GradCert Child Art Psychotherapy Techniques

There is currently a surge in mental health difficulties in children, with large numbers of young people presenting

to paediatric hospitals and to CAMHS with deliberate self harm, and conditions including depression, anxiety disorders and eating

disorders. Our child psychiatry and psychotherapy group in UCD has been running a clinical training programme in Child Art Psychotherapy where students provide child art psychotherapy in CAMHS settings, under supervision. It is planned that this introductory course will allow some paediatricians in training and some child psychiatrists in training to join with the trainees in Child Art Psychotherapy for some of their modules while other modules will be delivered separately. Paediatricians and child psychiatrists in training will attend a Clinical Practice module, with trainees engaging in the practice of child art psychotherapy in their paediatric or CAMHS workplaces. This course will provide both practical and theoretical training on child mental health disorders, introduction to psychotherapy models and an introduction to the provision of psychotherapy. 

 

1 - Understand and be able to recognise common child mental health disorders
2 - Improved ability to communicate with and listen to children  - a valuable tool for diagnostics 
3 - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts of the Vasarhelyi Method of Child Art Psychotherapy
4 - Develop appropriate personal self-reflective skills
5 - Incorporate CAP techniques in their paediatric and child psychiatry practice, in accordance with the theories of Child Art Psychotherapy
6 - Apply the knowledge and understanding of Child Art Psychotherapy in their paediatric or psychiatry practice
7 - Have the capacity to learn from supervision and the capacity for reflective practice through engagement in clinical supervision groups
8 - Have an improved understanding of mental health difficulties in children, and the role of child psychiatry and other mental health discourses and practices in order to be able to work collaboratively with other professionals

Stage 1

Students should register to all 5 modules at the beginning of Trimester 1