art therapy phd

Florida State University | College of Fine Arts

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About the Program

The Florida State University Graduate Art Therapy program offers degrees in Master of Science in Art Therapy as well as the Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education, specializing in Art Therapy. The Masters-level program emphasizes a thorough theoretical foundation of art therapy techniques and applications as well as three full practicum experiences working within community and clinical settings. The program integrates research-informed practices to foster culturally sensitive graduates who understand and apply the power of the visual arts and therapeutic relationships to promote personal and community wellness. The power of art for social justice and societal change is not only infused in our philosophy but is the overarching theme that pervades our curriculum and coursework. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health and Education Programs (CAAHEP) awarded accreditation to the Art Therapy program in 2019.

Your journey begins with an application.

Master of Science in Art Therapy

The FSU Art Therapy Program provides graduates with a Master’s of Science Degree in Art Therapy and prepares competent entry level art therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior learning domains). FSU’s innovative art therapy program integrates diverse theories and research-informed practices to foster culturally sensitive graduates who understand and apply the power of the visual arts and therapeutic relationships to promote personal and community wellness.

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PhD or EdD in Art Education with a Major in Art Therapy Research and Practice

The purpose of the PhD or EdD in Art Education with a Major in Art Therapy Research and Practice is to encourage students to make significant contributions to the body of knowledge related to art therapy. Students are supported in their efforts to investigate and advance understanding related innovative applications of art therapy, therapeutic processes and outcomes in art therapy, and other research topics based on individual student interests.

Art Therapy Program’s CAAHEP Accreditation

The Art Therapy Program at Florida State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE). CAAHEP awarded initial accreditation to the Art Therapy program in January of 2019. Minimal Expectations for the Florida State University Art Therapy Program: The goal of the FSU Art Therapy Program is to prepare competent entry level Art Therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior learning domains). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs 25400 US Highway 19 N., Suite 158 | Clearwater, FL 33763 | P:727-210-2350

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Art Therapy

Our person-centered clinical orientation is guided by humanistic and contemporary approaches to psychoanalytic theory that include ego psychology, object relations, self psychology, and intersubjectivity psychology, and that are grounded in current empirical research, especially attachment and trauma theories.

Master of Arts Art Therapy

Our program integrates psychotherapy and visual arts practice that engages the creative power of art for clinical assessment and treatment.

Doctor of Philosophy Rehabilitation Sciences

Prepare for a fulfilling academic career in research and teaching in the rehabilitation sciences through interdisciplinary study across health fields.

NYU Creative Arts Therapies Consortium

The NYU Creative Arts Therapies Consortium aims to advance public knowledge and research in the creative arts therapies.

The Art Therapy Program at NYU is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education.

Community Engagement

Students, Faculty, and Alumni from the Art Therapy program are active members of their global and local communities. The program currently has 56 students  in the metro area for their clinical placements, expanding the range of services offered during this mental health crisis.

Read on to learn more about the program's community engagement and the free services it offers to our community.

210 new artworks are created weekly in art therapy sessions offered to public school students by the  NYU Art Therapy in Schools Program

18 supply kits were purchased for the 18 artists working weekly in our  Parkinson's Disease art therapy groups  online and in person

Over 1200 masks have been upcycled and contributed to the  Parachute Project  to focus on post-traumatic growth in response to the pandemic

Supporting the Newest New Yorkers

NYU Steinhardt faculty, students, and staff have risen to the challenge to help migrants and asylum seekers in New York City.

Embodying Healing through Art Therapy

NYU Steinhardt’s Art Therapy program blends clinical efficacy with holistic wellness for communities across New York City — and the world.

Graduate Art Therapy Program Expands Collaboration with the Rubin Museum

Based on past success, the Graduate Art Therapy program has expanded programming at the Rubin Museum, offering free art therapy sessions for the public.

Art Therapy Program Students and Faculty Display the Parachute Project in the Barney Building

The Parachute Project, initiated by the art therapy program, is a contribution to the global effort called for by UNICEF to understand the impact of the pandemic on children and adolescents.

New Steinhardt/Langone Research Published on Art Therapy and Parkinson's Disease

This groundbreaking, innovative study is the first paper exploring the effects of art therapy on Parkinson's Disease in a medical peer-reviewed journal utilizing clinical, behavioral, eye tracking, and brain connectivity outcomes.

Art and Art Professions

Barney Building 34 Stuyvesant Street, New York, NY 10003 212-998-5700 [email protected]

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Expressive therapies.

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Apply research and creativity to spark individual and societal change.

