ABSTRACT Background Art therapy in the Arabian Gulf is still nascent. Context This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 and the development of art therapy in the region and identifies both the challenges and advantages that this global pandemic brought to a small group of art therapists practicing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. Approach Our approach is rooted in relational cultural theory (RCT). Outcomes For art therapists in a private practice in Dubai, the pandemic provided an opportunity to widen services and accessibility. In a hospital setting in Qatar, new regulations during the pandemic required adaptations that possibly contributed to stress and anxiety for the art therapist, patients, and health workers. Unexpected perceived changes included: highlighted stigma, increased openness, increased engagement, and change in perception of the art therapy service. Conclusions For these art therapists, practicing in the Arabian Gulf, the global pandemic increased awareness of cultural competence and led to the development of online art therapy services. Implications for research There is a dearth of art therapy research in the region. Future research on cultural competence and the efficacy of telehealth are recommended to develop a robust evidence base for the practice of art therapy in the Arabian Gulf. Plain-language summary Art therapy is relatively new in the Arabian Gulf, with most art therapists completing their training in the West. During the global pandemic and the changes caused by COVID-19, art therapists had the opportunity to address critical issues in their practice. This article presents two different views from two culturally similar Middle Eastern countries into what happened during the global pandemic of 2020. The first view describes how the pandemic brought about the development of online art therapy within a private practice in Dubai, UAE. The second view describes multiple adaptations to the delivery of art therapy within a hospital setting in Qatar. In the private practice, developing online art therapy became an opportunity to increase access for people residing outside of Dubai, in other emirates, and beyond. Art therapists also noticed how online art therapy may impact privacy, as clients could complete their sessions from their own homes, and stigma concerning mental health. At the hospital setting in Qatar, COVID-19 brought a new way of working focused on safety. The art therapist in Qatar discusses how these changes impacted her work and some of the perceived unexpected gains that resulted, such as more collaboration with other professionals, more engagement from the patients, and a new openness around mental health as the families could communicate about a shared concern: COVID-19. In both cases, the pandemic brought development and opportunities for growth. The article’s focus is to highlight the cultural differences of working in this region and to acknowledge the need for future research. Because the field is relatively new in the region, there is limited research; the art therapists have to rely on increased cultural awareness to adapt their practice to be helpful to service users.

中文翻译：

---

COVID-19 改变了阿拉伯湾的艺术治疗服务

摘要 阿拉伯湾的背景艺术疗法仍处于起步阶段。背景本文讨论了 COVID-19 的影响和该地区艺术治疗的发展，并确定了这种全球大流行给在阿拉伯联合酋长国 (UAE) 和卡塔尔执业的一小群艺术治疗师带来的挑战和优势。方法 我们的方法植根于关系文化理论 (RCT)。结果对于迪拜私人诊所的艺术治疗师来说，大流行提供了扩大服务和可及性的机会。在卡塔尔的一家医院环境中，大流行期间的新规定要求进行调整，这可能会给艺术治疗师、患者和卫生工作者带来压力和焦虑。意料之外的感知变化包括：突出的耻辱感、开放性增加、参与度增加、以及对艺术治疗服务认知的改变。结论对于这些在阿拉伯湾执业的艺术治疗师来说，全球大流行提高了对文化能力的认识，并导致了在线艺术治疗服务的发展。研究意义 该地区缺乏艺术治疗研究。建议对文化能力和远程医疗的功效进行未来的研究，为阿拉伯湾的艺术治疗实践提供强有力的证据基础。简单语言总结 艺术治疗在阿拉伯湾相对较新，大多数艺术治疗师在西方完成了他们的培训。在全球大流行和 COVID-19 引起的变化期间，艺术治疗师有机会解决他们实践中的关键问题。本文提出了来自两个文化相似的中东国家对 2020 年全球大流行期间发生的事情的两种不同观点。第一种观点描述了大流行如何在阿联酋迪拜的一家私人诊所中带来在线艺术治疗的发展。第二种观点描述了在卡塔尔医院环境中对艺术疗法进行的多种调整。在私人实践中，开发在线艺术疗法成为增加居住在迪拜以外、其他酋长国及其他地区的人们的机会。艺术治疗师还注意到在线艺术治疗如何影响隐私，因为客户可以在自己的家中完成他们的课程，以及有关心理健康的耻辱。在卡塔尔的医院环境中，COVID-19 带来了一种专注于安全的新工作方式。卡塔尔的艺术治疗师讨论了这些变化如何影响她的工作以及由此产生的一些意想不到的收获，例如与其他专业人士的更多合作、患者的更多参与以及围绕心理健康的新开放，因为家人可以就共同关注：COVID-19。在这两种情况下，大流行都带来了发展和增长机会。本文的重点是强调在该地区工作的文化差异，并承认未来研究的必要性。由于该领域在该地区相对较新，研究有限；艺术治疗师必须依靠提高的文化意识来调整他们的做法，以帮助服务使用者。例如与其他专业人士的更多合作、患者的更多参与以及围绕心理健康的新开放，因为家庭可以就共同关注的问题进行交流：COVID-19。在这两种情况下，大流行都带来了发展和增长机会。本文的重点是强调在该地区工作的文化差异，并承认未来研究的必要性。由于该领域在该地区相对较新，研究有限；艺术治疗师必须依靠提高的文化意识来调整他们的做法，以帮助服务使用者。例如与其他专业人士的更多合作、患者的更多参与以及围绕心理健康的新开放，因为家庭可以就共同关注的问题进行交流：COVID-19。在这两种情况下，大流行都带来了发展和增长机会。本文的重点是强调在该地区工作的文化差异，并承认未来研究的必要性。由于该领域在该地区相对较新，研究有限；艺术治疗师必须依靠提高的文化意识来调整他们的做法，以帮助服务使用者。本文的重点是强调在该地区工作的文化差异，并承认未来研究的必要性。由于该领域在该地区相对较新，研究有限；艺术治疗师必须依靠提高的文化意识来调整他们的做法，以帮助服务使用者。本文的重点是强调在该地区工作的文化差异，并承认未来研究的必要性。由于该领域在该地区相对较新，研究有限；艺术治疗师必须依靠提高的文化意识来调整他们的做法，以帮助服务使用者。