Who is an Art Therapist?

• Art Therapists can be identified by their degree: MA Art Therapy (MAAT) or MA Art Therapy & Counseling (MAATC). Anyone who labels themselves professionally as an Art Therapist is ethically required to have a master's degree in Art Therapy. Unfortunately this isn't always understood even within our own field in mental health counseling. When a therapists says to offer Art Therapy- always check their credentials to make sure that's really what they're offering.
• Art Therapists can also be identified through Art Therapy specific licensure, ATR or ATR-BC: After completing a master's level Art Therapy degree program, Art Therapist are eligible for licensure after completing a specific amount of post-grad hours and formal art therapy supervision. Art Therapy licenses are the ATR (Registered Art Therapist) or ATR-BC (Registered Art Therapist, Board-Certified).

What is Art Therapy?

• There is no one way to practice Art Therapy. We primarily draw from modalities used in talk therapy and apply art-making to them, in a way that's very specific to the client. For example, we can integrate art-making into ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) or Narrative Therapy; or even practice a type of therapy exclusively through art-making. This is why our degree and training in specifically Art Therapy is important.

• Just like different artists, Art Therapists use a wide range of art materials. The art materials we use depends on your needs and preferences as the client, the Art Therapist you're working with, and the art materials you both have available.

• Here's one thing we don't do, though: Art Therapists do not tell you what your art means! That is for you, and one you, to decide. You're the one who made it. Sometimes we'll ask questions or connect dots when talking about your art in session with you, but we don't "read" your artwork for hidden meanings (it's a common misconception).

But what about other therapists who use art in therapy?

Can a therapist with a traditional counseling or social work degree offer Art Therapy?

No; only someone with a master's level degree in Art Therapy can offer or label their professional services as Art Therapy.

• Traditionally trained counselors/therapists can use art in therapy as long as they understand their own boundaries and limitations and aren't misrepresenting themselves. They should also consult with an Art Therapist to make sure they understand what these boundaries, how they stay within them, and for general info on best practices about using art in clinical services.
• There is merely a distinguishing factor between a licensed counselor or social worker using art in therapy, and the practice of Art Therapy. Art Therapists had their entire graduate education and internships/early clinical training focused on how either integrate art-making into the therapy process, or to have art-making become the therapy itself. It can be a pretty intense educational program; because you have to learn the counseling theory first, and then you have to learn how to practice the theory through art-making.
• By default, this training and experience gives an Art Therapist a much deeper understanding on this process and how to facilitate it than an individual (or artist) with a traditional counseling or social work degree.
• This is the same reason why only folks with a master's degree in Art Therapy are eligible for ATR or ATR-BC licensure. It's just not possible to go through a brief training or workshop, and learn what is taught over the course of 2 years in a master's level Art Therapy degree program.

Want to learn more? Click the button below to be taking to the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) for more information about Art Therapy.