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Art Therapy is a mental health and wellness profession that centers on participation in art making as a primary function of holistic assessment, mediation, and renewal. Art Therapy provides the ability to review life events, and examine relationships to resolve conflicts, heal trauma, and create new life narratives and growth.
The program will train art therapists who will apply their knowledge, human relationship skills, and passion for art to mobilize the creative process inherent in each person to promote change, growth, and well-being in individuals, families, and communities.
Upon completion of the program you will earn a Master of Arts in Art Therapy.
Immediately following the program, you will be eligible to apply for a provisional art therapy registration (ATR-P). Following post-graduate training hours and post-graduate examinations, you will be eligible for the art therapy registration (ATR-BC). This degree specifically provides graduates with expertise in working in art therapy with a variety of clients across a variety of settings and conditions. This training also provides excellent preparation for clinical, administrative, and leadership work within social and human rights agencies.
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According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, engagement in the creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
Benefitting from art therapy requires no previous experience or knowledge of art. Art therapy helps clients to explore and express their innermost thoughts and feelings through creative art making. The creative process helps clients to recognize and understand life events and relationships to emotion and facilitates richer communication with the therapist. Art therapy can also be beneficial for people who struggle to express themselves verbally and provide a sense of achievement or mastery for people struggling with other aspects of their life.
Art therapy aims to support clients in living their best lives. It provides opportunities to reflect on experiences, renegotiate self-defeating behaviors, and provide relief from mental health conditions, including anxiety, anger, emotional expression, and depression. Art Therapy goals also include increasing self-esteem, self-efficacy, and interpersonal skills. An art therapist may not ask the patient to share their feelings but instead, translate challenges into artwork which can be a compelling way to explore difficult emotions and experiences.
This form of therapy traces back to the work of early 20th-century artists who used visual art to heal the mind and body. One of the pioneers in this field was the French artist Jean Arp, who developed a method of using art to relieve stress and promote relaxation. Arp's work was later expanded on by psychologist Carl Jung, who used art to help his patients explore their unconscious minds. Jung's work convinced other psychologists of the benefits of using art as a therapeutic tool, and in the 1940s, this form of therapy began to gain mainstream acceptance. Margaret Naumburg and Edith Kramer were among the early Art Therapists who coined the art therapy profession in the United States.
Today, Art Therapy is used in various settings, from hospitals to schools, to treat various conditions, from anxiety and depression to addiction and trauma.
Art therapists incorporate many different techniques from various theoretical backgrounds. The art therapist works directly with the client to establish the most appropriate media and interactions with the creative process that will work best for each client. Some roots of art therapy practice include Carl Jung’s active imagination technique. In this technique, the client imagines a scene from their life or a dream and then creates a piece of art based on that scene.
The therapist then helps the client understand the scene’s meaning and how it relates to their personal life. Active imagination can be a potent tool for exploring the subconscious mind and helping clients address difficult emotions and trauma. Another potential perspective used in art therapy is Gestalt therapy. This approach is based on the belief that the creative process can be used to promote self-awareness and personal growth.
Gestalt therapy can be beneficial for people who have experienced trauma, as it can help them to see the interconnectedness of their experiences and emotions. This technique can also help people develop greater self-awareness and understand how their past experiences have shaped their present.
Art therapy is often used with people with mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. However, it can also be helpful for people who are dealing with physical health conditions or life transitions. It helps people cope with difficult situations, process emotions healthily, and gain insight into their thoughts and feelings. It’s also a fun and creative way to explore new ideas and express yourself.
Over the years, art therapy has become an increasingly popular way to help people explore their emotions and achieve self-awareness. The process can be therapeutic, providing a means of self-expression and connecting with one's inner thoughts and feelings, thus becoming self-aware. As people create art, they often discover things about themselves that they were not aware of. For example, they may realize that they have repressed anger or sadness. By becoming aware of these issues, people can begin to work through and resolve them.
Art therapy can help with self-esteem by providing a creative outlet for self-expression, ultimately making people feel better about themselves. It also allows people to feel more confident about their abilities and see themselves in a more positive light. Self-awareness gleaned from art therapy often helps to regulate self-acceptance.
Creating art helps people communicate their innermost thoughts and feelings, even if they find it difficult to express them verbally. It also improves concentration as it helps develop focus and discipline. Trauma survivors may be physically unable to express their experiences. Words might be overwhelming, reactivate trauma responses, or cause strong emotions of guilt or shame. Asking a client to discuss traumatic encounters and associated feelings may inadvertently exacerbate psychological stress. This risk may be greater in children who have less defense mechanisms established. Art therapy can lessen this burden for some and provide a productive outlet to express themselves.