Transform individuals and communities through creativity, scholarship, and collaboration. Enhance your practice and become a leader in expressive therapies through this low-residency doctoral program, which interweaves artistic expression and inquiry with a focus on research. Join with Lesley’s world-recognized faculty and other committed professionals to expand the theory and practice of expressive therapies, exploring new opportunities for research and global impact.

Lesley University’s doctoral program in expressive therapies provides you with the opportunity for in-depth study, artistic growth, and professional development regardless of your arts therapy specialization.

Guided by your own interests and experience, you’ll conduct relevant research and contribute new scholarship to the field. Whether you’re looking to further your career in higher education or become a leader in an arts therapy discipline, our program is designed to help you meet your goals.

The low-residency model provides a convenient format that allows you to expand your knowledge base in expressive therapies, while accommodating your work schedule and personal life. Complete a 2-week on-campus residency for three summers. During the residency, you’ll meet with your faculty advisor, attend seminars and classes, design research projects, and collaborate with other doctoral students. Between residencies, continue your work from home while staying connected with your faculty advisor and peers via online class sessions.

Program Structure

Low-Residency Doctoral Program

• To enroll in this program, you’ll need to show proof of: - An earned master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. - Certification or registration in one of the expressive therapies modalities (art therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy, expressive arts therapy, music therapy, play therapy, poetry therapy, or psychodrama). - Demonstration of good communication skills in the English language, both written and oral, at a level appropriate to doctoral study. - Demonstration of satisfactory performance on the GRE or the MAT examination. The Lesley University CEEB number is 3483 for the GRE and 1214 for the MAT. - A minimum of 3-5 years of professional experience as an expressive therapist.
• - Shifting Power Paradigms in Research - Arts Based Research I - Philosophical Foundations of Expressive Therapies - Critical Inquiry I - Research: Quantitative I - Research: Qualitative I
• - Critical Inquiry II - Research II - Research II: Qualitative II - Literature Review - Research II: Quantitative II - Arts Based Research II
• - Interdisciplinary Seminar - Leadership in Expressive Therapies - Professional Seminar
• Complete and defend your dissertation during your final years of study.

Low-Residency Format

Participate in one 2-week summer residency on Lesley University’s Cambridge campus for the first 3 years of your program. Between residencies, continue your studies online with Lesley faculty, devoting significant weekly time toward doctoral study. Your final years are dedicated to off-site, independent work on your dissertation with support from your faculty advisors. 

Innovators in the Field

Established over 40 years ago, we were the first graduate program in the U.S. to train professionals in this emerging field. Today our program is the largest of its kind and remains at the forefront of innovation. Our reputation and outstanding faculty—all practitioners in the arts—are what attract students from around the world.

Myriam Savage ’15

Expressive arts therapy can treat:.

How Creative Expression Can Benefit Older Adults

Mitchell kossak receives 'shining star' award.

Cambridge, MA

A nexus for higher education and mental health counseling practice and research, each year 250,000 students arrive to Cambridge from around the globe. The intellectual and cultural capital runs deep, and so do your opportunities addressing barriers to wellness. From Lesley’s location, access innovative community, hospital, and school-based mental health programs.

• Mental Health Therapist
• Music Therapist
• Art Therapist
• Drama Therapist
• Creative Therapist
• Dance/Movement Therapist
• Expressive Arts Therapist
• Universities and Colleges
• Mental Health Clinics
• Psychiatric Clinics
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Correctional Facilities

Professor of Expressive Therapies

Dr. Robyn Cruz’s clinical work has spanned populations such as adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses and children and adolescents with trauma and substance abuse issues. Her doctoral degree is in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Measurement and Methodology. She has worked as a research methodologist and research consultant, taught doctoral students since 1995, and has taught graduate courses in dance therapy, research methods, and statistics to students from many disciplines in the US, Europe, and South America.

Her courses reflect her interests in creative arts therapies research that uses the broad range of available methods and particularly, incorporating research thinking and resources into creative arts therapies clinical practices. Her teaching philosophy and practice are grounded in a professional collaboration model that reflects skills honed by teaching statistics to doctoral students from many disciplines at the University of Arizona. She uses a model based on the fact that students learn least from an instructor's oral recitation of information and most from engaging the subject matter themselves.

Robyn believes that policy and leadership go hand-in-hand with creative arts therapies and are important for the continued development and viability of these professions. She has devoted years of service to the University and to the Creative Arts Therapies community at large. She served as Co-Chair for the Lesley University Institutional Review Board from 2012-2021, and as IRB member from 2005 to the present. She was featured in the Lesley University 2012 Annual Report.

