Education
Art Therapy for All provides different kinds of education for different purposes:
What is Art Therapy?
In practical terms, art therapy uses creative [different] ways of processing to promote healing.
Art therapy clients may use traditional tools and media or less traditional ones, such as stickers, perler beads, PlayDoh, or digital tools. Art gives us additional tools and data to draw out subconscious material and deal with things in a metaphoric sense.
You don’t have to have any art skill or talent to benefit from art therapy
It’s not just for kids or people with Autism, (not sure why this is what people think!) although it’s great for those folks too. Art therapy may be better than talk therapy for various populations and issues.
A variety of mental & physical health conditions can be treated using art therapy.
A credentialed art therapist has studied at the graduate level to be able to plan the treatment of diverse people with a variety of presenting problems, while using various interventions. Art therapy research is continuing to develop alongside advancements in neuroscience.
Art therapy as a discipline is a nationally regulated mental health profession
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) sets ethical standards for our profession. The Art Therapy Credential Board (ATCB) gives credentials. These include Provisional (ATR-P), Registered Art Therapist (ATR), and can include Board Certification (ATR-BC). Do not endeavor to do art therapy with anyone who does not have these letters after their name as they may not be trained at all in art therapy! It’s not an online certificate or a can of markers on a coffee table.
In art therapy, your brain’s two hemispheres have a new opportunity to connect & integrate nonverbally.
Creative processes can “unlock” buried content without re-traumatizing clients by asking them to verbally recount painful memories. If you have tried talk therapy and it didn’t help, or if you tried a modality like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and left still feeling like there was deeper work to do, this may be why. You were only using half of your brain!
How to incorporate art-making into your setting
Art has many valuable qualities, which can help human beings thrive in myriad settings. If you are interested in incorporating art-making into your community, workplace, family, or personal life, here are some things to consider.
Materials
Mindfulness is the practice of paying focused, non-judgmental attention to the present moment. In psychotherapy, it can be used to help clients become more aware of their thoughts and feelings, reducing stress and improving emotional regulation. People can expect to gain greater self-awareness, calm, and resilience through mindfulness
Novelty & Exploration
Skill
I use a trauma-informed, person-centered, collaborative approach to therapy. I use Polyvagal theory, which is rooted in neuroscience.
Fun & Flexible
Safety & Trust
Relational Therapy is a type of talk therapy that focuses on improving the way you connect and relate to others via the relationship between you and the therapist. The relationship is the healing. This can help people with complex attachment trauma by creating a real safe space to imagine and build healthy, trusting relationships, sometimes for the first time in someone’s life.
Experimentation & Mistake-making
Art Therapy Client : Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to do art in art therapy?
Attending therapy weekly allows for more consistent support and deeper exploration of emotions, fostering steady progress in healing. The regular connection helps build a strong therapeutic alliance, creating a safe space where trust and vulnerability can flourish. This frequency also enables timely intervention during difficult moments, preventing issues from escalating and promoting resilience.
What’s a typical art therapy session like?
Opting for private pay in therapy allows clients to maintain greater confidentiality by preventing their personal information and diagnostic labels from entering official health records. This approach facilitates a therapeutic focus centered on personal growth and well-being without the constraints or stigma that formal diagnoses may impose.
What’s the course of treatment using art therapy?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
What’s the scientific backing that supports the use of art therapy?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
How do I know if someone is a real art therapist?
Attending therapy weekly allows for more consistent support and deeper exploration of emotions, fostering steady progress in healing. The regular connection helps build a strong therapeutic alliance, creating a safe space where trust and vulnerability can flourish. This frequency also enables timely intervention during difficult moments, preventing issues from escalating and promoting resilience.
Does the art therapist interpret or “psychoanalyze” my art?
Opting for private pay in therapy allows clients to maintain greater confidentiality by preventing their personal information and diagnostic labels from entering official health records. This approach facilitates a therapeutic focus centered on personal growth and well-being without the constraints or stigma that formal diagnoses may impose.
Do I need any skills or talent to do art therapy art?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
What if I’m having a creative block when I come to art therapy?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
What do I do if my art therapist is being weird?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
Do art therapists know about regular therapy or counseling?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
Does insurance pay/reimburse for art therapy?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
Do/can art therapists do assessments?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
What’s the difference between art and art therapy? Can I do art therapy with myself?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
How do you do art therapy online?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
What are some books or resources you recommend for learning more about art therapy?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
Why does art therapy work better for some people?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
How do I become an art therapist?
Do I have to get a graduate degree?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
Do I have to get a graduate degree?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
If I already have a master degree, can I get a certificate in art therapy?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
What’s a credential and how is that different than a license or certificate?
It's completely understandable to feel hesitant about discussing the past, and it's okay to move at your own pace. However, when you feel ready, exploring those experiences can be important for gaining insight and finding a way to move forward.
About Art Therapy Education
Continuing Education Courses (CEUs) for professionals
Here, creativity meets opportunity. Whatever you're building, we're here to help you take the first step with confidence. Driven by curiosity and built on purpose, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s create something meaningful together.
Trainings for Art Therapists
Here, creativity meets opportunity. Whatever you're building, we're here to help you take the first step with confidence. Driven by curiosity and built on purpose, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s create something meaningful together.