The Master of Arts degree in Art Therapy (MAT) is a 60-credit program of study. Included in the program are 700 hours of clinical practicum and internship working across a variety of settings with a range of populations. During practicum and internship course, students will receive weekly supervision from an approved on-site supervisor, and attend supervision groups with a qualified art therapy supervisor.
The program is oriented around excellence in art therapy in such a way as to infuse an authentic art therapist identity. We hold art psychotherapy, art as therapy, and art in therapy as complementary and intertwined and provide a cohesive and fundamental learning environment where art therapy practices can be mastered.
The program uses a cohort model and requires a minimum of two years for completion. The coursework is rigorous and the two-year option will require focus and tenacity. The program is flexible and will allow for courses to be taken at a slower pace. The courses have been intentionally developed for virtual online delivery to allow for flexibility in teaching and learning and scheduling at field placement sites. Several courses involve art-making and will offer in-person options in the Stream art building. Each year, the Art of Art Therapy: Techniques of Practice will bring both cohorts together for a program with a guest art therapist/mental health counselor in a weekend intensive experience of learning about a specialty area of practice, discussion and art-making.
The Edgewood College Master’s in Art Therapy program holds cultivation of the practice of artist-making as central to the art therapist identity. The art therapy master’s program will be taught in The Stream – arts center at Edgewood College – home to state-of-the-art studios in drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and graphic design, a professional gallery, student and community gallery, and theater. With art gallery and theater openings and receptions, artist talks, panels, and visiting artists, art therapy students will become part of a thriving art community.
The art therapy program has dedicated studio classroom- learning lab space designed for teaching and hosting workshops with community program participants. Art therapy master’s degree students will be able to take a graduate art studio course elective as part of their degree, and will have access to the art studios if they choose to audit other studio courses.
New student orientation will occur during the Fall residency that occurs mid-August each year.
You may submit up to 15 semester credit hours of graduate credit for consideration to transfer to Edgewood College for applications to a degree program. Approval of the respective department is required. To be considered for application to a degree program, a course must have been taken within the past five years. For more information about transfer credits, please contact your admissions counselor.
The graduate art therapy program will host two residencies each year. The first (August) will precede fall courses and the second (June) will follow spring courses. Residencies are scheduled Thursday evenings through Sunday afternoon. Both residencies are highly recommended. Students are required to attend at least one residency per year.
All Graduate Art Therapy Students must comply with the State of Wisconsin requirement for a Criminal Record Background Check. Students must have had this check successfully completed by the end of the first semester to be allowed to continue in the program.
Full-time students in the Graduate Art Therapy Program may carry up to 15 credits per semester. Some of the courses are taught in 8-week sessions, and some are taught in 16-week formats. Students may not be active in more than three courses at any time unless a waiver has been granted by the student’s advisor.
Students may work with advisors to establish a longer trajectory. The program must be completed within seven years of start date.
Within the Graduate Art Therapy Program, three clinical placements are required. Practicum is the first clinical experience where students spend at least 100 hours on-site with a registered art therapist and counselor. A minimum of 50 hours must be in direct contact with clients. Practicum sites and supervisors are contracted and approved by the Clinical Coordinator.
Two Internships are required for completion of the graduate art therapy program. Each internship requires 300 hours of which 150 direct client contact is required. Clinical sites and supervisors are contracted and approved by the Clinical Coordinator.To receive the Master of Arts in Art Therapy, students must have:
Addresses the history and developmental events of art therapy and clinical mental health counseling as distinct therapeutic practices including applications of prevention, intervention, consultation, and advocacy for the promotion of mental health and wellness with a study of theories and models of creativity, understanding symbolism, metaphor and artistic language using relevant neuroscience.
Evaluates and Applies historical and contemporary theories of psychotherapy and various models of mental health treatment toward working case scenarios in art therapy and counseling to identify and own personal values and preferences.
Incorporates the self as therapeutic instrument including methods and techniques for interfaces with clients and artistic media as components of the relationship throughout the therapeutic process integrating understandings of evidence-base, safety, supervision and consultation, psychological properties, and ethical and cultural implications of processes and materials.
