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Welcome to the Research Committee page of EFAT.

Research and practice are inseparable and depend on each other: Practice knowledge is of vital importance for theory, and theory is of vital importance for practitioners.

Let's say you are a practitioner and you
  • are fascinated by something that is happening in your practice and want to write about it 
  • want to translate your practitioner knowledge into research so as to help other practitioners and to push art therapy forward
  • love writing and reading as well as doing art therapy - 
  • need  to read research about a phenomena in your practice  that has arisen- and you don't know enough about it
  • feel the need to refresh yourself with updated research
  • are looking for people interested in collaborating about a subject  
  • are looking for possible funds and research money and don't know where and how to access it  
  • want to overcome a fear of research as the “other” ​

How can EFAT’s Research Committee (RC) help?

Vision Statement
Our priorities are to create access to research for EFAT members, to create skills and interest in doing research, and to provide the methodological and ethical know how needed for members to undertake projects so as ultimately to further develop the Art Therapy profession across Europe.

Mission Statement
The research committee supports the development of high-quality art therapy research. This is done through engaging members in high standards of ethical and quality research practice and by developing a supportive and inspiring research culture fostered by international collaboration. We aim to provide European Art Therapy research strategic direction through responding to empirical evidence for policymakers, and thereby contribute to the improvement of the position of art therapists in their professional environments.
​
Objectives
EFAT's Research Committee aims to contribute strategically and substantially to the evidence base for art therapy in order to promote the recognition of Art Therapy in all European countries. We aim:
  • to support ethical standards for researchers in art therapy.
  • to promote diverse methodological approaches to art therapy research. 
  • to promote and initiate international research collaborations
  • to promote research through supporting publications in peer reviewed journals.
  • to promote research findings through translation into the English language.  ​
EFAT members can benefit from research consultation by contacting the Research Committee at [email protected]

EFAT Research article publication fund

EFAT has created a research article publication fund for members who publish in peer-reviewed open-access journals and are not funded/sponsored by their institutions.

Other Projects
  • PHDs Review
  • European Survey
  • Organization of webinars
  • Participation of RC members within SIGs to support the development of research projects
  • Research support
  • Elaboration of a Research Protocol (in progress)
  • Research opportunities for international collaboration funding (in progress)​
Useful Documents
  • Article published in the GMS Journal of Arts Therapies - Journal of Art-, Music-, Dance-, Drama- and Poetry-Therapy:
    ​A review of doctoral research in art therapy across Europe: a project of European Federation of Art Therapy’s (EFAT’s) Research Committee to create a European database for doctoral theses:
      https://dx.doi.org/10.3205/jat000040
​
  • Doctoral art therapy dissertations (PhD) overview (continually updated)​
  • Art Therapy Research book list (updated regularly)
​
  • Research Committee Protocoldx.doi.org/10.3205/jat000040
Congratulations to Avgustina Stanoeva and Mimmu Rankanen for the publication of their review of doctoral research in art therapy across Europe! I wish to underline one of the sentences in their article:  "we need clear definitions of what art therapy is; how it works; what kind of specific methods it uses”.  Sometimes we are still afraid of this challenge, and we withdraw… but Avgustina and Mummu are telling us not to be afraid.  A big hug and best wishes for all art therapists who will not be afraid of walking along that path, in the name of clarity and professional identity.

Paola Luzzatto, Ph.D.
​(Founding and honorary member of EFAT)

Who we are:  ​

Steering Group
Picture
Mimmu Rankanen
CHAIR
Finland/Norway
Picture
Silvana Castellucchio
STEERING MEMBER
Italy
Picture
Unnur Óttarsdottír
STEERINg MEMBER
Iceland
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Celine Schweizer
STEERING MEMBER
Netherlands

​Members
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Marta Callizo
​

MEMBER
Spain
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Susan Hogan
MEMBER
UK
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Sally Schofield
​

MEMBER
Spain
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Mimma della Cagnoletta
MEMBER
Italy
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Elisabeth Ioannides
MEMBER
Greece
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Avgustina Stanoeva
​

MEMBER
Germany / Bulgaria
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Loukia Chaidemenaki
​
MEMBER
Greece
Picture
Maria Konti​
MEMBER
Greece
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Dimitra Theodoropoulou
MEMBER
Greece / UK
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Eleni Giannouli
​

MEMBER
Greece
Picture
Katerina Mavromichali 
MEMBER
Greece
Picture
​© COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Photo from various brennemans
  • Home
  • News
  • about EFAT
    • History
    • Organisational Structure
    • COMMITTEES
    • Special Interest Groups
    • Documents & Reports
  • Art therapy
    • Becoming an Art Therapist
    • Art Therapy on the map
  • EFAT Conference 2025
  • Events
    • Day of Art Therapy in Europe (D.A.T.E.)
  • Membership
    • How to apply for membership
    • Partnerships
  • FAQ
  • Contact