Originally a practicing artist working in the divided communities of Belfast, it became clear that I needed some further specialist training to meet the complex needs of those I worked and engaged with in community arts studio groups and arts workshops.
Blanka Hubena - Lecturer at the USW
The master's art therapy training offered by Queen's University, Belfast enabled me to respond therapeutically to emotional and therapeutic needs of those affected by trauma and PTSD whilst also utilising the existing creative and artistic skills, thus combining two fields of expertise. This was a revelatory experience and profoundly impactful on my understanding of what it takes to work in mental health services with people from diverse backgrounds and with complex mental health and emotional needs.
Since then, I’ve gone onto working in a number of services and organisations as an art therapist. I also sought some further training in dyadic developmental psychotherapy, clinical supervision, solution focused therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.
My main areas of interest and research currently is the use of creativity across other professions and pluralism in art psychotherapy practice. I like art-based research methodology, too!
I am a very proud to be an art psychotherapist. The professional role of an art psychotherapist is diverse.
Put simply, it is a very versatile profession, which continues to grow and develop with the changing needs of the diverse UK populations, across the lifespan, and the many ethnic groups, communities and cultures.