Art Therapist
Use creative art-making within a therapeutic relationship to help children and adults explore emotions, process trauma, and improve mental health — no artistic skill required from clients.
Low
Very high
5–7 years — 3-year undergraduate degree (art, psychology, or related), relevant experience in care or education settings, then 2-year postgraduate art therapy qualification
Postgraduate Diploma or MA in Art Therapy/Art Psychotherapy (HCPC-approved), following a relevant undergraduate degree
possible
What you do
Art therapists use the process of making art — drawing, painting, sculpture, collage — as a primary means of communication and therapeutic exploration within a professional relationship. You work with people who may find it difficult to express their experiences through words alone, including children with developmental trauma, adults with learning disabilities, older people with dementia, refugees, and people with severe mental health conditions. Sessions may be individual or group-based. You do not teach art or interpret artwork prescriptively; instead, you create a safe, containing space where the art-making process itself becomes the therapeutic medium. You carry out assessments, write reports for multidisciplinary teams, maintain clinical records, and attend regular clinical supervision. Settings include NHS mental health services, special schools, hospices, prisons, and private practice.
Why this career is resilient
Art therapy works through the embodied, sensory, and relational experience of making art in the presence of another human being — a process that is inherently non-digital and non-automatable. It is especially effective with populations who cannot easily engage with traditional talking therapies, ensuring continued demand. HCPC registration provides professional protection. The NHS and education sectors are the main employers, with growing recognition of art therapy's value in trauma-informed care. Workforce supply is limited — only around 4,000 registered art therapists practise in the UK — ensuring strong demand for qualified practitioners.
A typical day
A morning in a children's mental health service might begin with setting up the art therapy room — laying out materials and ensuring the space feels safe and consistent. You run two individual sessions with children, each lasting 45 minutes, using free art-making to explore themes emerging in the work. After writing process notes, you attend a multidisciplinary team meeting to contribute the art therapy perspective on shared cases. The afternoon includes a small therapeutic art group, a clinical supervision session with your supervisor, and time for report-writing and preparing materials for tomorrow.
Routes in
Access to Higher Education
A one-year full-time (or two-year part-time) qualification designed for adults who did not take A levels. Recognised by universities and many nursing/allied health programmes.
Employer-funded training
Some employers — particularly the NHS, emergency services, and larger care providers — run their own funded training programmes. You apply for a job and train as you work.
Pay and costs
Earning potential: NHS Band 6 (£37,000–£44,000) for newly qualified art therapists. Senior/specialist roles: Band 7 (£46,000–£53,000). Private practice rates £50–£80 per session. Education sector salaries broadly align with NHS bands.
Training costs: Undergraduate degree: £9,250/year (student finance available). Postgraduate art therapy MA: £9,000–£16,000 total (postgraduate loans available up to £12,471). Art materials costs during training: £200–£400. Personal therapy (a training requirement): £40–£60 per session. HCPC registration fee: ~£120/year (charged biennially as £240). DBS check required.