bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

What qualifications do you need?

I first acquired a fine arts degree at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.  I then had  two years of clinical  experience in the field of special education before studying  art therapy in England. It is better if you have a background in or some knowledge of psychology as  art therapy is a marriage of art and psychology.  No qualifications in this field are currently offered in Hong Kong.

What sort of person does the job suit?

You have to  like  approaching and relating to  a wide variety of people.  Clients can range in age from three to 90 and they may come from different backgrounds and have different abilities. Some of them  are children, criminals or patients who are terminally ill. You must also be open-minded and creative.

What's the best way into the industry?

There are some short introductory courses about art therapy  offered by HKU Space and the Open University of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Association of Art Therapists  also offers workshops, lectures, forums and information.

What work hours do you keep?

Our work hours are  irregular and can be very long. We  can work from 10am to 10pm but have a five-hour break in between.

Is there a clear career path?

There is a ranking for art therapists in the US and England, but there is no such system in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Association of Art Therapists has been promoting art therapy to hospitals and  other institutions so that people can better understand our work.  The path for upcoming art therapists is much easier now.

What's the best part of your job?

I  realise that art works are not merely objects placed in museums for admiration.  They are not  luxuries but a basic human need.  I find my work very meaningful.

What's the worst?

Sometimes I have to negotiate with different institutions and funding bodies  for a safe, therapeutic environment.  By a 'safe environment' I am referring to an  appropriate duration for the therapy. It takes  a long time to develop a relationship with  a client.

Last word?

Work hard and be serious about art. You must experience all the joys and struggles of creating art before you can empathise with your clients.



I wanna be an art therapist