معرفی
Dr Pamela Whitaker is a Lecturer in Art Psychotherapy at Ulster University's Belfast School of Art within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. She specializes in Art and Design Research with a focus on therapeutic applications of creative practices across diverse settings including museums, galleries, and community environments.
- Belfast School of Art, Belfast Campus
- Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
- Art and Design Research unit
Dr Whitaker holds a PhD from the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield (awarded January 15, 2008) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice from Ulster University. She maintains professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Her research program centers on expanding art therapy into environmental and social contexts through innovative methodologies including ecologies of care, environmental art therapy, and the walking studio approach. She investigates how art therapy can be practiced in non-traditional settings such as museums, galleries, parks, and community festivals. Her work on material culture examines how everyday objects and textile practices serve therapeutic purposes, particularly in processing grief and trauma. Dr Whitaker has developed specialized approaches including Festival Art Therapy as a public mental health engagement strategy and The Walking Studio as an environmental engagement methodology.
Her publication record demonstrates consistent expansion of art therapy boundaries into environmental activism, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Recent work shows increasing attention to climate change impacts on mental health and innovative approaches to integrating art therapy with social care systems, particularly through projects like CHOICE and The Nature of Life: Gardens as Art.
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Dr Whitaker serves as External Examiner for the MA Art Psychotherapy programme at the University of Roehampton (2023-2027). She is Principal Investigator for 'IAA - The Nature of Life: Gardens as Art' funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (2024-2025), and Co-Investigator for 'Challenging Health Outcomes/Integrating Care Environments Ph3' (2024-2027). Her research collaborations span multiple countries and institutions, with significant contributions to the field through editorial work and professional leadership.
As the first Practice Based Researcher in Residence at the Void Arts Centre in Derry/L'Derry, she develops research on environmental activism through artistic practice. She co-founded and serves as editor for Polyphony: Journal of the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists and has held editorial positions with several prominent art therapy publications including the Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal and International Journal of Art Therapy.
