Last Updated on December 22, 2022

Art therapy courses open university is a course offered by the Open University in collaboration with the Art Therapy Association (ATA) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). The aim of this course is to help students gain an understanding of art therapy and its application in counselling.

This course will enable you to develop your knowledge around the subject area, in a way that suits your personal learning style. There are no exams or assignments, but a range of online resources are available to support your learning.

You may find it hard to access the right information on the internet, so we are here to help you in the following article, providing the best and updated information on You will also find related posts on Art Therapy Courses Open University. Read on to learn more. We at infolearners have all the information that you need about Art Therapy Courses Open University.

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, with over 220,000 students. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including Art Therapy Courses.

Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art to explore people’s feelings and emotions. The course will teach you how to use art-making as a form of therapy for clients who are suffering from mental health problems or other issues.

The course has been designed for therapists who already have experience working in their chosen field. You will be required to provide evidence of your experience before starting the course.

You will learn about different types of mental illness and how they can be treated through art therapy. You will also learn how to work with children and adults who are dealing with mental health problems or learning disabilities such as autism.

As an Art Therapist, you’ll need excellent communication skills so that you can explain what you’re doing to your clients effectively without confusing them or making them feel uncomfortable about opening up about their feelings.

Why study Arts and Humanities with The Open University?

Engage with other students across the globe with a qualification in arts and humanities from The Open University. You can study a wide range of subjects, with the opportunity to specialise in one or two disciplines to suit your interests or needs. Alongside the opportunity to develop key, transferrable skills, the OU can offer you:

• Undergraduate modules informed and developed as a result of our world-class research.
• A broad and exciting range of topics and themes in specific subject areas, providing you with new perspectives on culture, society and humanity.
• The opportunity to join the largest and most diverse faculty at the OU, with some 50,000 students on arts and social sciences courses.

Careers in Arts and Humanities

A qualification in arts and humanities will help in sharpening your IT skills, writing and ability to think independently. In today’s competitive job market, these key skills are greatly sought after in the world beyond study – whether you’re already working, volunteering or changing career.

Arts and humanities could lead to a career in:

• Education
• Creative and cultural industries
• Legal work
• Politics/local government

Session 1: Setting the scene by looking at the past

Introduction

In the first session of this course, you will look at the history of children’s mental health. Until the middle of the twentieth century, following the Second World War and the formation of government welfare services, children’s mental health was not recognised as the significant issue it is today. However, some children will have experienced mental health problems, even if these were left undiagnosed, and you will be examining some of the reasons why this might have happened.

You will look at a news account about children’s mental health and consider why there are currently reported increases in the numbers of cases of children with compromised mental health, and you will be encouraged to identify some of the reasons why this might or might not be the case. You will also be introduced to some of the ‘language’ associated with children and their mental health. This will hopefully make the content in later sessions more familiar to you. And finally, you will be encouraged to think about the resources within the child, the family, their community and wider society that can help children to develop ensuring good overall mental health.

It is important to highlight that contemporary Western views about children and mental health are not going to be held globally; some cultures as well as religions hold beliefs that mean they do not recognise mental health issues as an illness. Instead, the causes of behaviours in children that are outside the norm are sometimes attributed to other explanatory models, a contentious example being that a child is possessed by evil spirits.

Now listen to the following audio in which Liz Middleton, one of the course authors, introduces the session.

Audio 1

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• describe an overview of the history of children and mental health
• outline the reasons why there is an increase in awareness of children’s mental health
• identify selected factors that can impact children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Open University would really appreciate a few minutes of your time to tell us about yourself and your expectations for the course before you begin, in our optional start-of-course survey . Participation will be completely confidential and we will not pass on your details to others.

Session 2: Increasing your knowledge of mental health

Introduction

It may be an obvious statement to make, but increasing your knowledge of the language relating to mental health can increase your understanding and, in turn, this can help to increase your confidence in supporting children’s mental health. In this session, you will look at definitions of some of the mental health conditions that commonly affect young children. These include anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, phobias and behaviour disorders. Other pertinent issues, in particular school refusal and sleep problems, will also be explored. You will look at the impact of mental health issues on children’s education and development, and identify some possible ‘triggers’ for children’s anxiety in early childhood and school settings.

Now listen to the following audio in which Jackie Musgrave, one of the course authors, introduces the session.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• appreciate that children’s mental health can vary for individuals and over time
• describe some of the common mental health conditions that affect children
• understand some of the factors that are associated with mental ill-health in children
• explore some of the effects of poor mental health and illness on children’s education and development
• identify ‘triggers’ for anxiety in children.

Session 3: Mental health promotion and education

Introduction

On one hand, there are many complexities surrounding our understanding of children’s mental health and appreciating the reasons why a number of children are experiencing poor wellbeing and compromised mental health. On the other hand, it may also be helpful to recognise that there is a great deal that adults can do to improve children’s wellbeing, promote good mental health and consequently prevent serious and enduring mental health conditions in young children.

In this session, you will explore what is meant by ‘mental health promotion’ and how improvements in terms of education and understanding in relation to mental health can help us to support and promote mental wellbeing in children. You will also explore the foundations of ‘good mental health’, and the theories that underpin current beliefs and approaches.

Now listen to the audio introduction to this session.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• understand what is meant by mental health promotion and education
• explore some of the key ingredients of ‘good’ mental health in young children
• reflect on the main components of attachment theory
• consider the effects of attachment relationships on young children’s mental health and wellbeing
• examine ways to prevent and minimise the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• have an awareness of how perseverance and resilience can be promoted in the early years.

Session 4: A global view of children’s mental health and wellbeing

Introduction

Children’s mental health is a global issue. Wherever children live in the world, there are factors and influences within their society that impact on their mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 is an example of an event that has impacted on the physical and mental health of children and their families around the world. As you explored in Session 1, the systems around the child have a profound impact on their wellbeing and, in turn, this impacts on their mental health – for good or bad. For instance, the effects of war, conflict and the influence of economic factors mean that migration of people from country to country is an ongoing issue; without resolutions to the conflicts that are causing people to be displaced from their homes, this is likely to continue. The migration of people is often reported in the media; however, the impact of migration on children is under-reported.

In this session, you will examine children’s wellbeing and mental health from a global perspective.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• form an overview of the impact of a country’s geography and politics on children’s wellbeing
• explore social, economic and cultural influences on children’s wellbeing and mental health
• appreciate some of the effects of migration on children’s wellbeing and mental health
• re-examine the role of resilience in helping children cope with difficult, dangerous and traumatic circumstances.

Session 5: Wellbeing and mental health in education settings

Introduction

Around the world, many countries have developed national curricula for pre-school and school-aged children. Each curriculum includes principles aimed at improving children’s emotional and social development. Implementing these aims means that practitioners and teachers have an increasingly important role in creating an environment that is conducive for children to develop good mental health and wellbeing.

In this session, you will explore some of the ways that educators in pre-school and primary school settings are approaching this responsibility. You will discover how the ethos of the early childhood and/or school setting is critical to children’s wellbeing. For example, routines such as circle time (i.e. where the pupils and teacher come together in a physical circle to learn) that are embedded in practice can help adults to listen to children, and are important strategies for the development of good wellbeing and positive mental health.

Figure 1 Children playing together in a day care setting

In this session, you will explore how developing and implementing policies relating to anti-bullying and safeguarding can contribute to improving the mental health of children. Finally, you will consider the significance of play throughout a child’s life in promoting good mental health and wellbeing.