Study programme of Arts Therapy and the status of arts therapy in Slovenia

In Slovenia, we are celebrating 25 years of existence of the study programme Arts Therapy or “Help through Art” as we call the study in the scientific field of arts therapy, which is being implemented at the Faculty of Education in Ljubljana. 78 specialists and masters of Arts Therapy have completed their studies. Students are focused on the implementation and development of practice and theory in the field of education, health care and other social environments. When reviewing the professional literature and scientific publications, we did not find any research, review or insight into the work of arts therapists in our country. The purpose of the research is to determine the status of the field of arts therapy in the Slovenian environment. The theoretical part of the thesis includes: a presentation of the scientific discipline of arts therapy with some definitions and areas; the therapeutic factors; different theoretical frames and approaches; the triad relationship in the therapeutic process; social environments, and the effectiveness of arts therapies. Afterwards, the theoretical part switches to the field of arts therapy in the Slovenian environment with a presentation of the development of the study programme Arts Therapy (from the concepts that led to the creation of the specialist study programme to today's second-cycle master's study), of the special features of the study programme, and of the employment opportunities for graduates. In the empirical part of the thesis, a qualitative approach with a descriptive research method is presented. With the help of the open-ended questions in the online questionnaire, we studied the opinions, attitudes and experiences of specialists, masters and students of the study programme “Help through Art” regarding their status and professional activity. The results of the research will contribute to the scientific field of arts therapy in Slovenia, to the promotion of arts therapy in Slovenia, and will aid our efforts to improve the status of the arts therapist profession