Do you want to create art while helping others?
Well art therapy may be right for you!
What Do Art Therapists Do?
Art therapists use different artistic mediums to help people express their emotions and work through their problems. Art therapy 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” (The American Art Therapy Association). Art therapists expose their patients to different types of artistic expression from photography to pencil drawings. Art therapists don’t try to make professional artists out of their patients but rather help them to get inside of themselves and express their emotions in a safe and healthy environment.
Art therapists often work in hospitals, mental institutions, recovery homes, rehab centers, schools and some are even private contractors who visit patients in their homes.
What Skills Are Needed?
Art therapists need to have a diverse understanding of various artistic mediums and have creative skills as well as a background in human development and psychology. Picking the right artistic medium for their patient is very important. Art therapists also need to have an easiness about them that calms and reassures their clients. Patience is also a major skill that art therapists need in order to succeed and positively impact their patients. Art therapists also have to have an open mind and be willing to experience art with their patient and view the world from a completely different perspective.
How Do I Become an Art Therapist?
Many art therapists hold a fine arts degree as well as degrees in counseling or psychiatry. A master’s degree with education in art therapy and clinical experience is needed to be a registered art therapist (ATR). A board-certified art therapist (ATR-BC) is a therapist that was approved by The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATSC). There are various levels of education needed for the different art therapist positions. Art therapists that work in a high-security mental institution require more training than an art therapist in a regular hospital. Various art institutes around the country provide bachelors and masters degrees in art therapy.
For more information visit The American Art Therapy Association's website: http://www.arttherapy.org/