Integrates theory, processes and dynamics of group work to form and facilitate culturally responsive art therapy and counseling groups designed with clear purpose and appropriate goals including principles of group dynamics, therapeutic factors, member roles and behaviors, leadership styles and approaches, participant selection criteria, art-based and interpersonal communication, and the influence of art media on group process.
Allows students to practice 100 hours in a clinical setting with 50 hours of direct client contact demonstrating initial skills, attitudes, and behaviors on professional competencies along with the continuing development of professional identity founded in ethical practice, cultural sensitivity, and student reflection through professional on-site supervision and group supervision in an academic setting.
Provides students with opportunities to engage in 300 hours of advanced practice and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviors of art therapy and counseling competencies. This internship includes substantial direct experience facilitating art therapy and counseling with clients served through the internship site. Emphasis is placed on building the therapeutic relationship, case conceptualization skills, formulation of treatment planning and a formal case presentation. Participation in weekly on-site supervision and weekly 1 ½ hour supervision groups is required.
Provide students 300 more hours of advanced practice and opportunities to demonstrate knowledge, skills and attitudes/behaviors of art therapy and counseling competencies including further development of a strong professional Art Therapist and Counselor identity founded in ethical practice valuing benefits of student/therapist reflective art- making to inform clinical practice. This internship also offers an opportunity to develop an art therapy and counseling specialization with a particular population or setting.  Emphasis is placed on 150 hours of direct experience in developing and facilitating art therapy treatment with clientele who are served by the internship site - developing and implementing art therapy and counseling treatment and approaches, for both individuals and groups, that will demonstrate advanced knowledge, cultural competence, and ability to critically analyze and describe in-depth experience with a specific area of art therapy and counseling practice. Students are assessed through on-site supervision, faculty supervision, and related course assignments.
Provides a broad understanding of the professional roles and functions of the art therapist and the clinical mental health counselor including proper application of ethical standards of professional bodies (ACA, AATA) and credentialing organizations (ATCB, NBCC) along with legal principles including client safety, supervision, scope of practice, licensure, advocacy, HIPPA, trends and alternative practices, elements of charting, informed consent, and art display.
Incorporates self-understanding as a framework for developing cultural sensitivity including a broad understanding of diversity theory and competency models including artistic language, symbolism, and meaning making across cultures in order to promote optimal health and growth, reduce biases, and recognize the role of art therapists and clinical mental health counselors in social justice and advocacy.
Explores multiple perspectives of emotional and psychological distress including cultural factors, strengths, and resilience and correlates patterns of abnormal behavior and psychopathology along with symptomology, etiology, and overall use of the DSM-5 and ICD-11 for assessment and diagnostic purposes across the lifespan including evidence-based treatment approaches related to various diagnostic categories.
Provides an overview of historical and evidence-based mental health appraisal and assessment practices and models along with practice using data gathering tools, examination of psychometric properties, validity and reliability, with understanding of socio-cultural and developmental factors.
Comprises an in-depth study of projective, drawing and art therapy assessment tools and methods, including administration, measurement, documentation, and the formulation of culturally appropriate treatment goals, objectives, and strategies related to case conceptualization and ongoing evaluation.
Emphasizes the dynamics of mental health practice in context incorporating art therapy, counseling and psychological theories, case conceptualization, processes of assessment including intake, mental status evaluation, biopsychosocial history, formal and informal assessment processes. Diagnostic criteria and differential diagnoses based upon the current DSM and ICD are covered as well as goal setting, treatment planning, and referral procedures.
Explores biopsychosocial, spiritual, and creative development across the lifespan focused on typical and atypical development in learning, personality, adverse experience, and neurological functions. The student will develop and practice developmentally, ethically and culturally sound art therapy and counseling applications grounded in theory across a range of developmental levels.
Illustrates the etiology of traumatic experience and its impact on individuals, families, communities, and cultures including prevention practices, coordinated responses, roles of mental health professionals, mental health and suicide assessment and intervention strategies, secondary trauma, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.
explores vocational, lifestyle, and leisure development, the history of career decision- making theories and models, processes and techniques of career counseling and related art therapy practices, and the interrelationship between career and life balance and mental health incorporating advocacy, social justice, cultural, and ethical considerations.
Explores basic theoretical concepts in Family Systems Theory including historical and conceptual evolution of the field. It comprises an introduction to General Systems Theory; family rules, roles, structure and interaction patterns; functional and dysfunctional family systems; cultural considerations, and the life cycle in marriage and family including assessment and treatment applications of art therapy and clinical mental health counseling.
