Guidance.help

Art Therapists

O*NET files this work under Art Therapists: people who plan or conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, cognitive, or emotional well-being. On the six-type interest model it reads SAI, meaning helping, teaching or caring for people comes first, followed by creative work with room for original expression. The preparation level is extensive preparation, typically graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. O*NET’s skill data points to social perceptiveness, speaking, and monitoring as the ones to build. A regular part of the work is to conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments. It tends to suit people who want helping, teaching or caring for people, and it offers little for anyone seeking leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

Plan or conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, cognitive, or emotional well-being.

Main tasks

  • Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
  • Talk with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to the artistic process.
  • Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
  • Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
  • Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
  • Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.

Skills

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Active Listening
  • Service Orientation
  • Judgment and Decision Making

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You want room to make something in your own way.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on social perceptiveness and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 2.3 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SAI takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Also called

  • Activity Therapy Specialist
  • Art Psychotherapist
  • ATR (Registered Art Therapist)
  • ATR-BC (Board Certified Art Therapist)
  • Clinical Art Therapist

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.