(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) a Qatar Foundation partner, is organising a Foundation in Art Therapy course from March 15 to 25.

Accredited by the British Association of Art Therapy (BAAT), it is tailored for those considering a career where they can use art to support the wider community.

Launched in the spring of 2020, the programme is being conducted by Sara Powell, a VCUarts Qatar alumna, and the founder of ATIC, a psychological and counselling centre in Dubai.

Powell has an MA specialising in Art Psychotherapy from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, and is a member of the professional association for Creative Arts therapists in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. She has close to a decade of clinical experience in providing art therapy to children, adolescents, adults and families.

Michael Perrone, one of the participants in the first edition held in March 2020 noted, 'The course was really enjoyable and was a thorough introduction to the concepts and history of Art Therapy. We had both lecture-based presentations and hands-on art activities - which reinforced concepts discussed in the presentations.

Art therapy in all its varied forms performing, visual, literature, cultural, online and so on has a range of therapeutic applications in addressing conditions, syndromes, diseases and social situations including dementia, strokes, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, child abuse, depression, bipolar disorder, suicide, schizophrenia and substance abuse.

And it's not just patients who benefit studies have shown that healthcare givers gain from taking part in art courses. Improved communication, collaboration, self-awareness, sensitivity and empathy, were just some of the emotional benefits reaped by participants all of which were factors that prompted VCUarts Qatar to take the lead on initiating the course in the region last year.

Aysha AlKooheji, programme manager for Community & Continuing Education, VCUarts Qatar noted, 'The inaugural art therapy course was quite successful and proved to be beneficial for our participants. The positive feedback from them prompted us to offer the programme this year again.

Sara Powell, the lead instructor on the course, explained, ' The course takes into consideration cultural diversity and the needs of our community. The benefit of the course is that it offers opportunity to add onto one's professional framework or alternatively be used as a means to further explore art therapy as a potential future profession.

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