Forwarding Arts Therapy in South East Asia

Abstract

Over the past ten years, the profession of arts therapy has come a long way in South East Asia. As the first and truly only international professional association in the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association (ANZATA) is now firmly positioned as a professional community which contributes effectively towards the development of the arts therapies. In all countries where arts therapy has evolved, there have been significant challenges inherent in establishing and developing a credible professional identity. Such identity and recognition applies not only to how we view ourselves but also, importantly, to how we are viewed by the public, by other professions and by governments. A healthily developing professional association is a vital component of any emerging profession, and grows in tandem with a dynamic and developing practice, with rigorous standards of training within solid theoretical frameworks, with an adherence to ethical guidelines, and with an evolving research culture. As arts therapy gains momentum across the globe, specifically within this geographical area, the profession is coming of age – providing exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations where differences and diversity are acknowledged, embraced and integrated. The link that connects us all is the healing power of the creative process and the recognition of its vital importance to our lives and wellbeing.

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