Provides an overview of the history and etiology of addiction through a biopsychosocial model addressing substance and process addictions. It also includes methods of screening, assessment, and evidence-based treatment options as well as methods of prevention.
Explores a critical understanding of research and evaluation methods within ethical and culturally sound genres; basic measurements levels and psychometric properties; professional report development including literature review, writing style in accord with the American Psychological Association, and needs assessment; and an introduction to research implementation and program evaluation.
Integrates knowledge about the profession including impactful literature included in a professional research proposal. Projects will involve elements of established research methods, innovative methods of inquiry, a synthesis of practice techniques, and program design advocating for the profession or for clients. Students will present and critique project proposals
Implements established research or project design from Culminating Project I to include data collection, expanded literature review work, and interpretation of data along with planning for final report writing.
Completes the work of Culminating Project I and Culminating Project II to include final report writing, committee defense, and final presentation of the thesis/project.
Attending graduate school is one of the best investments you will ever make in yourself and your future. While the benefits related to personal development and growth are priceless, you can also expect your MA-Art Therapy degree to expand your career options and enhance your earning potential. Be sure to consider not only the total cost of your education, but think about how that total breaks down in terms of monthly costs, which can make your investment feel more manageable and affordable.
Graduate tuition for the 2022-23 year is $799 per credit for MA-Art Therapy. Please note there is potential for tuition cost to rise each academic year.
Graduate students are eligible for financial aid in the form of Federal Stafford Loans. Learn more about Stafford Loans, including eligibility requirements and application instructions.
Our admissions and financial aid counselors have worked with thousands of students who have questioned how they could afford to complete their graduate education. They will use their experience to suggest creative solutions for financing your education. We work with students and organizations to manage tuition reimbursement plans, extend tuition discounts to various corporate partners in the region, offer third party billing and monthly payment plans, and work with veterans to maximize their available aid.
The primary responsibility of assuring the proper sequencing of courses and for accurate and timely registration shall be the duty of the student. Verification of degree requirement completion shall be the duty of the Registrar’s Office.
Program, academic and career advising shall be the responsibility of the Art Therapy Program Director, the Clinical Coordinator, and the faculty of the graduate program. Each student will be assigned an identified faculty advisor for the duration of study. It shall also be the responsibility of all faculty in the Art Therapy program to monitor and assess student mastery of course material in developing clinical competency, emotional stability and maturity. It is the obligation of each faculty member to meet with a student as early as possible in a course semester if the faculty member has a concern about the student’s mastery of coursework or overall aptitude or emotional readiness to be a clinical therapist.
Due to the important consideration that needs to be given to the potential clients with whom students will be working in the clinical experience, each student will be evaluated for personal and professional competence and for suitability for clinical placement by the Art program faculty in the semester before clinical placements. This should be a natural outgrowth of the close contact and communication that has occurred with each faculty member as the student professes through the semesters.
Admission into the Art Therapy program does not imply a right to admission into the clinical experience. If the student has not demonstrated master of course and clinical skills, or if the student’s emotional stability and maturity create a concern about ability to work with clients effectively and professionally, the student will be denied admission to the clinical experience.
Even after the student is admitted to the clinical placement, the on-site supervisors, in communication with the Program Director, may determine the student does not have sufficient entry-level mastery or stability to work in the agency. In such cases, students would be withdrawn from the clinical experience. The Program Director would then advise the student on the necessary steps for reinstatement into the clinical portion of the program. Remedial coursework, training experience or personal therapy are among options the Program Director might suggest. All remedial options are the student’s responsibility to initiate and verify to the satisfaction of the Program Director and any expenses incurred are the obligation of the student. Failure to be admitted to and compete the clinical experience necessarily precludes completion of the degree.
My childhood experience conditioned the professional path of art therapy I followed. A Montessori education, coupled with scientifically based parents, grandmothers who grounded me in art and appreciation for life, and an arrangement of challenges made way for a critical exploration of life through art. My developmental journey has taken me through several geographic regions of the US and helped to build cultural awareness and humility. This life journey has enabled an art therapy career that respects the value of every client.
I earned my BFA from Cardinal Stritch College and my MS in Art Therapy from Mount Mary College where I developed an appreciation for theoretical structures that underlie the practice of art therapy and human service. My doctoral studies have taken two directions. At Lesley University, I earned my Ph.D. in Expressive Arts Therapy, and at Regent University, my major focus was on Counseling, Education and Supervision.