She is a past President of the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), serving four years as Vice President and four years as President of the organization. In these capacities she regularly visited Washington, DC to speak with lawmakers about creative arts therapies with respect to access for clients and licensing. As ADTA President, she introduced the Multicultural and Diversity Committee to the ADTA Board of Directors. This was the first new standing committee created in the organization in over 25 years.

Robyn also brought the Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board, a separate credentialing body for dance therapy, and new credentials (R-DMT and BC-DMT) into existence during her presidency, creating new professional opportunities and oversight for professional dance therapists. She is a former editor of American Journal of Dance Therapy, and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Arts in Psychotherapy from 2002 to 2015. She is past Chairperson of the National Coalition for Creative Arts Therapies Associations.  

Michele Forinash

Professor, Director of the PhD in Expressive Therapies

Dr. Forinash is Professor and Director of the PhD program in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University. A graduate of Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, Dr. Forinash completed her master’s and doctorate at New York University. She is a past president of the American Music Therapy Association and a past chair of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies (NCCATA). She has published articles and chapters on qualitative research, supervision, feminist music therapy, and LGBTQ awareness and has presented internationally on these topics. For ten years she served as the North American Co-Editor for the online international music therapy journal Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy ( www.voices.no ). She is also an associated supervisor for the doctoral program in music therapy at Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.

Jason Frydman

Associate Professor, Expressive Therapies

Jason S. Frydman, PhD, RCT/BCT, NCSP is associate professor of expressive therapies at Lesley University where he teaches in the doctoral expressive therapies program and co-chairs the university's institutional review board. He is a registered drama therapist/board certified trainer with the North American Drama Therapy Association, a nationally certified school psychologist with the National Association of School Psychologists, and licensed psychologist (GA). Dr. Frydman is the founder and lead researcher of the Collaborative for Creative Arts Therapies in Schools (C-CATIS), based at Lesley. He serves as the associate editor for general topics for Translational Issues in Psychological Science and sits on the editorial boards of Drama Therapy Review and School Psychology Review. Research interests include creative arts therapies in schools, research issues in the creative arts therapies, mental health literacy, and school-based trauma-informed practices. He has served as NADTA conference co-chair, communications chair, and is immediate-past research chair. He is an invited and initial member of the Mental Health Literacy Collaborative and served on the advisory board for the Foundation for Jewish Camping.

Professional service

Jason is active in professional service, including

• Co-chair of the North American Drama Therapy Association Conference (2012)
• North American Drama Therapy Association Communications Chair (2012-2015) and Research Chair (2019-2021)
• Guest co-editor of the Drama Therapy Review (DTR) special issue: Drama Therapy in the Schools (5.1)
• Current editorial boards include the Drama Therapy Review, School Psychology Review , and Translational Issues in Psychological Science

Mitchell Kossak

Professor/Coordinator of Expressive Therapies

Dr. Mitchell Kossak , LMHC, REAT is a professor in the Department of Graduate Expressive Therapies at Lesley University. He served as Department Chair from 2006 to 2013. He was the President and Executive Co-Chair for the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) 2010-2016. He has been a licensed mental health counselor, since 1994, and is a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT).

He is the Associate Editor of the Journal of Applied Arts and Health and Co-Chair of the Institute for Arts and Health at Lesley University. His clinical work combines expressive arts therapies with body-centered approaches with a variety of populations addressing issues such as chronic pain, recovery from trauma, depression, anxiety, life transitions and relationships. In addition he has worked extensively with autistic children and adults. Mitchell has trained in a variety of mind body modalities including Polarity Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage and Bioenergetics. In Expressive Arts Therapies he has training in music therapy, experimental theater, psychodrama, and authentic movement. He studied Sound Healing with innovators in the field of sacred sound and transformation of consciousness, such as Dr. John Beaulieu author of Music and Sound in the Healing Arts and Silvia Nakkach director of the Vox Mundi Project. In addition to this training, he has studied and practiced energy based healing forms such as Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Vipassana meditation, and Iyengar yoga for over 30 years. He earned his doctorate from the Union Institute and University in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy and transpersonal psychology. He has written about and presented his research on rhythmic attunement, improvisation, psychospiritual and community-based approaches to working with trauma and embodied states of consciousness at conferences nationally and internationally. He is the author of Attunement in Expressive Arts Therapy:  Toward an Understanding of Embodied Empathy. He is the Associate Editor of The Journal of Applied Arts and Health and Co-Chair of the Institute for Arts and Health at Lesley University. 

