The Higher Professional Examination (HFP) to become an art therapist with a federal diploma can currently be taken in five different specializations, which include music therapy, intermedial therapy, design and painting therapy, drama and speech therapy as well as movement and dance therapy. If you would like to train as a movement therapist, the advanced specialist examination is an interesting and highly regarded further training course at a high level.

Within these individual sub-disciplines of art therapy, there is a whole range of interesting training and further education opportunities in Switzerland, both in the form of short seminars lasting several days, intensive basic or advanced courses or full courses leading to the higher professional examination. People who are not sure whether training to become an art therapist is really the right decision can, for example, first attend an introductory course or a basic course to get an idea of whether this professional field actually corresponds to their own interests and inclinations. People who are already sure that they would like to pursue a career in the educational or social field, or would like to expand their current work in these areas, have the opportunity to train in basic training, for example as a painting therapist, in body-oriented music or in movement therapy. Such training courses are basic training courses that last around two to three years and provide participants with the knowledge they need to work as an art therapist in an institution or in their own painting studio. It is then possible to continue training in this specialist area and obtain recognition from one of the professional associations (GPK, FIAC, SVAKT, VDT, ARAET, APSAT, BTK), which enables them to be recognized by health insurance companies. This can be a corresponding further training course with professional experience, or a higher professional examination with a corresponding specialization - such as art therapy.

No, there is no art therapy course. If you want to become an art therapist, you need about five years of extra-occupational training, which concludes with a higher professional examination. Afterwards, you are awarded the title of art therapist with a federal diploma in your chosen specialty. You should have creativity and the ability to self-reflect for the course. A high degree of flexibility, communication skills and resilience are also required.

Painting therapists have the following career prospects after completing the HFP:

• Offers from professional associations and training institutions
  • In order for art therapy services to be reimbursed via supplementary insurance, proof of regular further training must be provided.
• There is no specific further training that builds on the higher professional examination. Depending on previous education, it is possible to complete training in a related field:
  • Higher technical college as certified adult educator HF, certified activation specialist HF
  • University of Applied Sciences for Bachelor/Master of Science (FH) in Applied Psychology, in Occupational Therapy, certified speech therapist (EDK), certified psychomotor therapist (EDK), certified special needs teacher (EDK)
  • Postgraduate level with courses offered by higher technical colleges, universities of applied sciences and universities in related fields, e.g. Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) Clinical Music Therapy or MAS Specialized Art Therapy

After completing the HFP art therapy course, you can pursue the following activities:

• Strengthening people's health with artistic means
• Supporting people in times of illness and crisis
• Supporting others with fundamental changes
• Activating resources and self-healing powers
• Promote sensory perception, creativity and the personal development of others
• Strengthen autonomy and demonstrate creative ways of dealing with problems
• agree therapy goals together with the client
• choose suitable artistic means
• Develop and continuously refine the therapy concept
• Conduct therapies with individuals or groups
• Documenting and evaluating the course of art therapy
• Forward results to the specialists involved

In a related subject area, you can enter the UAS (University of Applied Sciences) without an examination with the Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education (Achtung). Usually after an admission procedure sur dossier. Each school decides on this at its own discretion.