You Do What? Professional Identity in Art Therapy Students (Vous faites quoi ? Identité professionnelle des étudiants en art-thérapie)

Abstract

As a field, art therapy continues to evolve as reflected by under employment and external funding opportunities. There is limited awareness of the scope of practice of art therapists by both allied professional therapists and the general public. These challenges impact the professional identity of art therapists in the field. This study sought to examine students’ identification with their professional role at an impressionable juncture midway through their postgraduate training in art therapy. As a novel part of their research curriculum, 43 students of art therapy participated in a collaborative research plan to explore their own sense of professional identity. From identifying research questions, to carrying out data collection and analysis, these students participated in all aspects of the research program. Results reflect important aspects of student art therapists’ training that strongly impact their formation of professional identity, such as practicum and supervisory experiences, the perceived fit between student strengths, values, and placement, as well as the ability to adequately address student concerns regarding future employment. These results also suggest that a collaborative research program can offer students an effective experiential way of learning research methods, leading to a deeper understanding of the process and value of research in art therapy.