Mitchell Kossak is also a professional musician, performing for the past 30 years in the Boston area.

Kelvin Ramirez

Associate Professor/Coordinator of Art Therapy

Dr. Kelvin Ramirez is a Board Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and core faculty member of the Department of Graduate Expressive Therapies . Kelvin is a Board Member of FNE International, a 501(c)3 organization that partners with communities in developing nations to identify opportunities to advance housing, health and education. With that international experience, Kelvin continues to collaborate and develops programs with educators, clinicians, and community leaders in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and India. He has developed academic curriculum that build and reinforce initiatives in Nicaragua, The Dominican Republic, Haiti and India.

Prior to joining Lesley, Kelvin was the vice principal of a high school in the South Bronx where he developed and incorporated art therapy within educational systems to enhance student’s personal and academic growth. During his 9-year tenure as vice principal, art therapy was infused throughout the academic and therapeutic approaches of the school, increasing retention and shifting behavioral approaches to enhance students' socio-emotional development.

Kelvin has taught for the Counseling Division at the College of New Rochelle and the Clinical Art Therapy Program at Long Island University C.W. Post.

His current areas of interest and research include:

• The development of international art therapy initiatives that conform to the specific needs of communities
• Contemporary social justice issues
• How art therapy addresses or ignores systemic oppression
• The underrepresentation of people of color within the field of art therapy and the implications of this on theory and practice
• The connections between horticultural therapy and art therapy to transform communities

Teaching is important to Kelvin, because it is through this act of service that people are prepared to direct their destinies and author their own stories. It is a profession that entrusts educators with the malleable minds of the future. Kelvin holds fast to the unwavering ideals that brought him to education, including that social injustices can only be remedied by an educated populous, that an educated mind is a mind called into action for the betterment of all human kind, and that through educating our future generations, our positive influence on the world will continue long after we expire.

Jason Butler

Professor of Drama Therapy, Department Chair of Graduate Expressive Therapies

Dr. Jason D. Butler  is a Registered Drama Therapist, Board Certified Trainer, and New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist. Jason is a former President of the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) and previously served on the NADTA Board of Directors as President-Elect and Communications Chair. He is the editor-in-chief for  The Arts in Psychotherapy and the former training director for DvT Montreal, a satellite of the Institute for Developmental Transformations.

Prior to joining Lesley University, Jason was a professor in Creative Arts Therapy at Montreal's Concordia University, serving for a portion of that time as the graduate program director for drama therapy and a member of the Arts in Health Research Collective.   Jason is an internationally known drama therapist, having presented on drama therapy in many countries, including the Czech Republic, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University and at New York University and was one of the first recipients of the NADTA Teaching Excellence Award in 2012. 

Prior to being a full-time professor, Jason was the director of Goddard Riverside Community Center’s The Other Place, a psycho-social program and drop-in center for homelessness and mental illness in New York City. Prior to finding drama therapy, he was a high school theatre teacher. His publications include articles and book chapters on drama therapy education, arts therapies pedagogy, schizophrenia, developmental transformations, and role theory. His current research includes an exploration of the drama therapy student experience as well as the application of drama therapy theory to experiential learning.

• Low-Residency
• Tuition $1,150/credit x 45 $51,750
• Fees PhD Matriculation Fees $12,000 Registration Fee $40 Comprehensive Fee $1,125

All graduate students are reviewed for merit scholarships through the admissions process and are awarded at the time of acceptance. Other forms of  financial aid  are also available. Review all  graduate tuition and fees , and what they cover. Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective in the Summer term.

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.

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How to Become an Art Therapist

Art therapy degrees combine lessons in fine art with content on psychology.

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When art therapy clients make pictures that represent their identity, circumstances or dreams, they can – with the help of their therapist – gain clarity about their wants or needs and decide what they should do next.

The most deeply felt heartbreaks are sometimes the hardest to talk about. Traumatized people who have difficulty explaining their feelings in words often work with an art therapist, who can help them express and process their emotions in a visual way.

Art therapy is a clinical profession. Art therapists are mental health care providers with master's degrees who use artwork and art analysis to discover the root causes of a client's distress and to address psychological wounds.

Here are some key facts to know if you're interested in becoming an art therapist.

What Art Therapy Is and Who It Helps

Art therapy is not simply the process of engaging in a pleasurable creative endeavor and entering a state of "flow," says Meera Rastogi, professor of psychology and art therapy at the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning . Although art-making by oneself for the sake of fun or self-discovery may feel soothing, it isn't art therapy, explains Rastogi, who has a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and a master's in art therapy.

