IN Malaysia, art therapy remains a niche, evolving avenue for mental health support, distinct from mainstream therapeutic approaches. While countries like Australia integrate government-backed art therapy into healthcare, Malaysia has yet to adopt it on a comparable scale.
Art therapist Su Mei Tan, who has spent much of her career in Australia, advocates for Malaysia to consider regulating art therapy and urges the government and non-government agencies alike to help make it more accessible.
She said in Australia, government funding means that art therapy is financially accessible, allowing those with disabilities to engage in creative healing. However, Malaysia’s lack of similar funding renders art therapy costly, with private sessions typically costing around RM100 per hour.
Tan highlights that this pricing reflects the limited demand and the specialised nature of art therapy, which differs from general therapy services like psychotherapy.
"Therapists need to charge higher costs to sustain themselves," she said, noting that there is no standardised fee structure for art therapy sessions in Malaysia, while government hospitals currently offer no such options.
Reeling back to Tan, her career began with a foundation in fine arts from the University of Melbourne, followed by a Master’s in Art Therapy at La Trobe University, where she studied aspects of psychology, mental health, and counselling. Through placements in hospitals and clinical environments, she gained first-hand experience working alongside healthcare professionals.
Her training emphasised the therapeutic potential of art for people experiencing various mental health conditions and disabilities, from autism to marginalised individuals coping with societal challenges.
Despite these high costs, Tan observes that some community initiatives in Malaysia provide art therapy at reduced fees or even for free, though the practitioners in these cases may not be formally certified. While this approach can increase accessibility, Tan stresses the importance of ensuring that art therapists are well-trained to provide safe and effective services.
Sinar Daily spoke to Tan during a session she led for the mental health non-profit organisation Sepi, where they collaborate with art therapists to offer free sessions, aiming to expand the therapy's reach. Sepi is a collaboration between the Health Ministry, Cotton On and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, where the government activates its role in the world of youths.
"I am impressed by how resourceful people in Malaysia can be to fund these art therapy sessions," she says, noting that grassroots support has helped foster a budding interest in creative arts as a means of therapeutic engagement.
Tan remains hopeful that, as demand grows, art therapy will become more affordable in Malaysia, spurred by greater mental health awareness.
"On top of that, people are craving a lot of creativity in the midst of their work and studies. On the side, people willing to experience creatively and in the next 10 years, creative arts and art therapy will have a real interest in it and it is happening now," she said.
Unlike traditional counselling, she said art therapy enables individuals to express emotions through visual arts, movement, or music—an approach especially beneficial for those who struggle with verbal communication, such as individuals on the autism spectrum.
"It is something you see a doctor for when you get a common cold or diabetes for your treatment.
"Same thing with mental health, it cannot be seen, it happens in your heart and mind and needs to be treated by professionals as equally as physical illnesses are treated," she said.