Harald Gruber

Prof. Harald Gruber is a distinguished academic and clinician specializing in art therapy, particularly in oncology and palliative care. He holds a professorship in Art Therapy at Alanus University of Arts and Society since 2007 and serves as Head of the Master Art Therapy Programme and Director of the Institute for Art Therapy. His academic background includes a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Witten Herdecke (2004) and a diploma in art therapy from Ottersberg (1989).

Gruber’s research focuses on the efficacy of art therapy in acute and palliative care settings, including a current collaboration with the University Hospital Bonn exploring online and in-person interventions for breast cancer patients. He examines emotion regulation mechanisms and the role of art in health promotion for marginalized groups like migrants.

He has authored over 100 publications, including peer-reviewed articles and books on artistic therapies in oncology and palliative care. Notable works include studies on art therapy’s impact on psychological health and systematic reviews of interventions for stress and burnout.

Gruber has held leadership roles such as Dean of the Department of Artistic Therapies (2007–2022) and co-leadership of the Research Institute for Artistic Therapies (RIArT). He actively contributes to professional societies, including the German Society for Art Design and Therapy (DFKGT) and the European Consortium for Arts Therapies Education (ECARTE).

His teaching emphasizes clinical practice and evidence-based approaches, with a focus on training future art therapists in palliative care and interdisciplinary collaboration. He advocates for integrating artistic therapies into mainstream healthcare frameworks through guideline development and policy advocacy.