When words alone fail to help a client address difficult emotions and memories, art therapists use the creative process to help them break through. Art therapy combines psychotherapy with the visual and physical experience of creating art— to express and process personal issues. Art therapists plan and conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, mental, or emotional well-being. They design projects to support each client’s needs, such as drawing or creating a collage about an experience, or creating a clay sculpture describing a hope for his or her future. Art therapists invite their clients to reflect on their art and explore its meaning. Art therapists administer assessments, document clients’ progress, and discuss client cases with colleagues. They typically work in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, and in private practice. Self-employed art therapists usually have duties such as billing clients and promoting their business. A master’s degree in art therapy and licensure are required to enter the field. Some states specifically license art therapists, while others license counselors and therapists, who may include art therapy in their practice. Art therapists bring the tools and materials that can help individuals give voice to their inner experience… even when they lack words to describe it.
What they do:
Plan or conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, cognitive, or emotional well-being.
On the job, you would:
Talk with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to the artistic process.
Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
Health
therapy and counseling
Math and Science
psychology
sociology and anthropology
Arts and Humanities
music, dance, visual arts, drama, or sculpture
English language
Business
customer service
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
talking to others
Social
understanding people's reactions
looking for ways to help people
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
use rules to solve problems
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
Self Control
Concern for Others
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Adaptability/Flexibility
Dependability
You might use software like this on the job:
Graphics or photo imaging software
Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
master's degree or certificate after master's usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
$48,220
$30,880
$77,970
You might like a career in one of these industries:
Produced by 
License