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What is Art Therapy?
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Art therapy is an
established mental health profession that uses the creative process of art
making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being
of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative
process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve
conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior,
reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve
insight.
Art therapy
integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting,
sculpture, and other art forms), and the creative process with models of
counseling and psychotherapy. Art therapy is used with children,
adolescents, adults, older adults, groups, and families to assess and treat
the following: anxiety, depression, and other mental and emotional problems
and disorders; mental illness; substance abuse and other addictions; family
and relationship issues; abuse and domestic violence; social and emotional
difficulties related to disability and illness; trauma and loss; physical,
cognitive, and neurological problems; and psychosocial difficulties related
to medical illness. Art therapy programs are found in a number of settings
including hospitals, clinics, public and community agencies, wellness
centers, educational institutions, businesses, and private practices.
Art therapists are masters level professionals who hold a
degree in art therapy or a related field. Educational requirements include:
theories of art therapy, counseling, and psychotherapy; ethics and
standards of practice; assessment and evaluation; individual, group, and
family techniques; human and creative development; multicultural issues; research
methods; and practicum experiences in clinical, community, and/or other
settings. Art therapists are skilled in the application of a variety of art
modalities (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media) for assessment
and treatment.
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How Did Art Therapy Begin?
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Visual expression has been used for healing throughout
history, but art therapy did not emerge as a distinct profession until the 1940s.
In the early 20th century, psychiatrists became interested in the artwork
created by their patients with mental illness. At around the same time,
educators were discovering that children�s art expressions reflected
developmental, emotional, and cognitive growth. By mid-century, hospitals,
clinics, and rehabilitation centers increasingly began to include art
therapy programs along with traditional "talk therapies,"
underscoring the recognition that the creative process of art making enhanced
recovery, health, and wellness. As a result, the profession of art therapy
grew into an effective and important method of communication, assessment,
and treatment with children and adults in a variety of settings. Currently,
the field of art therapy has gained attention in health-care facilities
throughout the United
States and within psychiatry,
psychology, counseling, education, and the arts.
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Where Do Art Therapists Work?
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Art therapists work in
a wide variety of settings, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Hospitals and clinics, both medical and
psychiatric
- Out-patient mental health agencies and day
treatment facilities
- Residential treatment centers
- Halfway houses
- Domestic violence and homeless shelters
- Community agencies and non-profit settings
- Sheltered workshops
- Schools, colleges, and universities
- Correctional facilities
- Elder care facilities
- Art studios
- Private practice
An art therapist may work
as part of a team that includes physicians, psychologists, nurses, mental
health counselors, marriage and family therapists, rehabilitation
counselors, social workers, and teachers. Together, they determine and
implement a client's therapeutic goals and objectives. Other art therapists
work independently and maintain private practices with children,
adolescents, adults, groups, and/or families.
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What are the Requirements to Become an
Art Therapist?
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Personal
Qualifications: An art therapist must have sensitivity, empathy, emotional
stability, patience, interpersonal skills, insight into human behavior, and
an understanding of art media. An art therapist must also be an attentive listener
and a keen observer. Flexibility and a sense of humor are important in
adapting to client needs and work setting.
Educational
Requirements: One must complete the required core curriculum as outlined in
the AATA Education Standards [need link here] to qualify as a professional
art therapist. Entry into the profession of art therapy is at the master's
level. Graduate level art therapy programs include:
- Master's degree in art therapy
- Master's degree with an emphasis in art
therapy
- Twenty-four (24) semester units in art
therapy coursework with a Master's degree in a related field.
Contact the AATA
National Office for more information concerning current educational
requirements and programs.
Registration and
Board Certification Requirements: The ATR and ATR-BC are the recognized
standards for the field of art therapy, and are conferred by the Art
Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). In order to qualify as a registered art
therapist (ATR), in addition to the educational requirements, an individual
must complete a minimum of 1,000 direct client contact hours after
graduation. One hour of supervision is required for every ten hours of
client contact.
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What is the Employment Outlook for the Profession of Art
Therapy?
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Art therapy is an
expanding field and employment continues to increase as art therapy is
recognized by professionals, work settings, and clients. Graduates of art therapy
programs are successful at finding employment in both full and part-time
positions.
Earning for art
therapists vary geographically depending on the type of practice and job
responsibilities. Entry level income is approximately $28,000, median income
of $42,000, and top earning potential for salaried administrators ranges
between $50,000 and $100,000. Art therapists with doctoral degrees, state
licensure, or who qualify in their state to conduct private practice, have
an earning potential of $75 to $150 per hour in private practice. State
requirements for private practice vary across the country, so please check
with the licensing board in the state in which you plan to practice for
rules and regulations.
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How Do I Find a Job as an Art Therapist?
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There are a number of
resources available to an art therapist seeking employment, including
college placement offices, contacts formed during internship placements,
and professional organizations newsletters and journals. Memberships in the
AATA and AATA Affiliate Chapters, federal and state employers, and job
information banks (such as the AATA Members Only job postings) are also
resources for employment opportunities.
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What is the Difference Between the AATA and the ATCB?
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The American Art
Therapy Association, Inc. (AATA) promotes and regulates the educational,
professional, and ethical standards for art therapists and is the official
member organization for professionals and students in the field of art
therapy. The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), a separate organization,
grants registration (ATR) after reviewing documentation of completion of
graduate education and postgraduate supervised experience. The Registered
Art Therapist (ATR) who successfully passes the written examination
administered by the ATCB is qualified as Board Certified (ATR-BC), a
credential requiring maintenance through continuing education.
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