Many practitioners in the health and well-being field utilise the arts within their therapy sessions. An Art Therapist is trained in both art and therapy and holds a master's degree in art therapy or a related field. Practicing therapists should be registered with an Art Therapy Association or Credentials Board. They are knowledgeable about human development and behaviour, psychological and therapeutic theories, artistic, multicultural and spiritual traditions, art processes, and the application of various art media for therapeutic settings. Art Therapists are trained to recognize the nonverbal symbols and metaphors that are communicated within the creative process, which might be difficult to express verbally or in other modalities. Making an aesthetic or diagnostic assessment of the client's image is not of primary concern. Art Therapists can provide services individually and as part of clinical teams in diverse settings with diverse populations. They use art in treatment, assessment and research, and provide consultations to allied professionals.
Quotes of the Month
'This is what it means to be an artist - to seize this essence brooding everywhere in everything' - Frank Lloyd Wright
'To make an error simply means to have done something that we had not previously planned to do' - Ellen J. Langer
'I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones' - John Cage
'No amount of skilful invention can replace the essential element of imagination' - Edward Hopper
'The defining function of the artist is to cherish consciousness' - Max Eastman