IKON is the only provider of an accredited Advanced Diploma of Art Therapy in SA and is the largest provider of Art Therapy training in Australia. Art Therapy is one of the most popular, innovative therapies being used today. It draws upon a number of creative and expressive modalities ranging from painting, drawing, writing, clay, poetry, drama, dance, music, and sand play. It has a broad range of vocational applications ranging from working with adults, children, aged care clients, brain injury patients, culturally diverse clients, and many client populations in between.

At the same time as deepening their knowledge and skills, students develop an acute understanding of themselves and their relationship to others. Any person with a passion for supporting and empowering others as well as a commitment to their own growth may enter this course.

Graduates are equipped with a strong foundation in art therapy theory and practice. Art Therapy skills are readily transferable to a broad range of job roles incorporating children and youth, Aboriginal health, mental health, schools, correction, community art and aged care. Graduates are employed in government and non-government agencies, such as schools, welfare and human services and many are self-employed, primarily in their own practice.

Graduates can expect to practice as Art Therapists in Australia and will be eligible for:

• Associate Membership with the Counselling Association of South Australia (CASA);
• Affiliate Membership with the Queensland Counselling Association (QCA);
• Trainee Membership with the Australian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ACATA);
• Trainee Membership with the Psychotherapists and Counsellors Association of Western Australia (PACAWA);
• Full Membership with the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT). IICT provides membership and professional indemnity insurance for practitioners. (www.iict.com.au), and
• Full Membership with the Australian Association of Holistic and Transpersonal Counsellors (AAHTC). AAHTC also provides membership and professional indemnity insurance for practitioners (www.aahtc.org.au)

IKON's teaching staff come from diverse backgrounds and have years of professional experience in the field (including art therapy, counselling, psychotherapy etc). The Diplomas have a humanistic orientation and a strong focus on experiential learning and skill practice.

Delivery methods involve a combination of off-the-job facilitated classroom training and on-the-job placement. This is achieved through classroom lectures, tutorials (including group discussions), demonstrations, course notes and readings, in-class and placement activities, and summative assessments (to be completed between training sessions).

IKON aims to:

• Provide students with fundamental knowledge pertaining to art therapy theory and practice. In addition students will also develop a working understanding of client-centred ‘talking’ therapy;
• Provide training that enables students to apply art therapy to a broad range of clients and
  methodologies within the Australian healthcare community;
• The ability to develop community-based strategies or interventions;
• Contextualise all learning within the realms of social, legal and ethical concerns;
• Provide student supervision in order to develop their abilities and reflective practice;
• Provide students with the opportunity to grow in self- awareness and self-understanding that enables them to work more effectively with others.

Course outline and logistics

The Advanced Diploma runs over 2 years and includes 12 modules (see module list below). Modules (Friday-Monday) run approximately every eight weeks with tutorials in between (3 hours on a weeknight). The course also includes Self Directed Study each week where students will practice skills and complete assignments. There is a strong focus on skill development and learning in the course with approximately 100 hours of supervised practice and a 100-hour job placement.

Modules

Module 1: Foundations of Visionary Practice
Module 2: Foundations of Art Therapy I – Evolution
Module 3: Foundations of Art Therapy II – Professional Emergence
Module 4: Symbol, myth and healing in Art Therapy
Module 5: Crises, transitions, trauma and healing acros the life-cycle
Module 6: Foundations of mental health and mental disorder
Module 7: Transpersonal Art Therapy approaches to mental health and disorder
Module 8: Transpersonal Art THerapy counselling skills I; micro skills
Module 9: Transpersonal Art THerapy counselling skills II; Transpersonal Analysis
Module 10: Essential professional practice skills in Transpersonal Art Therapy
Module 11: Contemporary ethico-legal & best practice issues in Transpersonal Art Therapy
Module 12: Placement and clinical case analysis and management.

Cost

The full course cost for the Advanced Diploma of Transpersonal Art Therapy is $13,800 over two years.  VET FEE-HELP is available to eligible students.  Recognition of Prior Learning is available to prospective students and is charged depending on the extent of the assessment required. Students that also choose to participate in the Advanced Diploma of Transpersonal Counselling receive a large discount.

Enrolment Closing Date

Enrol now to avoid disappointment. Please complete the application of enrolment forms and return them to the Ikon Institute of Australia as soon as possible frior to your course start date.