2023 Master of Mental Health Art Therapy Graduate Exhibition

I have the privilege of supporting students in all aspects of the Master of Mental Health Art Therapy program. It is an intensive program that most students complete over two years. The majority of students began the program hopeful that the pandemic was settling, and they were excited about fulfilling their dreams of becoming Art Therapists. Immediately entering the program students were met however, with extreme weather events, conflict abroad and rising global financial pressures. This cohort of students have demonstrated their ability to not only adapt to adverse circumstances, but to thrive. I have witnessed the growth of their compassionate wisdom towards self and others and their commendable perseverance to support vulnerable client groups in complex placement settings.

The students of 2023 are an inspiring group of people who have succeeded in navigating the research process. This exhibition reflects the challenges and triumphs along the research journey and presents an opportunity for students to share their creative expressions and achievements with us in this culminating display. The research projects and visual representations make valuable contributions and have the potential to inspire further investigations. The artworks encourage us to be curious and allow for meaningful engagement with the research process that may elicit surprising feelings and responses.

On behalf of the teaching team, I would like to thank Dani Walsh for coordinating the research process and to congratulate the students on their outstanding accomplishments.

Louise Leotta
Art Therapy Lead

Welcome to the 2023 Masters in Mental Health Art Therapy Exhibition. This exhibition marks the completion of an independent Art Therapy research project, undertaken as part of the Master of Mental Health Art Therapy program. The art works included in this exhibition are the student researchers’ personal reflections on the research process. For some it was the first experience of research; from dreaming up an idea or concept, deepening knowledge with an extensive literature review, executing data gathering in line with an evidence-based methodology, and finally, writing a thesis suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Given this immense process, it is not surprising that the student body settled on Over the Whelm as the title for this year’s exhibition. A Whelm engulfs us, overcomes us, sometimes buries us. There is no doubt that the research journey can be overwhelming at times, as each of these students will no doubt attest. However, this exhibition is a celebration of completion, of emerging out and breaking through the other side. It is a celebration of the creation of 17 pieces of research, each with the potential to contribute to the growing body of Art Therapy research worldwide.

This cohort of emerging Art Therapists are a diverse and passionate group of people, who each came to this program with unique personal and professional motivation and experiences which are reflected in the broad range of research topics and approaches you will see and read about in this exhibition. It has been a pleasure and a joy to witness these projects develop, and a privilege to support these students on their journey. Congratulations to all graduating and continuing students, and thanks to their supervisors, teaching staff, families and friends for their ongoing support.

Dani Walsh
2023 Research Project Coordinator