To count as therapy, an introspective artistic activity must be guided by a trained art therapist who provides guidance along the soul-searching journey, she says. "They have a knowledge base, skills and training to work with the materials and the image in a way that goes much deeper than you would do on your own... So there's lots of great work by artists working in hospitals, by volunteers working and doing art programs, and that is not art therapy."

Images created before or during an art therapy session provide a starting point for scientifically informed conversations about subconscious thoughts, mindless behaviors and other subtle influences on a client's life that he or she may not otherwise recognize.

Art therapists show clients how to cope with sadness and find hope in spite of adversity, and they assist people from all walks of life. "An art therapist can help many different clients, from 3 year olds to seniors, with or without mental disorders," Youhjung Son, a registered and board-certified art therapist in Maryland, wrote in an email.

People who are interested in helping others, fascinated by the human psyche and like the idea of "using creative expression as a way to heal" should consider a career in art therapy, she says. "An art therapist would need to be compassionate, understanding, patient, positive-minded, and confident in themselves as well."

Getting an Art Therapy Degree and Board Certification

Earning status as a board-certified art therapist through the Art Therapy Credentials Board, Inc. is a rigorous multistep process.

These are the key steps aspiring art therapists must take to obtain needed credentials:

• Earn a master's degree in art therapy or a master's in a related field, in which case extra education would be necessary. Supplemental coursework would also be needed with an art therapy degree from a program that is not approved by the American Art Therapy Association or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. A list of approved and accredited programs is available online .
• Complete 24 credits of art therapy classes and spend at least 700 hours in a supervised art therapy internship.
• Take 18 credits of studio art courses at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Art therapy master's programs usually last at least two years and may take as long as three-and-a-half years to complete. They combine art-focused classes and psychology courses.

After receiving a master's, a future art therapist can seek provisional credentials and start working under the supervision of an experienced therapist, who can serve as a mentor. The goal is to gain sufficient clinical experience — at least 1,000 hours — to qualify as a registered art therapist, though the amount of experience needed varies depending on a person's academic credentials. A handbook with detailed instructions on becoming registered is available from the credentials board.

A formally registered art therapist may work independently and can become board-certified by passing a national exam. Though board certification is not mandatory, experts say it increases an art therapist's credibility and marketability .

Art Therapy Jobs, Salary Ranges and Employers

The most common salary range for U.S. art therapists in 2021 was $50,000 to $79,999, according to a recent demographic survey of American Art Therapy Association members. Meanwhile, 5.9% earned six-figure salaries, survey data shows.

Roughly 88% of art therapists in the survey reported working 40 hours or fewer a week, and their most common workplaces were independent practices, outpatient mental health clinics, social service and community mental health agencies, and art centers and studios.

What It's Like to Be an Art Therapist

The combination of visual art and talk therapy can encourage patients who are especially nervous, guarded or reluctant to relax and share information with their therapists, Rastogi says. Honesty and transparency are beneficial because understanding between a patient and therapist aids psychological healing and increases the likelihood of emotional breakthroughs for patients.

"They become more open to other ideas and possibilities," she says.

While the intensity of verbal therapy can overwhelm some patients, that problem can be overcome by integrating art into therapy, Rastogi says. "The work is powerful and amazing. It is much quicker therapeutically than I have observed with verbal therapy."

Aspiring mental health caregivers who appreciate art can integrate that interest into their practice if they become an art therapist, Rastogi adds.

"Even though the work is hard, people enjoy it more than in traditional therapy, and I think part of it is you get this physical representation of the work that you've done, whereas in verbal therapy – okay, I feel better – but as soon as I leave the therapist's office, I may or may not be able to maintain that feeling," she says.

The physical object produced in art therapy can comfort patients, Rastogi says, serving as a tangible reminder of their progress.

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Healing Through the Power of Art

Earn Your PhD in Art Therapy

PhD in Art Therapy

As one of only two PhD Art Therapy programs in the country, Dominican's PhD Art Therapy program attracts a diverse student body from throughout the United States and overseas. Graduates are contributing to the local, national, and international development and recognition of the profession, and are leaders in advancing the theoretical, research, and clinical foundations of Art Therapy. 

Program Highlights

• A vibrant alumni network and connections with organizations such as the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT), and the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB).
• Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Training
• Training for clinicians, researchers, and leaders in the field
• Small class sizes and individual faculty advising prepare students for successful careers.

