Job Description

1. To take responsibility for managing own personal caseload (and that of art psychotherapy trainees), with a high level of experience and clinical expertise. Processing referrals, conducting assessments and providing time-limited group/individual art psychotherapy treatment. To recommend alternative therapies where deemed necessary.



2. To exercise full responsibility and autonomy for clinical decisions regarding appropriate assessment, diagnosis, treatment, discharge and follow-up of patients with a range of complex mental illness, communicating effectively and sensitively with the referral agent and others involved in the case on a regular basis. 3. To provide contemporary evidence-based treatment with advanced theoretical and practical knowledge.



4. To understand and implement different models of art psychotherapy practice to suit a range of patient need including those with histories of trauma (adult and childhood), personality disorders, psychosis and complex mental illness 5. Ability to understand complex range of feelings and motivations that service users may present and to judge the most therapeutic level of intervention e.g. judging from verbal and non-verbal cues where probing or challenging may lead to positive development and where they would lead client to withdraw from the therapeutic work.



6. Judging from verbal and non-verbal cues what degree of support or direction it would be therapeutic to offer the service user with regard to their artwork 7. Ability to judge the best form of intervention for a specific service user e.g. group or individual, interactive/analytic or studio model, taking into account the service users attachment, relationship and interpersonal issues.



8. Risk assessment, including on the spot assessment of risk in inpatients who may be previously unknown, taking into account patient, therapist, family, child and public safety and formulate plans to minimise risk, distinguishing between the expression of distress and genuine risk of self-injury, suicide or harm to others. 9. To exercise sensitivity in the application of Art Psychotherapy in different cultural and ethnic contexts (e.g.



with refugees and asylum seekers). 10. To actively participate in clinical meetings and case conferences in line with multi-disciplinary team approach 11. Input will focus on patients needs and may involve working with relatives and carers and other professionals.



12. To maintain accurate clinical records, paper and electronic, in line with multi-disciplinary teams, Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and BAAT professional standards 13. To take responsibility for risk assessment and management (e.g. patients with suicidal and self-harming behaviours, including those with aggressive behaviours; and in relation to child protection and vulnerable adults issues) as specified by Safeguarding policy and guidelines.



Know when to consult and take action alongside other professionals if there is an immediate risk. 14. To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary teams and other statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate, playing an active role in encouraging good relations and joint working. 15.



To periodically review the evidence base for art psychotherapy practice, to provide the most effective treatment.