What is art therapy?
Art therapy is a specific type of therapy that is facilitated by a professionally trained art therapist. Through art making, the art therapist helps clients explore their feelings in a safe way. Art therapy can help clients explore and resolve emotional conflicts, increase self-awareness, understand and manage behaviors, develop social skills, reduce anxiety, increase self-esteem and improve overall functioning in daily life. Art therapists are masters-level mental health care practitioners that have taken core courses in art therapy and psychotherapy in graduate degree programs approved by the American Art Therapy Association, have passed a written exam given by the Art Therapy Credential Board, and have had at least 100 hours of their client contact work supervised by an experienced art therapist or other qualified mental health care practitioner. Art therapists must complete a minimum of 100 continuing education units every 5 years to maintain their board certification. To learn more about the field of art therapy please visit the American Art Therapy Association’s website at www.arttherapy.org.