therapy.
   What the patients had produced before was mostly orientated towards crafts, the participation of craftsmen and artists gradually transformed those workshops into workshops of self -expression.

   Over the last twenty years, an ever increasing number of experiments in Art Therapy, based on a wide range of different theories, have been conducted by artists, medical personnel or ‘Art Therapists’.
   For Art Therapy, the year 1950 marked a turning point. During the 1st World Congress of Psychiatry held in that year in Paris under the presidency of Professor Delay, an important exhibition of psychopathological art was presented. Several years later, in 1956, Dr. R. Volmat published his book “L’Art psychopathologique.” He also founded workshops for artistic expression at the Sainte-Anne hospital (Paris) for treating mental illness. This approach was further developed by the creation of “Centre d’étude et de l’expression”. This centre has four functions: psychotherapy with mediations (workshops), clinical research, teaching and documentation. Among the various national associations existing in this field, the “Société francaise de psychopathologie de l’expression” is the largest. It deals with theatre as well as poetry, music, painting, film and dance.
   Regarding Music Therapy, during the XIX century and the first half of the XX century, the notion that music could change a person’s behavior remained the foundation for Music Therapy activities within psychiatric hospitals.
   The idea reappeared in the mid-1960s and reached a culminating point around 1970 with the development of receptive Music Therapy.
   In the 1970s and 1980s research essentially focused on the uses of Music Therapy in relaxation and analgesia for dental care, childbirth and mainly psychotherapy.
   Over the last decades, new approaches to understand the place and function of music, now seen more as a code and structure of sound than a work of art, brought about a turning point in Music Therapy research. This new research made it possible to break away from musical conditioning.
   It should be pointed out that research in Music Therapy has gone through successive evolutionary stages but that basically the same methods (receptive and active) are even being used, its various practices have been enriched through research.
   Arts Therapy today, however, lies in a paradoxical situation. Its field of application has grown wider and wider, reaching well beyond hospital walls. Besides the ever increasing population that art therapists take care of comes from very different backgrounds. Public interest for such practices and the resulting production has become obvious through public exhibitions patronized by a variety of institutions. And yet this new state of affairs has not led to the creation of a specific official status for the Art Therapist.

Status and professional identity:
   In France Art Therapy is not recognized as a profession. “Art Therapists” are employed in hospitals and other institutions on the basis of their initial professional qualification as doctors, nurses, psychologists, specialized teachers, artists.... At present, there is no way to prevent untrained people from calling themselves Art Therapists.

About the training courses:
   Many different courses are available, mainly from private associations. It is often very difficult to have a clear idea of the aims of the pedagogical project and of the program contents. 
   The prerequisites are more or less the same: medical, paramedical or pedagogical qualifications, a qualification in art is not always clearly required.
   Art Therapy training courses at university level are generally set up within by the faculties of medicine and psychology. 

Five universities currently offer the following diplomas and courses in varying levels and durations.

- University of René Descartes, Paris 5: 
Master in Human and Social Sciences Specialization Arts therapies
A diploma in Art in Therapy and Psychopedagogy

- University of Montpellier: 
A diploma in Music Therapy.

- University François Rabelais in Tours:
A diploma of Art Therapy.

- University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse 3 :
A diploma in Art Therapy

- University of Nantes:
A diploma in Music Therapy

- University Denis Diderot, Paris 7
A diploma in Art Therapy

UNIVERSITY OF NANTES

Faculty of Medicine

University Diploma in Music Therapy

Entry Requirements

• possession of a three years national validated university degree minimum (medical and non medical qualifications including social, pedagogical, artistic…)

• musical studies and regular musical practise

• experience in interpersonal relationship

(the scientific committee may derogate on the basis of other academic knowledge or confirmed experience)

Duration of Studies

Three years, part time 
14 to 15 weeks in University + training periods 
Total length 1358 h
(518 h in University + 840 h training in institutions)
The syllabus may be shortened on the decision of the scientific committee (on the basis of previous theoretical attainments or professional experience)

Course Content

The course comprises :

• scientific approach in psychology, psychiatry

• general approach of music therapy,

• specialized practise in music therapy

• training periods in medical institutions (from mere observation to conception of workshops under guidance)

In the future years, each module (“Unité d’enseignement”) should be weighted in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Course Philosophy

The course aims at giving extensive skills in music therapy to motivated professionals of various backgrounds, through scientific knowledge, theoretical concepts, clinical approaches, methodology, workshops, training periods and supervision, to provide the profession with postgraduated music therapists destined to practise among medical teams or in relation with them. 
The course intend to share the standards of the educational and vocational training for arts therapists within the European Community.
The students benefit from the University’s partnership with the Institute of Music Therapy of Nantes which maintains an important network of music therapists, run clinical works, and ensure the coordination of the team for this Diploma with the Universitary Head of programme.

Contact address

Anne CATREUX
Chargée de Mission/Responsable du département stages et formations diplômantes
Université-Formation Continue
2 bis, bd Léon Bureau
BP 96228
44262 NANTES CEDEX 2
Tel: 02 51 25 07 18 or 07 24 or 07 25
Fax : 02 51 25 07 20
e-mail : anne.catreux@univ-nantes.fr


UNIVERSITY RENE DESCARTES PARIS 5

University Diploma: Arts in Therapy and Psychopedagogy 

Entry Requirements

• Prior education: 4 years of university studies and/or professional experience (2 years minimum)

• Musical, Theatre or Dance, or Fine arts abilities

• Experience in developing interpersonal relationships.

UNIVERSITY RENE DESCARTES PARIS 5

Master in Human and Social Sciences 
Specialization: Arts Therapies 


Entry Requirements

Applicants should fulfill the following conditions: 
- A 4-year degree in psychology, medicine, arts… or a diploma in Art Therapy.
- Evidence of a substantial practice and knowledge in Art specialization (fine arts, music or dance and theatre therapy).
- Work experience in the medical or allied health professions, in social work, specialized education… minimum 3 years.
- Demonstration of personal maturity.

Duration of Studies

One year full-time.

Course Contents

The students have some courses in common but they also have to choose a specialization depending on their art discipline.

Common courses

Group processes
Case studies
Indication and assessment
Thesis supervision including research methodology
Deontology, ethics

Specialization within the chosen art discipline

Art therapy processes and practices
Art therapy applications, methods and techniques
Art therapy applied to a specific public
Experiential art therapy 

Clinical placement and supervision

Course Philosophy

This program is designed for professionals using arts in their practice with people in difficulty to enable them to continue their professional development and become qualified Art Therapists. 
The course provides clinical supervision to develop a critical awareness of the practice and greater insight into the therapist/client relationship. Research methodology constitutes an important aspect for students to explore ways of evaluating their efficiency and the in-depth development of their practice. 

Contact address

Dr. Christine Lapoujade
Université René Descartes
Centre de Formation Continue
45 rue des Saints Pères
75006 Paris
Tel: 0033 1 42862099
Fax: 0033 1 42862159
E-mail: christine.lapoujade@cfc.univ-paris5.fr
Website: http://www.cfc.univ-paris5.fr