What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy is a mental health profession that recognizes the important role that creative expression and symbolic association play in a person’s development, growth and health. Art Therapists are trained to actively engage the healing power of the arts that are inherent in each of us, working with individuals and groups in a range of clinical settings. In California, Art Therapists are also Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers or Psychologists.
What is unique about Phillips’ program?
The Art Therapy Program integrates the cognitive, emotional role of art and imagery in health and healing. The department’s focus is on the application of contemporary findings in neuroscience to art therapy. Faculty is dedicated to understanding and teaching Art Therapy as a meaningful and life-supporting personal and interpersonal link between all the systems in which we participate. An additional unique aspect of Phillips Graduate Institute's master’s program is the Case Conference course, where students observe actual therapy sessions from behind a one-way mirror. This course is facilitated by faculty members who are Registered Art Therapists in addition to being Licensed Mental Health providers.
Is your program approved by AATA/ATCB?
As of June 2003, the Phillips Art Therapy Program is nationally approved by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). The Program Director works individually with each candidate to develop a proposed schedule and coursework plan in support of Art Therapy Registration (ATR) eligibility.
What are the advantages of qualifying for the national Art Therapy Registration (ATR) and credentials?
Phillips' Art Therapy Program is approved by AATA. ATR registration provides students with additional clinical employment and training opportunities, national recognition, Art Therapy teaching and supervision opportunities and a broader range of Art Therapy careers.
How long is the program, and on what days is it offered?
For the Fall entry, students have the option of enrolling in four or six consecutive semesters. Spring entry applicants enroll in five consecutive semesters. In the first year, students attend half-day or all-day on Tuesdays with an additional full day of the student's choice: Thursday or Saturday. Attendance on Wednesday evening is required for students who come for the Tuesday half-day. Beginning with the second semester, students may start seeing clients. Given the demands of a 60-unit program, it is recommended that working students strongly consider the advantages of the six consecutive semester course of study. Additional information about course scheduling is available in the Office of Admissions Information Receptions.
What kind of information sessions are offered?
There are many ways for applicants to get to know Phillips better. It is recommended that applicants attend both the Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy Information Receptions, which are scheduled throughout the year. Applicants who are interested in adding the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential should also attend the School Counseling session. In addition, it is advised that prospective students schedule an individual appointment with their Admissions Counselor. With advance notice, students may also visit the classroom and sit in on a class. During the May Workshop Week, the department offers a full-day of Art Therapy presentations. Information about other events, such as experiential workshops, is available from the Office of Admissions.
What are the prerequisite requirements?
The prerequisite requirements can be found here, and match those required by AATA. To fulfill these prerequisites, applicants may take the required courses at any state-approved college or university in regular or extension classes. Phillips' Extension program offers two self-study, at-a-distance courses in abnormal and developmental psychology. Once enrolled in the Art Therapy program at Phillips, students receive 3 units of studio art which are a part of the program; these units count towards the 18 required prerequisite units of studio art. For more information about these courses, contact the Continuing Education/Extension department by e-mail at continuingeducation@pgi.edu or call Hanon Awad Rinke at (818)386-5632.
If I am interested in applying to Phillips, how soon should I plan on taking the prerequisites I may still need?
It is recommended that applicants complete the prerequisites as soon as possible, since they support the application and interview process. In some cases, applicants may take some of their prerequisites after they have completed the admissions process.
What happens during the interview?
The interview is an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their strengths and to meet the Department Chair and/or a faculty representative personally. Interview guidelines are available from your Admissions Counselor.
How many Art Therapy practicum/traineeship hours are required?
Eligibility for Art Therapy Registration (ATR) requires graduate students to complete a minimum of 700 hours of supervised art therapy practicum/traineeship hours, 350 of which are direct client contact hours. These hours are earned during the required three semesters of placement/traineeship. Licensed professionals may count private practice art therapy hours, but are also required to complete 700 hours of experience, 350 of which are direct client contact hours. Interns may accrue art therapy hours concurrently while completing hours towards licensure.
What career options are available to me?
Art Therapy helps clients access non-verbal emotional information that often impedes treatment. Many agencies seek to hire therapists who can work with children and adolescents in a creative and positive way. There are a wide range of career options available for Art Therapists as the field has seen an increasing demand for Art Therapy professionals. Art Therapists can be part of treatment teams that include Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Rehabilitation Counselors, Social Workers, School Psychologists and Nurses. They work in private offices, hospitals, community centers, corporations, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, prisons and all levels of schools. Art Therapists have also created their own positions in government agencies and mental health centers. Art Therapy training is an excellent adjunctive skill utilized by Marriage and Family Therapists in many private practice settings. For more information on the field, see the handout “What Is Art Therapy?” by Noah Hass-Cohen.
What other information is important for me to know? The master’s degree in psychology allows our graduates to transition smoothly into doctorate programs in psychology in the future. Flexible academic scheduling options allow students to modify their program and to add additional credentials and specializations such as Art Therapy, School Counseling, Chemical Dependency and Postmodern studies. The 60-unit combined MFT/AT program meets many out-of-state registration and licensing requirements for the field of psychology. Students benefit from exposure to approximately twenty different instructors during their master's program. This offers students a diverse & specialized education in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy. While the Art Therapy classes are small, students are part of a larger cohort of students, resulting in increased networking opportunities & professional support systems that are necessary for success in the field. The students’ overall learning experience is enriched by Phillips’ on-site clinical doctoral program, Counseling Center, Continuing Education/Extension department, off-site library access, computer lab and the annual Workshop Week presentations.
Applicants are encouraged to request a copy of “What is Art Therapy?” written by the Department Chair, and to visit PGI’s bookstore to look at the required book list. In addition, it is the responsibility of every applicant to verify information provided on this sheet by contacting:
AATA: American Art Therapy Association -- The national Art Therapy professional organization. AATA grants approval to education programs preparing students for practice as Art Therapists. Ask for Educational Standards. AATA, 1202 Allanson Road, Mundelein, Illinois 60060 (847) 949-6064 or visit AATA on the web at www.arttherapy.org
ATCB: Art Therapy Credentials Board, which is responsible for registering and credentialing Art Therapists. Ask for Standards and Procedures for Registration. ATCB, 3 Terrace Way, Suite B, Greensboro, North Carolina 27403-3660 (877) 213-2822 or visit ATCB on the web at www.atcb.orgNBCC: National Board for Certified Counselors and Affiliates. Under the Professional Counseling Expansion and Improvement Act, PGI Art Therapy students who add the School Counseling course Career Planning and Education may be eligible for the National Certified Counselor’s credential, which is valuable if you are planning to practice out of the state of California. Please visit www.nbcc.org, and http://www.nbcc.org/extras/pdfs/apps/nccappstatecred.pdf for more information on the NCC Application for State Credentialed Counselors.
CAMFT: This is the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, which is an independent professional organization representing the interests of licensed marriage and family therapists. California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, 7901 Raytheon Road, San Diego, CA 92111-1606 (858) 292-2638 or visit CAMFT on the web at www.camft.org.