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Art Therapist

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What is an Art Therapist?

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

Life As an Art Therapist: What Do They Do?

  • 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.
  • Teach art therapy techniques or processes to artists, interns, volunteers, or others.
  • Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.
  • Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.
  • Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns.

Art Therapist Required Skills

When polled, Art Therapists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

  • Expressive Art Therapist
  • Rehabilitation Therapist
  • Therapist
  • Medical Art Therapist
  • Registered Art Therapist

Is There Job Demand for Art Therapists?

In the United States, there were 19,200 jobs for Art Therapist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,300 new jobs for Art Therapist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,200 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Art Therapist are Alaska, Colorado, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Alabama, Wyoming, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Art Therapists Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of an Art Therapist ranges between $29,590 and $77,050.

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Art Therapists who work in California, District of Columbia, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.

How much do Art Therapists make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $42,860
Arizona $49,440
Arkansas $50,170
California $75,810
Colorado $49,300
Connecticut $59,450
Delaware $46,320
District of Columbia $68,430
Florida $48,290
Georgia $43,950
Hawaii $55,470
Idaho $40,770
Illinois $46,620
Indiana $42,280
Iowa $52,470
Kansas $35,850
Kentucky $45,330
Louisiana $41,180
Maine $49,390
Maryland $48,690
Massachusetts $55,570
Michigan $51,280
Minnesota $54,660
Mississippi $38,470
Missouri $46,000
Montana $44,730
Nebraska $39,420
Nevada $58,480
New Hampshire $46,660
New Jersey $58,220
New Mexico $38,680
New York $55,370
North Carolina $47,600
North Dakota $43,910
Ohio $45,750
Oklahoma $37,760
Oregon $55,410
Pennsylvania $45,900
Rhode Island $49,310
South Carolina $42,240
South Dakota $50,480
Tennessee $41,660
Texas $43,070
Utah $48,230
Vermont $43,120
Virginia $47,590
Washington $59,860
Wisconsin $44,970
Wyoming $50,170

What Tools & Technology do Art Therapists Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Art Therapists:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
  • Trimble SketchUp Pro
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
  • Appointment scheduling software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffects
  • Autodesk Maya
  • Case management software

How to Become an Art Therapist

What education or degrees do I need to become an Art Therapist?

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What work experience do I need to become an Art Therapist?

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Where Art Therapists Work

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The table below shows the approximate number of Art Therapists employed by various industries.

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References:

Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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