The graduate art therapy programs offer robust education with a special emphasis on clinical practicum, art-based research, cultural humility, and international art therapy. Gigi Gokcek, Dean, School of Liberal Arts and Education

Meet Your Counselor

Your admissions counselor is ready to help you! Fill out the form and they will connect with you shortly.

Students may apply to enter the PhD in Art Therapy for the fall semester, every other year and should meet the following requirements:

• Master's degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution is required to apply to the Art Therapy PhD program.
• Students need to have met all or most all of the academic requirements to become an ATR.
• Completion of 18 semester units in studio art (including drawing, painting & clay) and 12 units in psychology (general psychology, abnormal psychology, lifespan development, and personality psychology).
• Completed application for admission
• Two letters of recommendation, professional or academic.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, with one transcript showing a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., or equivalent academic preparation outside of the U.S. Find complete instructions on how to submit your transcripts to Dominican  here.
• Portfolio of original artwork to demonstrate competence with a range of art materials; 10-12 JPEG images are preferred.
• An autobiographical statement, generally, three to four pages.
• Application to apply courses to Dominican’s prerequisites. 
• In-person or preliminary online interview
• Published article or scholarly academic writing (the scholarly writing can include a masters thesis)
• Resume 

2024-2025 Tuition and Fees

Scholarships.

Scholarships and grants are types of aid that do not have to be repaid and that can help to directly reduce your tuition expenses.

To view more information on tuition and aid,  click here .

Below you will find some of the courses you would be taking as an Art Therapy student:

• Art as a Way of Knowing: I-V
• Philosophical Foundations
• Theoretical Approaches
• Art Therapy Practices: I-IV
• Practicum: I-VI
• Research: I-VII

Fill out this form and a counselor will be in touch soon!

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Art Therapy Student Success

As a student in Dominican University of California’s doctoral program in Art Therapy, the soon-to-be Dr. Dawn Fiacco, PhD, focused her research on understanding nutrition and the concept of food as...

The Dominican Experience

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BECOMING AN ART THERAPIST

Art therapists are clinicians with master’s-level or higher degrees trained in art and therapy that serve communities in different settings. guided by ethical standards and scope of practice, their education and supervised training prepares them for culturally proficient work with diverse populations., everyday, art therapists support their clients’ mental, emotional, and physical well-being, including children experiencing behavioral challenges, such as autism spectrum disorder; people and caregivers in medical crises; victims of violence or other trauma—from military servicemembers to student survivors of mass shootings; older adults struggling with dementia or alzheimer’s disease; or anyone that needs help coping with life’s challenges..

Graduate Certificate in Humanistic & Psychodynamic Counselling

An intensive foundation in counselling for those who meet elements of counselling in their day-to-day work and who wish to enter this field professionally.

MA Applied Anthropology & Community Arts

Taught jointly by the Departments of Anthropology and Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies, this MA offers a stimulating synthesis of theory and practice. In short, it is at the heart of what Goldsmiths is all about.

MA Art Psychotherapy

This programme will provide you with a broad understanding of the theories and practices of art psychotherapy necessary for safe and effective clinical work.

MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy

This programme provides you with a broad understanding of the theories and practices of dance movement therapy necessary for safe and effective clinical work, and enables you to practise as a dance movement therapist.

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• Personality

Why Art Therapy Works

A recent study underscores the potential role of art therapy in recovery..

Posted August 30, 2016 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• What Is Therapy?
• Find a therapist near me

As an approach to mental health, art therapy has heavily relied on expert opinion rather than actual evidence via various forms of research. Despite the collective enthusiasm from the profession, there has been very little substantiation that art therapy makes a positive difference in emotional recovery in individuals challenged by personality disorders .

Researchers Haeyan, van Hooren and Hutchemaekers (2015) set out to identify the possible effects of art therapy on the recovery process in groups of adults with personality disorders, based on existing anecdotal observations made by practitioners in the field and patient testimonies. Using Grounded Theory Approach (GTA), they constructed a qualitative study using in-depth interviews to collect data that reflected individuals’ responses to art therapy experiences and used open and axial coding to generate and distill information. For the non-researcher and clinician, this may sound daunting; however, the researchers were able to eventually identify a set of five concepts that encompassed all data collected via interview as follows:

Perception and self-perception . Individuals reported that art expression helped them focus on the present moment, identify emotional responses and experience connections between emotion and body awareness. Although at times this sometimes initially felt worse, the perceptions gained became the first step in recognizing and validating emotions and a starting point for further therapeutic exploration and actions.

