The DOI matches its Crossref record; 15 of the 15 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Online art therapy practice and client safety: a UK-wide survey in times of COVID-19
Open accessAbstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic enforced a sudden change in practice and a move into online delivery for many art therapists in the UK, often with minimal guidance and little previous experience of remote delivery.Aims To explore ways in which practitioners adapted practice to ensure continuity of service and client safety at distance.Methods An online survey designed to explore practitioners’ perspectives and experiences of using digital technology in art therapy sessions with clients.Results Vast majority of 96 respondents reported having worked with clients online as a result of the pandemic. The respondents expressed concerns about safety of practice and their own confidence in delivering therapy remotely. Increased clinical supervision, specialist training, and support from colleagues were valued in the rapid transitioning to online practice.Conclusions A snap shot of art therapists’ responses to a need to adapt their practice due to the pandemic is presented, including approaches to working with technology and strategies that therapists employed to ensure their clients’ and own safety.Implications for practice/policy/future research Being able to offer a safe environment for clients is a priority for practitioners. Further research, guidance and training might offer the support needed for developing a suitably safe online practice.Plain-language summary Art therapists practice in the UK has until recently been primarily face to face, being in the same space with their clients while offering art therapy sessions and being able to observe how they use art materials to create artwork. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many UK-based art therapists needed to adopt creative approaches to make a rapid shift to delivering therapy online, often with minimal guidance and little previous experience of remote delivery.We have conducted an online survey to explore how art therapists have made changes in their practice and what has supported them in the process. 96 art therapists took part in the survey and shared their experiences and strategies that they have adopted to rapidly move to connecting with clients remotely. They have shared that safety of their clients was of key importance and showed how this concern has guided their transition into online practice.The respondents mentioned that clinical supervision and support from colleagues were helpful in ensuring safety of their clients and themselves. Since online art therapy is expected to continue beyond the pandemic, more research in the area is needed as well as guidance and training for art therapists that would increase their confidence in working with clients online.
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“These offers led to a sudden increase in therapists using online interventions [8,25-27], thereby seemingly decreasing perceived barriers by psychotherapists to use online or remote treatment options [8,26].”
In the citing paper
“Nevertheless, the sudden switch also resulted in insecurities and the need for further guidance for therapists [27].”
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“It is important that these accounts of sudden changes in practice are recorded and examined for any lessons to be learned for a longer-term approach to how art therapy might contribute to mitigating the psychological impacts of the pandemic, which are likely yet to emerge (Miller and McDonald, 2020; Titov et al., 2020…”
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“Nevertheless, the sudden switch also resulted in insecurities and the need for further guidance for therapists [27].”
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Miller, G. M., & McDonald, A. (2020) · International Journal of Art Therapy · doi:10.1080/17454832.2020.1846383 · Cited by 36
“Creating digital safe spaces Ania Zubala and Simon Hackett, authors of ‘Online Art Therapy Practice and Client Safety: A UK-wide Survey in Times of COVID-19’, examine findings obtained from practitioners that adapted their clinical work with clients to online delivery (Zubala & Hackett, 2020).”
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“…offer both research and practice-based responses that include a survey of art therapists’ feelings and beliefs about digitally-mediated art therapy (Zubala & Hackett, 2020), as well as reports on interventions offered for particular groups of service users (e.g. Datlen & Pandolfi, 2020; Shaw,…”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Zubala, A., & Hackett, S.
- Affiliations
- University of the Highlands and Islands (GB)
- Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Zubala, Ania
- Venue
- International Journal of Art Therapy
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2020-10-01
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 161-171
- ISSN
- 1745-4832 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-4840
- OpenAlex
- W3112095373
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 71.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- International Journal of Art Therapy (publishedVersion)
- Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
- Funders
- Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Art Therapy and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Music Therapy and Health
- Keywords
- COVID-19 pandemic, client safety, remote therapy delivery, clinical supervision, practitioner confidence, service continuity, peer support
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