Art Therapy Career Night with Pennsylvania Art Therapy Association
April 17, 2024 |
| Pennsylvania Art Therapy Career Night Promotional Poster |
Good evening beautiful people,
Hope you had a lovely day.
I just got off a virtual career night hosted by the Pennsylvania Art Therapy Association (PAATA) that featured four art therapists based here in Pennsylvania (PA).
I do not think I have blogged about this before, but before I started working on getting into a PhD program (read my PhD Application update here), I had considered getting into an Expressive Arts Therapy program. I was already shopping around for schools, and getting my pottery/ceramics wheel throwing groove on. As life would have it, I decided to explore research work… but you all know art has a special place in my heart...and when it is combined with anything mental health, I am sold. If you are curious about Art Therapy, read this info page by PAATA.
The career night session had around 40 people and was opened by Mindy Jacobson-Levy, PAATA's President. Each of the presenters/art therapists, shared their credentials, the settings they work in, the material they use and some of the challenges they face. I will summarize it all below:
Credentials:
ATR-BC (Board Certified Art Therapist)
LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor),
MS ART (Masters in Art Therapy),
CAADC (Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor)
Work Setting, Materials Used & Challenges Faced:
- In-patient psychiatric
- In-patient psychiatric
Offers group therapy sessions and materials are limited for security (i.e those likely to self harm or are homicidal).
Mostly do collages and the art therapist comes in with precut pieces. Downside is having to work with Big group sizes and thought of as art teacher instead of therapist,
- Prisons
Restrictions on what to bring into prison but always brings in loads of color and bleeding tissue paper,
Start sessions with meditation and visualization to create safe space for both prisoner and therapist
Most work when shackled or in therapy chair, and have a history of trauma and don’t trust outsiders.
- Outpatient substance use disorder treatment facility
No restrictions but has to buy own supply,
Since SUD affects the whole family, therapist needs couples therapy skills
- Last period of life,
Employs eco art therapy that involves using nature,
People get kicked out of hospice - they are not dying first enough, which results in all their therapies being removed.
Additional challenges include burn-out and insurance payments for art therapy.
It was amazing to learn from people working in different settings (you all know I was intrigued by the one working with people with substance use disorders), and see how different forms of art, even if in restricted settings, can still be used in healing.
Until the next update,
Sending love and light,
Sitawa
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