Personal integration . Individuals felt that through expression of their experiences in art, identity and self-image were strengthened and more positivity was possible. Perhaps more importantly, art expressions made emotions visible, allowing them to further investigate feelings and thoughts within the course of therapy. Also, conflicting emotions could be brought together in one coherent image, something that is often impossible to do with words alone.

Emotion and impulse regulation . Individuals learned through art expression to modulate emotional responses, thus experiencing more freedom from them and to “dose” and regulate emotions. In other words, art expression offered an experiential space in which individuals could experiment with new responses to difficult feelings, thus increasing a sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy .

Behavior change . In brief, behavior changes include behavior towards oneself and behavior towards others. In this study, many individuals reported that they learned to change their behavioral responses through the process of art expression. How this occurs is still difficult to say, but it may have something to do with the self-directed nature of art expression which involves choices about what to do and how exactly to go about doing it. In other words, art therapy may provide the opportunity to actually practice alternative responses to existing personal narratives.

Because this study focused on small groups, participants also may have learned more about their own behavioral patterns through interaction with others within the context of group art therapy. For example, one 35-year-old female participant noted: “I still remember that one time we all had to draw on one piece of paper. I didn’t like that at all. I wasn’t going to use the whole paper to say, you don’t want to begrudge others their space, but you notice that someone else of going over what you drew (uh…). I couldn’t really deal with that so well…I have been giving myself more space…let others see more of who I am and if someone crosses my boundaries , then I let them know” (p.6).

Insight and comprehension . Individuals reported that art expression helped them to put their emotions and non-verbal experiences into words. Of note, they stated that they “experienced an inner dialogue that guided their choices while working on the art product” (p. 6) as well as after the art expression was completed. In other words, both creating and looking at what was created supported insight and comprehension of emotions, thoughts and behaviors and provided a better understanding of experience through facilitation of the art therapist.

Art therapists might respond to this list by thinking, “well, I could have told you that.” Yes, in fact much of what is summarized above has been repeatedly stated in the field, but mostly through case reports, individual patient testimonies, and enthusiastic, well-meaning believers in what is often referred to as the “magic” of art therapy. However, let’s acknowledge that these researchers have taken an important step forward in identifying just what that magic might be, constructing an integrated theoretical model with five core categories for future investigation. Like all studies, more investigation is needed; for example, how verbal interaction impacts and complements outcomes as well as the effect of group processes also remain questions for further exploration. But undoubtedly this study should ignite a conversation on just how art therapy works to benefit individuals and what relational role the art therapist plays in the mix of art making, individual and practitioner.

Cathy A. Malchiodi, PhD, LPCC, LPAT, ATR-BC, REAT

© 2016 Cathy Malchiodi, PhD

Suzanne Haeyen, Susan van Hooren, Giel Hutschemaekers, Perceived effects of art therapy in the treatment of personality disorders, cluster B/C: A qualitative study, The Arts in Psychotherapy, Volume 45 , September 2015, Pages 1-10, ISSN 0197-4556, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2015.04.005 .

Cathy Malchiodi, Ph.D. , is a psychologist, expressive arts therapist, trauma specialist, and author of 20 books, including Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process.

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Doctor - Art Therapy

Distance degree programs for adults & professionals., bircham international university - adult degree programs online., doctor ph.d. degree - psychology, art therapy via distance learning.

This Doctor Ph.D. Degree of art therapy explores how a creative expression through different forms of art can foster healing and mental well-being. Art therapy helps children, adolescents, and adults explore their emotions, improve self-esteem, manage addictions, relieve stress, improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, and cope with a physical illness or disability. It works either creating art it or viewing others' art expression.

Academic Supervisor : Philomena Wavinya Ndambuki More information about this academic supervisor at Bircham University Human Network. More info...

The Doctor Ph.D. Degree online via distance learning offers students the highest level of specialization a discipline can offer. More info...

* 45 to 72 academic credits above a Master's program. * Average Duration: 24 months. * Program Structure: 70% textbooks + 30% Thesis. * Admission is open for adults over 27 years of age. * Master's degree or international equivalent (5 years of study) is required for admission.

Fees include all: Program of study, textbooks, study guide, evaluation and assessment, diploma, and transcript. Cost per BIU earned postgraduate credit: 130 Euros (170 US$) Cost per transferred credit from previous education and/or professional experience if required: 20 Euros (25 US$)

45 ... 72 Academic credits Tuition Fee :Min. 5.850 Euros (7.650 US$) ... Max. 9.360 Euros (12.240 US$).

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. " Mahatma Gandhi.

