Exploring Perceptions of Art Therapy through the Social Media

Abstract

How art therapy is perceived and portrayed by the general public, especially those seeking mental health services remains a pressing issue. Social media is becoming a recognised way to share attitudes and beliefs in a public forum. To begin exploration on the topic of external perceptions of the art therapy profession, an inquiry into the use of social media for discussing art therapy was conducted. The aims of the study were to acknowledge general public opinion of art therapy through examining how art therapy was discussed in social forums. Thirteen relevant websites were identified and then further examined, using content analysis to reveal multiple themes. Based upon the findings, a number of implications were created to help expand the development of art therapy as a profession in this technologically savvy age Keywords: Art therapy, health literacy, mental health, profession, perceptions, social media