How to Become an Art Therapist
A Picasso or a paintbrush can change your brain.
What happens when you look at a piece of art? Think of the last time you saw an unfamiliar painting or a sculpture. Did you feel emotion? Did it spark questions in your mind? Imagine helping others to see and feel the emotion and introspect that art can uncover in a therapeutic way.
You’ll do just that when you learn how to become an art therapist.
What Is an Art Therapist?
Art therapy came on the scene in the 1940s. The term “art therapy” was coined in 1942 by British artist Adrian Hill who found painting and drawing helped ease her pain while recovering from tuberculosis. Before that, no one understood how to become an art therapist. Now, experts recognize art therapy as a form of psychology that requires education and certification.
After this breakthrough in the 40s, psychologists studied the relationship between art and the brain and found that viewing or making art activates the brain’s visual cortex. That, in turn, affects other areas of the brain that control our reward and pleasure system where mental health issues can originate, including pain, depression, PTSD, phobias, and addictions.
When you learn how to become an art therapist, you’ll use a combination of art and talk therapy to give patients a safe outlet for emotions that stem from these and other mental health conditions.
This article will answer the question “what is art therapy” and will walk you through the responsibilities, education, salary, and job opportunities in the field of art therapy.
What Does an Art Therapist Do?
Art therapists work in hospitals, schools, psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities, community mental health clinics, wellness centers, crisis centers, senior communities, veteran’ clinics, juvenile facilities and correctional institutions. Patients can be of any age and can have a wide range of mental health challenges. Most art therapy programs take place in a group setting, but a therapist can also work one-on-one with patients.
Many art therapists travel to the client, packing a mini art studio to facilitate a session. But like art itself, there is no “typical” when it comes to the structure for an art therapy session. A session might build on a work in progress, or it may start something new. Sometimes the art creation only takes up five minutes of the session, and then acts as a discussion prompt for the remainder.
Patients don’t need any art experience or talent to participate in productive art therapy sessions. As an art therapist, you’ll lead them through activities that include:
- Painting (oil, watercolor, and even finger painting!)
- Drawing
- Doodling
- Sculpting and making pottery with clay
- Carving
- Creating masks
- Making cards
- Using textiles
- Making collages
The Bureau of Labor Statistics points out that an art therapist needs to:
- Be creative
- Have a passion for helping others
- Have excellent listening and communication skills,
- Be patient
- Be interested in human behavior
How to Become an Art Therapist
If you’re plotting your path for how to become an art therapist, there are several things to know about your education and art therapy certification requirements. You’ll combine classroom work with hands-on learning.
Here are the steps that will qualify you to work with patients as an art therapist.
1. Try Teaching Art
You can try out the artist part of art therapy by volunteering to lead or assist with art classes in a city parks and recreation department, religious classes, Girl or Boy Scout troop, summer camp program, nursing home, or hospital. Most institutions have an activities director you can contact to see if there are opportunities.
2. Check Off the First of Your Art Therapist Education Requirements
You will need a bachelor’s degree in art or psychology to become an art therapist. No matter which subject you major in, be sure to take classes in both areas. You’ll also need to build a portfolio of your work to show your knowledge and understanding of various forms of art. Most schools that offer advanced art therapy degrees want you to provide that portfolio of artwork, along with course credits in studio art and psychology.
3. Continue Your Art Therapy Education With a Master’s Degree
Once you get into a master’s degree program in art therapy, you’ll prepare for an entry-level job in the field. Advanced classes will include:
- History and Foundations of Art Therapy
- Communication and Counseling Skills
- Advanced Human Development Psychology
- Art Therapy Techniques: Group Experience
- Psychological Assessment
- Biopsychosocial Bases of Health and Dysfunction for Counselors
- Assessment and Appraisal in Art Therapy, Counseling and Psychotherapy
- Sociocultural and Multicultural Approaches in Art Therapy, Counseling and Psychotherapy
- Neuroscience in Art Therapy, Counseling and Psychotherapy: Special Populations
4. Complete an Art Therapy Practicum and Internship
Near the completion of your master’s degree program, you’ll need to have a practicum where you’ll observe art therapy sessions. You may get to participate in working with patients. You’ll then move on to an internship where a licensed art therapist will supervise while you work with patients.
5. Obtain Art Therapy Certification
Some states require licensing specifically in art therapy. Others require you to be certified as a mental health therapist or counselor. Getting a certification or credentialing from the Art Therapy Credentials Board will give you more opportunities for hiring and advancement.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Art Therapist?
You will spend approximately seven years preparing for your art therapist career. Here’s about how long it will take you to complete each step:
- Four years to earn your bachelor’s degree in art or psychology
- Two years to graduate with your master’s degree in art therapy.
- One semester to complete 100 hours of a practicum.
- One semester to complete 600 hours of a supervised internship.
How Much Do Art Therapists Make?
According to Monster’s research, the median pay for an art therapist is $22.38 an hour. That means an art therapist’s salary is about $46,550 a year. This is within a salary range of $31,553 to $68,619 a year. Since salaries vary by location, you can see what you might make where you are by using Monster’s Salary Tools.
How to Find Art Therapy Jobs
Once you’ve completed your education and certification, it’s time to apply to jobs in art therapy. Start by creating a resume highlighting your extensive education and field experience. In an entry-level job, you’ll want to list relevant courses you completed. Mention if you got an outstanding grade or completed a project you are particularly proud of. You should also include any licenses and certifications you’ve completed.
The cover letter that accompanies your resume needs to be polished as well. Here is a checklist of what you need to include in yours.
Are you ready to start applying for art therapy jobs? That’s easy—Monster has lots of them all over the U.S. Check out art therapy job postings on Monster to see what might be a good fit.
If you’re open about where you want to live and work, you should know the top five places where art therapists are in the greatest demand. They are:
Becoming an Art Therapist Is Easy With Monster as Your Canvas
We’ve set the landscape for your job search so you know exactly how to become an art therapist. Before you get too far into it, take a moment and create your Monster profile. It’s the fastest way to help recruiters and hiring managers find you. It will also give us a good picture of what career advice you might like and what job postings to send to your inbox.