Tertiary education in expressive therapies in the European context

Expressivity and its manifestations are highly individualised human characteristics. Malchiodi (2005) wrote that people possess different expressive styles and preferences. If therapists support these expressive differences, they allow their clients to communicate in a fuller, more effective and authentic manner. Expressive or art therapies have the potential to respond to these needs of people and to enhance their development. Knill et al. (1995, as cited in Malchiodi, 2005) stated that expressive therapies contain common characteristics, which include, for example, the conduct of action. However, they differ
in many respects. Each artistic modality uses different tools to achieve change and focuses on activities that best facilitate the therapeutic process based on their artistic characteristics. The aim of this chapter is to familiarise the reader with the international dimension of the development of expressive therapy
schools. As a result of the existence of different methods, along with a common line of artistic expression, the arts therapies have developed separately in some countries, while other countries were inspired by existing theories and created eclectic approaches.