Art Therapist

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 people at 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 arts 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 anxiety, depression and other mental/emotional problems. Art therapy is a mental health profession, first and foremost. The practice of art therapy requires an educational background in human development, psychological and behavioral disorders, counseling theories, and therapeutic techniques. The minimum educational standards established by American Art Therapy Association require all entry level practitioners of art therapy to have a master's degree from an institution of higher learning recognized by a regional accrediting body approved by the Council for Higher Education Education.