My clinical perspectives are based in constructivist thought, social consciousness and an orientation toward the psychodynamic. Working through the constructivist model allows de-construction and re-narration of pivotal life experiences. Social consciousness provides an openness and ability to appreciate the client within relationships and social structures. Each client comes with individual stories and social structures.
The primary focus of my clinical career has been through open art therapy studio formats along with individual and family sessions. Through the open studio, the inherent healing capacities of art making can be modified to meet the needs of clients who attend. The key to my art therapy practice is the ability to assess the needs of clients in accord with their preferences and create opportunities for healing engagement in the art media.
My clinical, educational, and supervisory experiences have fed the development of the Graduate Art Therapy Program at Edgewood College. The program is based developmentally on six central pillars and includes theoretical and experiential learning where students learn to use themselves as therapeutic instruments nurturing the persons of clients in all forms and settings through art making.
Art Therapy is a mental health and wellness profession that centers on participation in art making as a primary function of holistic assessment, mediation, and renewal. Art Therapy provides the ability to review life events, and examine relationships to resolve conflicts, heal trauma, and create new life narratives and growth.
The program will train art therapists who will apply their knowledge, human relationship skills, and passion for art to mobilize the creative process inherent in each person to promote change, growth, and well-being in individuals, families, and communities.
Upon completion of the program you will earn a Certificate of Completion in Art Therapy that aligns with the Art Therapy Credentials Board’s coursework requirements to obtain credentials as an art therapist.
Immediately following the program, you will be eligible to apply for a provisional art therapy registration (ATR-P). Following post-graduate training hours and post-graduate examinations, you will be eligible for the art therapy registration (ATR-BC). This certificate specifically provides graduates with expertise in working in art therapy with a variety of clients across a variety of settings and conditions. This training also provides excellent preparation for clinical, administrative, and leadership work within social and human rights agencies.
The Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program is supported by Edgewood College’s heritage of integrating learning, beliefs and action with core values of Truth, Compassion, Community, Partnership, and Justice. We aspire to train licensed mental health professionals in art therapy so that they can apply their knowledge, human relationship skills, and passion for art and service to mobilize the creative process inherent in each person to promote change, growth, and well-being in individuals, families and communities.
The Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program is a 39 to 45-credit program of study. Included in the program are 700 hours of clinical practicum and internship working across a variety of settings with a range of populations. During practicum and internship courses, students will receive weekly supervision from an approved on-site supervisor, and attend supervision groups with a qualified art therapy supervisor.
Students with master’s level mental health licenses eligible for the certificate program are also eligible to earn a second master’s degree by entering the Masters of Arts in Art Therapy program.
The program is oriented around excellence in art therapy in such a way as to infuse an authentic art therapist identity. We hold art psychotherapy, art as therapy, and art in therapy as complementary and intertwined and provide a cohesive and fundamental learning environment where art therapy practices can be mastered.
The program uses a cohort model and requires a minimum of two years for completion. The coursework is rigorous and the two-year option will require focus and tenacity.
The program is flexible and will allow for courses to be taken at a slower pace. The courses have been intentionally developed for virtual online delivery with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences to allow for flexibility in teaching, learning and scheduling at field placement sites. Several courses involve art-making and will offer optional in-person attendance in the Stream art building. Each year, the Art of Art Therapy: Techniques of Practice will bring cohorts together for a residency program with a guest art therapist for weekend intensive experiences of learning about a specialty area of practice with art-making and discussion. Students are required to attend at least one residency per year.
The Edgewood College Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program holds cultivation of the practice of artist-making as central to the art therapist identity. The Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program will be taught from The Stream – arts center at Edgewood College – home to state-of-the-art studios in drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and graphic design, a professional gallery, student and community gallery, and theater. With art gallery and theater openings and receptions, artist talks, panels, and visiting artists, art therapy students have the opportunity to become part of a thriving art community.
The Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program begins in fall (August) of each academic year. It is a highly-competitive cohort-based program with rolling admissions opening October 15th for the next year’s Fall cohort. Applicants are strongly advised to apply early as applications are reviewed and spots are filled throughout the year.
Currently, there is one start for the certificate program annually in Fall. As the program develops, a second start in Spring will be considered.
New student orientation will occur during the Fall residency that occurs mid-August each year.
