Our Art in Mental Health, Art Therapy Foundation course will, from 2012, offer an intensive practice based third term, developed from our Participatory Visual Arts in Health courses. The third term explores practical applications of psychologically and emotionally informed art making with others. Though influenced by art psychotherapy understandings and practice, this course is not therapy training: it seeks to develop more people-skilled, informed, confident and effective Arts & Health practitioners.

The course aims to:

• Introduce and develop understanding of ways that participatory visual arts are used in health, education, voluntary sector and community contexts to enhance wellbeing
• Introduce ideas from group dynamics, emotional literacy, art psychotherapy and health psychology which help inform good arts practice and effective ‘helping relationships.’
• Provide grounding in ethical issues and legal responsibilities.
• Develop awareness of the potential influence of art making on positively enhancing mental health, self-esteem, resilience, and well-being.
• Enhance appreciation of, and skills in, “hidden” success and sustainability factors like stress management, reflective practice, personal and professional self-care and support.
• Improve cooperative working by understanding the concerns, languages and priorities in different institutional/organisational contexts. 
• Explore the benefits and pitfalls of exhibiting work. Consider implications of working with different media and materials.
• Improve student employment prospects by increasing their confidence, understanding and ability to articulate the issues the involved in effective Arts & Health work.