Who are Art Therapists? Art therapy is a distinct mental health profession in which clients facilitated by master's level art therapists use art media the creative process and the resulting artwork to achieve mental emotional physical and spiritual goals. Art therapists are clinically trained to work with clients of all ages and provide services in community, medical, and private settings throughout Florida. Art therapy goals can range from coping with trauma and safe self-expression to enhancing cognitive and motor abilities in relieving stress and anxiety. (AATA 2022) Https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/
Here in Florida, knowing who is and who isn't an “art therapist” may not be easy. FATA is here to help clarify the answer. According to the American Art Therapy Association, the practice/clinical standards for “art therapy” require educational requirements such as a Master's degree in Art Therapy. Using the term “art therapy” without completing the educational requirements may be misleading. See art therapist educational requirements set by theAmerican Art Therapy Association and the Art Therapy Credentials Board.
If you know someone who is not abiding by these educational and practice requirements, feel free to contact us or the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). Click here for AATA guidelines on how to proceed if someone is misrepresenting themselves as an art therapist.
We are happy to cultivate working relationships with individuals across such fields as counseling, social work, psychology, psychiatry, and more. If you are a counselor, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist or other professional interested in art therapy, please allow us to provide art therapy in-services, and educational presentations at your place of employment, university, or classroom. floridaarttherapy@gmail.com Email us to find out more.
For further information regarding the Art Therapist job classification, click here.
FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Art Therapists "therapists"?
Yes. Art Therapists are credentialed through the national organization: Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), and have a master’s degree. Art Therapists have education and experience comparable to other helping professions such as counseling, social work, etc. Unlike those professions, however, Art Therapists are specifically trained in all aspects of using the creative process in therapy settings including: making art, viewing art, and talking about artwork to facilitate enhanced wellness.
How can I know that an art therapist is qualified?
Your assurance that a particular Art Therapist has achieved the necessary qualifications is that he or she has the credentials ATR (Registered Art Therapist) or ATR-BC (Board Certified Registered Art Therapist). Both of these credentials can be verified online: http://www.atcb.org/home/find_a_credentialed_art_therapist/
It is also acceptable for a new graduate of an Art Therapy program to be working as an Art Therapist under supervision while earning the ATR.
I can’t draw, so art therapy wouldn’t be for me, right?
Anyone and everyone can benefit from art therapy. Some people have confidence in their artistic ability, others don't. Artistic ability is not necessary. In fact, many Art Therapists believe that artistic ability can inhibit the therapeutic process of a session.
Will an Art Therapist know all my most private and secret thoughts by looking at one of my pictures?
An experienced Art Therapist might be able to form a tentative idea about some aspect of you or your life from a picture that was created. However, Art Therapists are trained to be very careful and respectful in this regard. The expert on a piece of artwork is the person who made that artwork. That’s YOU!
Where do Art Therapists work?
Art Therapists can be found in many different settings: hospitals, hospices, mental health facilities, trauma-related facilities, schools, children’s programs, substance abuse treatment centers, facilities for older adults, prisons, private practice, and more.
I am working towards attaining my ATR and need to find a qualified art therapist who can supervise me for my hours towards registration. Where can I find a supervisor in my area?
On our website, www.floridaarttherapy.org, go to our “Supervision” webpage (www.floridaartherapy.org/supervision.html) and check our list of qualified art therapist supervisors. Each supervisor lists their location so you can find supervisor(s) who are close to you or qualified to provide supervision hours for your ATR.
I am interested in a career in art therapy but don’t know where to start. Can you provide me with some information about art therapy as a career, places where art therapists work and training programs?
Check out the American Art Therapy Association’s (AATA) website (http://www.americanarttherapyassociation.org/). AATA has a wealth of information about education, training, board certification, and employment in art therapy.
Another great resource is an Art Therapist! If you check out our “Supervision” page and “Contacts” page on the FATA website, you’ll find a number of practicing Art Therapists listed with their contact information. Prepare a list of questions and contact the Art Therapist via email to see if they’d be willing to answer some of your questions.
How can I find an Art Therapist for myself or my child?
You can locate Art Therapists through the following website: http://www.atcb.org/home/find_a_credentialed_art_therapist/
Also, you can search the Web or look at the state website for the AATA Chapter (for example, FATA, Florida Art Therapy Association, www.floridaarttherapy.org ) or try the Art Therapist Locator found on the American Art Therapy Association’s website, http://arttherapy.org
Where can I study Art Therapy in Florida?
Florida State University in Tallahassee FL. To find out more please visit http://arted.fsu.edu/Programs/Art-Therapy There are also distant learning programs offered check out the AATA education link for recommended programs.
Is it the making of art or the reflecting on art that is therapeutic?
Through training, Art Therapists have become experts on focusing a session of art-making and discussions about art on therapeutic themes to provide therapeutic value.
Many Art Therapists would say that therapeutic value of an art therapy session lies in a combination of factors. In an Art Therapy session, you may find yourself reflecting on personally meaningful qualities of an artwork that you or someone else made. This may result in therapeutic thoughts, feelings, and social interactions. Additionally, you may be encouraged to experience and engage in a creative process that may provoke beneficial and therapeutic physiological states. Both of these experiences, although distinct, have therapeutic value.
Is Art Therapy an evidence-based therapy?
Art therapy incorporates many evidence-based techniques. Art Therapists pride themselves on using research-based best practices and upholding high levels of professionalism and ethics. What's more, art therapists are increasingly contributing to the scientific body of knowledge associated with the field of Art Therapy. Through this growing body of research, Art Therapy is increasingly evidence-based.
Is Art Therapy covered by my health insurance?
Art therapists are versatile professionals who hold many different job titles and positions. Art Therapy may be reimbursed by insurances depending upon the way that the service is delivered and therefore coded and billed.
Art Therapy enhances the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages and this means that it can take many forms.
Like many other professionals such as engineers, a working Art Therapist may not hold the title "Art Therapist"; they may fulfill dual roles and have a distinct title that reflects the location where they work. As a result, their services may be coded and billed in various ways that may ultimately yield reimbursement.
That said, as a result of the field's newness and at present in the state of Florida, insurance does not list "Art Therapy" as a distinct service description. However, this is changing on the Federal level and will likely soon change on the State level. Art Therapists are increasingly being hired under the title "Art Therapist" or "Clinical Art Therapist."
Are you looking to advertise a position for an Art Therapist? If so please reach out by contacting us at: floridaarttherapy@gmail.com