You may submit up to 15 semester credit hours of graduate credit for consideration to transfer to Edgewood College for applications to a degree program. Approval of the respective department is required. To be considered for application to a degree program, a course must have been taken within the past five years. For more information about transfer credits, please contact your admissions counselor.
The Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program will co-host two workshops each year with the graduate art therapy program. The first (August) will precede fall courses and the second (June) will follow spring courses. These workshops are scheduled Thursday evenings through Sunday afternoon. Both workshops are highly recommended. Students are required to attend at least one per year.
All Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate Students must comply with the State of Wisconsin requirement for a Criminal Record Background Check. Students must have had this check successfully completed by the end of the first semester to be allowed to continue in the program.
Full-time students in the Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate Program may carry up to 12 credits per semester. Some of the courses are taught in 8-week sessions, and some are taught in 16-week formats. Students may not be active in more than three courses at any time unless a waiver has been granted by the student’s advisor.
Students may work with advisors to establish a longer trajectory. The program must be completed within seven years of start date.
Within the Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate Program, three clinical placements are required. Practicum is the first clinical experience where students spend at least 100 hours on-site with a registered art therapist and counselor. A minimum of 50 hours must be in direct contact with clients. Practicum sites and supervisors are contracted and approved by the Clinical Coordinator.
Two Internships are required for completion of the program. Each internship requires 300 hours of which 150 direct client contact is required. Clinical sites and supervisors are contracted and approved by the Clinical Coordinator.
To receive the Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate, students must have:
The primary responsibility of assuring the proper sequencing of courses and for accurate and timely registration shall be the duty of the student. Verification of degree requirement completion shall be the duty of the Registrar’s Office.
Program, academic and career advising shall be the responsibility of the Art Therapy Program Director, the Clinical Coordinator, and the faculty of the graduate program. Each student will be assigned an identified faculty advisor for the duration of study. It shall also be the responsibility of all faculty in the Art Therapy program to monitor and assess student mastery of course material in developing clinical competency, emotional stability and maturity. It is the obligation of each faculty member to meet with a student as early as possible in a course semester if the faculty member has a concern about the student’s mastery of coursework or overall aptitude or emotional readiness to be a clinical therapist.
Due to the important consideration that needs to be given to the potential clients with whom students will be working in the clinical experience, each student will be evaluated for personal and professional competence and for suitability for clinical placement by the Art program faculty in the semester before clinical placements. This should be a natural outgrowth of the close contact and communication that has occurred with each faculty member as the student professes through the semesters.
Admission into the Art Therapy Post-Masters Certificate program does not imply a right to admission into the clinical experience. If the student has not demonstrated master of course and clinical skills, or if the student’s emotional stability and maturity create a concern about ability to work with clients effectively and professionally, the student will be denied admission to the clinical experience.
Even after the student is admitted to the clinical placement, the on-site supervisors, in communication with the Program Director, may determine the student does not have sufficient entry-level mastery or stability to work in the agency. In such cases, students would be withdrawn from the clinical experience. The Program Director would then advise the student on the necessary steps for reinstatement into the clinical portion of the program. Remedial coursework, training experience or personal therapy are among options the Program Director might suggest. All remedial options are the student’s responsibility to initiate and verify to the satisfaction of the Program Director and any expenses incurred are the obligation of the student. Failure to be admitted to and compete the clinical experience necessarily precludes completion of the degree.
Addresses the history and developmental events of art therapy as distinct therapeutic practices including applications of prevention, intervention, consultation, and advocacy for the promotion of mental health and wellness with a study of theories and models of creativity, understanding symbolism, metaphor and artistic language using relevant neuroscience.
Fall Semester; (3 Credits); no prerequisites
Evaluates and Applies historical and contemporary theories of psychotherapy and various models of mental health treatment toward working case scenarios in art therapy to identify and own personal values and preferences.
Fall Semester, session A; (3 credits); no prerequisites
Incorporates the self as therapeutic instrument including methods and techniques for interfaces with clients and artistic media as components of the relationship throughout the therapeutic process integrating understandings of evidence-base, safety, supervision and consultation, psychological properties, and ethical and cultural implications of processes and materials.
Fall semester, Session B; (3 credits); no prerequisites
Explores a critical understanding of research and evaluation methods within ethical and culturally sound genres; basic measurements levels and psychometric properties; professional report development including literature review, writing style in accord with the American Psychological Association, and needs assessment; and an introduction to research implementation and program evaluation. For certificate – add AT professional Organizations, credentialing and licensure, public policy, advocating for profession and client.
