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Art Therapist |
Career OverviewArt therapists use the creative process to help patients understand their problems and find solutions. They make therapeutic use of art, music, dance and other forms of recreation to help patients express themselves, relieve stress, manage anger, deal with depression or aggression and establish confidence in themselves.
Some art therapists also use horticultural therapy, which involves the use of plants. Art therapists combine these innovations with traditional therapy in order to diminish the effects of a disability and promote healthy emotional and mental development. Art therapy has been shown to be particularly beneficial in diagnosis and mental health evaluation for children.
The art therapist must be a compassionate individual with a genuine love for helping patients and their families. He or she must have strong interpersonal skills, a deep understanding of art media and how to use it, a flexible attitude and emotional stability. The art therapist must be creative, as well as sensitive to human needs and expressions. Above all, the art therapist must be a good listener and have a capacity for insight into psychological processes.
The art therapist draws upon his or her knowledge of art and psychology to incorporate artistic elements into the healing process. He or she helps children understand the difference between reality and the fantasies that so often accompany disturbing environmental events, extreme stress, and emotional and mental disorders. The art therapist will use a particular artist’s work to demonstrate impressions and conclusions, and to set educational objectives that the patient will find attainable. He or she is a member of an interdisciplinary team in which insights and conclusions are shared.
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Career RequirementsAn art therapist must obtain a graduate degree that includes standards developed by the American Art Therapy Association. The coursework includes diagnosis and assessment, psychopathology, ethics and standards of practice, principles of art therapy, and normal development sequence. In addition to the educational requirements, to qualify as a registered art therapist, an individual must complete a minimum of one thousand direct client contact hours.
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Job OutlookArt therapy is still a relatively new field. There are fewer that five thousand practicing art therapists in the United States. However, as art therapy gains acceptance as a viable therapeutic and evaluative tool, the number of opportunities in this field will in all likelihood increase. Growth has been predicted through 2008.
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Career TrackArt therapists with advanced degrees are qualified to teach at the university level and to conduct research. Art therapists can pursue their personal artistic careers while practicing professionally as therapists or while teaching. Art therapists have been hired by schools, rehabilitation centers, mental health agencies and institutions, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and child and adult day care facilities.
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CompensationCompensation for art therapists begins at about $31,000 a year. Depending on the art therapist’s abilities and the financial situation of the employer, this could go up to about $56,000 a year. This does not include income the art therapist might generate through his or her personal artistic pursuits.
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