Byrne, Julia
M.A. A.Th., Art Ed
Arts Therapist ANZACATA
Practitioner at Lifespan Counselling and Hong Kong Psychological Services Lecturer
Academic advisor on the Expressive Arts Therapy Program at The Centre for Behavioral health CBH, The University of Hong Kong
Founding President of HKAAT
About
Julia grew up in Hong Kong and holds a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and has been dedicated for over the last 26 years pioneering Art Therapy and psychotherapy through various local organizations/NGO’s and the Hong Kong Hospital Authority with a wide variety of client groups including stress/anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, special needs (down syndrome, autism and ADHD) geriatrics, and rehabilitation (stroke and cancer patients) substance abusers, domestic violence and trauma survivors and self-injury. Based on a deep belief in the importance of the body-mind-emotion-and spirit connection, Julia works with clients and client groups to strengthen intra-interpersonal connections, gain personal insights, and make life changes using psychotherapy and art therapy coupled with meditation as change agents. Disaster relief work and community work is another area of passion for Julia. She is also working with children on the Autistic spectrum, as well as children with severe intellectual challenges, conducting training programs and carrying out research for social adaptive and emotional training for the last 15 years.
Julia is the founding president of The Hong Kong Association of Art Therapists and is also a lead developer and instructor in Art Facilitation. She has a post as lecturer and academic advisor on the Expressive Arts Therapy Program at The Centre for Behavioral health CBH, The University of Hong Kong. Julia has presented her work overseas and locally and has received over 20 publications.
美國佛羅里達州大學藝術治療碩士(1994)、ANZACATA註冊藝術治療師、香港藝術治療師協會創會主席。現任香港大學行為健康教研中心(CBH)表達藝術治療碩士課程講師及學術顧問、藝術支援課程主講師。Julia在香港出生及長大,1995年率先於大埔醫院向中風和頭部受創的患者試行藝術治療計劃,及後廣泛地在本地醫院、社福機構及學校積極進行藝術治療計劃,服務群組類別包括抑鬱症、思覺失調、特殊需要(唐氏綜合症、自閉症和多動症)、老年疾病、復康需要(中風和癌症患者)、藥物濫用、家庭暴力、創傷性存、自殘和哀傷人士,並獲邀在海外和本地為藝術治療及相關題目演講,並先後發表了二十多篇文章。