Fall Semester, session A; (3 credits); No prerequisites
Integrates theory, processes and dynamics of group work to form and facilitate culturally responsive art therapy groups designed with clear purpose and appropriate goals including principles of group dynamics, therapeutic factors, member roles and behaviors, leadership styles and approaches, participant selection criteria, art-based and interpersonal communication, and the influence of art media on group process.
Spring Semester; (3 credits); Prerequisites: Theories of Art Therapy, Counseling and Psychotherapy
Provides a broad understanding of the professional roles and functions of the art therapist including proper application of ethical standards of professional bodies (ACA, AATA) and credentialing organizations (ATCB, NBCC) along with legal principles including client safety, supervision, scope of practice, licensure, advocacy, HIPPA, trends and alternative practices, elements of charting, informed consent, and art display.
Spring semester, Session A; (3 credits); no prerequisites
Allows students to practice 100 hours in a clinical setting with 50 hours of direct client contact demonstrating initial skills, attitudes, and behaviors on professional competencies along with the continuing development of professional identity founded in ethical practice, cultural sensitivity, and student reflection through professional on-site supervision and group supervision in an academic setting.
Summer Term; (3 credits); History and Foundations of Art Therapy; Requires 100 hours; must be set up through clinical coordination.
Incorporates self-understanding as a framework for developing cultural sensitivity including a broad understanding of diversity theory and competency models including artistic language, symbolism, and meaning making across cultures in order to promote optimal health and growth, reduce biases, and recognize the role of art therapists in social justice and advocacy.
Summer term; (3 credits); Prerequisites: Techniques, Skills, Materials and Methods; Ethics and Business Practices
Any Semester/session; (1 credit each – total 3 credits); Methods of Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice; must be taken in order: I, II, III
Provides students with opportunities to engage in 300 hours of advanced practice and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviors of art therapy competencies. This internship includes substantial direct experience facilitating art therapy with clients served through the internship site. Emphasis is placed on building the therapeutic relationship, case conceptualization skills, formulation of treatment planning and a formal case presentation. Participation in weekly on-site supervision and weekly 1 ½ hour supervision groups is required.
Fall Semester; (3 credits); Practicum; Requires 300 hours; must be set up through clinical coordination.
Explores basic theoretical concepts in Family Systems Theory including historical and conceptual evolution of the field. It comprises an introduction to General Systems Theory; family rules, roles, structure and interaction patterns; functional and dysfunctional family systems; cultural considerations, and the life cycle in marriage and family including assessment and treatment applications of art therapy.
Spring Semester, session B; (3 credits); Prerequisites: Theories of Art Therapy, Counseling and Psychotherapy
Comprises an in-depth study of projective, drawing and art therapy assessment tools and methods, including administration, measurement, documentation, and the formulation of culturally appropriate treatment goals, objectives, and strategies related to case conceptualization and ongoing evaluation.
Fall Semester, session B; (3 credits); Prerequisites: Psychopathology
Provide students 300 more hours of advanced practice and opportunities to demonstrate knowledge, skills and attitudes/behaviors of art therapy competencies including further development of a strong professional Art Therapist identity founded in ethical practice valuing benefits of student/therapist reflective art- making to inform clinical practice. This internship also offers an opportunity to develop an art therapy and counseling specialization with a particular population or setting.  Emphasis is placed on 150 hours of direct experience in developing and facilitating art therapy treatment with clientele who are served by the internship site - developing and implementing art therapy treatment and approaches, for both individuals and groups, that will demonstrate advanced knowledge, cultural competence, and ability to critically analyze and describe in-depth experience with a specific area of art therapy and counseling practice. Students are assessed through on-site supervision, faculty supervision, and related course assignments.
Spring Semester; (3 credits); Internship I; Requires 300 hours; must be set up through clinical coordination.
Emphasizes the dynamics of mental health practice in context incorporating art therapy, counseling and psychological theories, case conceptualization, processes of assessment including intake, mental status evaluation, biopsychosocial history, formal and informal assessment processes. Diagnostic criteria and differential diagnoses based upon the current DSM and ICD are covered as well as goal setting, treatment planning, and referral procedures.
Spring Semester, session A; (3 credits); Prerequisites: Mental Health Assessment and Appraisal; Art Therapy, Drawing, and Projective Assessments
Apply to Edgewood College to start an exciting career as an art therapist.