• To provide a learning community for participants to understand the philosophy and wisdom in the theory and practice of the intermodal expressive arts work;

• To enhance the competence in applying the intermodal, integrative approach to expressive arts therapy;

• To develop the platform and promote the use of expressive arts work at social service settings in Hong Kong;

• To provide a professional Expressive Arts Therapy training and enable the participants to pursue professional registration.

• To further the knowledge of research and develop participants’ identity as a potential researcher in expressive arts work

The assessment of the course is by coursework:

● Participation and Attendance

● Arts portfolio and journal

● Log and reflections for every experiential module of 1000 words

● Supervision log and reflections

● Research and journal article review

Keeping an art journal can help participants find an outlet for feelings and thoughts during the creative processes in experiential workshops, practicum and supervision. It is a good practice to reflect on your experiences during the arts creation to note down insights gained. Participants are encouraged to take 1-2 hours a week to record their feelings and thoughts through quick drawing,

creative writing, poems, painting, collage, photos, video, movement, music, installation and any other multi-media. It promotes the arts involvement in different modalities in expressing emotions, gaining insight, self-soothing, bringing dreams to life through art.

In conjunction with the art journal, the log and self-reflection journals would help to highlight and consolidate participants’ thoughts and learning during the creative processes in experiential workshops, practicum and supervision. These reflections should be referenced with Expressive Arts (EXA) theories and approaches, and is a reflection of the synthesis of participants’ learnings, understanding of the integrative EXA conceptualization and philosophy in the program

For those who have related qualification and work experiences in the field of social work, psychology, counseling or other mental health disciplines, and have:

• Previous experiences with creative arts/ expressive arts

• Potential to apply the training into practice

• Motivation to become a REACE/ REAT

*Interested applicant might be invited for interview

An essential component to the expressive arts training in this program is the ability to listen, observe, assess and respond sensitively to the creative process. The experiential workshop is a safe laboratory for the participants to develop themselves as a professional in using expressive arts. To strengthen the learning experience, participants are encouraged to involve fully in the experiential activities and be open to the creative experiences and feedback.

Participants are expected to attend all training sessions and arrive on time. Full attendance and active participations to class discussions, workshop activities and trio sharing throughout the program is crucial in experiential learning for creative-selves, skills and personal style development. Only those who attend 90% of the program or above will be considered complete and having fulfilled the program requirements.

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• understand the intermodal use of multi-art modalities in the expressive arts therapy process;

• articulate the rationale and theoretical background of the person-centered philosophy, Jungian approach and phenomenological perspective in expressive arts for healing, therapy, psychoeducation, development and social change;

• use intermodal expressive arts to work with different clienteles in the format of one-on-one, family session, group and community project;

• develop the personal style and competence in the intermodal expressive arts therapy process and research;

• participants who have completed phase I to phase IV will be awarded iEXAT Professional Certificate;

• accumulated the Expressive Arts Therapy training hours which fulfil training requirements at different professional registration bodies for those who wish to pursue professional expressive arts therapist registration.

For the details of professional registration of REACE/ REAT, please visit IEATA® website at http://www.ieata.org. There you will see additional requirements needed after completion of all professional Expressive Arts trainings.

Possession of a Master’s Degree in Psychology, Educational Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related mental health discipline.

Regarding the eligibility of other Master Degree as the prerequisite Education Standard for REACE/ REAT Registration, you may contact IEATA® directly at reat@ieata.org.