Experiential Learning: Cultural and Context-Specificity within Postgraduate Art Therapy Education and Practice with Dr Ronald Lay

This research seminar will highlight key findings from Ronald Lay’s Doctor in Education research - Credentialed Art Therapists Located in Singapore and the Role of Experiential Learning in Art Therapy Education - investigating experiential learning within postgraduate art therapy training, through the perspectives of credentialed art therapists in Singapore. “I was curious to learn more about and understand how art therapy students and art therapists were navigating and negotiating underpinnings of art therapy education and practice, and how they were applying these in the context of Singapore.”

The terms and constructs “experiential”, “the experiential” and “experiential learning” have been widely used by art therapists, however (and surprisingly) few studies exist. This gap justified the interpretivist qualitative study discussed through this presentation.

The presentation has been designed to demystify research and to inspire others to summon the courage to pursue their own PhD projects and research.

Q&A rounds out the discussion.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Participants will be able to articulate at least 2 features of experiential learning as part of postgraduate art therapy pedagogy.
2. Participants will be able to list at least 3 components of experiential learning as part of postgraduate art therapy training and/or art therapy practice.
3. Participants will be able to reflect upon their own experience of experiential learning and state at least 2 benefits of experiential learning that currently inform their art therapy practice.

PRESENTER DETAILS

Dr Ronald PMH Lay's research focuses on the impact of experiential learning within postgraduate training on professional practice. He is interested in how art therapy is applied within Asian and local contexts; the impact of honouring and integrating art and art-making practices as well as mental health and healing traditions that are cultural and context-specific within art therapy and art therapy education; and, the long-term impact of overseas art, culture and mental health immersive service-learning trips on training/practice. He has led the prestigious MA Art Therapy programme at LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore since 2011.

When: Wednesday 3 December 2025
5.30pm-7pm AEDT
2:30pm-4pm SGT (Presenter time)
7.30pm-9pm NZDT
Duration/CPD: 1.5 hrs
Where: Zoom
Cost: $15 for members, $30 for non-members and free for students
Open to: All members (including subscription only) and also non-members
Max: Unrestricted
Recorded session: No