Payment plans are available upon request up to 36 monthly installments. More info...

Faculty of Psychology via distance learning

• Doctor Ph.D. Degree

45 ... 72 Academic credits required for this distance learning degree program.

Composition:.

+ 30 Academic credits - Art Therapy Online + Other additional subjects + 18 Academic credits - Research methodology and final project or thesis.

+ 30 Academic credits: Art Therapy Online

BIU Earned Credits Credits earned through the completion of academic work at Bircham International University (Reports, Projects and Thesis).

1 BIU Earned Credit = 1 USA Semester Credit (15 hours of learning) = 2 ECTS Credits (30 hours of study). Courses list (each subject accounts for 3 academic credits): You may study any subject as an independent online continuing education course. More info...

Postgraduate level continuing education course. Previous knowledge in this field of study is required.

601ARY - Senses Awareness & Development 602ARY - Art & Philosophy 603ARY - Art & Religion 604ARY - Color Therapy 605ARY - Chinese & Japanese Art 606ARY - Contemporary Art 607ARY - Art History 608ARY - Artistic Design 609ARY - Art Therapy 610ARY - Creative Arts More info...

Bibliography: Art Therapy via distance learning The corresponding textbooks are included in the fees. Once the fee has been paid, the books may take between two to five weeks to reach your address. Bircham International University offices may inform you at any time of the status of your books. If the book is in English, the required report must be written in English unless you have requested to write it in other language and have gained Bircham International University authorization. More info... Click here to access the recommended bibliography.

+ Additional courses may be selected from other modules in the Faculty of Psychology from Bircham International University if required. This selection must be approved by the Distance Learning University Education Board. For example: Sensory Therapy .

Research work resources and network - Doctor - Art Therapy:

AATA - American Art Therapy Association AITEAS - Asociación Internacional de Terapias Expresivas y Arte Social ATE - Asociación Profesional Española de Arteterapeutas BAAT - British Association of Art Therapists EFAT - The European Federation of Art Therapy FEAPA - Federación Española de Asociaciones Profesionales de Arteterapia FFAT - Fédération Française des Art-Thérapeutes IATA - International Art Therapy Alliance IEATA - International Expressive Arts Therapy Association More info...

Joining the proper association is the best way to become an updated professional. Bircham International University graduates may join many professional associations. Membership requirements for each association may vary depending on the degree program, specialization and graduate resume en each occasion. BIU can not guarantee membership in all instances. BIU does not intermediate in these procedures. Bircham International University provides a list of available memberships and professional references from each faculty where some BIU graduates may belong. Contact directly the ones you select. More info...

+ 18 Academic credits (Research methodology and final project or thesis. More info... ).

Admission requirements: Doctor - Art Therapy

Bircham International University distance learning degree admission requirements differ depending upon the Faculty and the major of study. There is no discrimination with respect to race, color, sex, beliefs and/or religion. A minimum of 30% of the total number of credits required by any adult degree program syllabus has to be transferred from previous education and/or validated from professional experience in order to gain admission. A maximum of 20% of the total number of credits required by the distance learning degree program can be transferred from professional and life experience. More info...

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Learning outcomes: Doctor - Art Therapy

The following learning outcomes are compatible with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for lifelong learning and continuing education. The EQF directives facilitate acceptance of this course credits by many higher education institution. These learning outcomes are achieved after completion of this course with a passing grade. Better grades will demonstrate higher analysis, evaluation and critical thinking skills. More info...

EQF LEVEL 6. Advanced knowledge and critical understanding. Outcome resulting from course content assessment and its applicability to problem solving. The student's ability to combine the different parts of the text and to form a new coherent and harmonic final report will determine the critical understanding of the subject and an advanced knowledge of Art Therapy. The student written report style, content, and structure play an important role in the assessment and applicability of the knowledge about Art Therapy to different Psychology decision making scenarios and problem-solving. More info...

EQF LEVEL 7. Advanced knowledge and critical thinking. Outcome resulting from written critical thinking and its applicability to problem solving. The student will contrast and evaluate the learned material with his/her own knowledge and experience to express an opinion about Art Therapy, to consider the practical application of the key concepts, and to argue the conclusions along the written report. Personal judgments and opinion should be based on sound criteria and must be clearly discussed. More info...

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Art Therapy Online

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IEATA International Expressive Arts Therapy Association ®

EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPY RESOURCES (MULTI-MODAL)

Doctorate Degree

*Please note this information is not being updated. A new education and training directory is being created with  searchable function to view: ​ https://ieata.memberclicks.net/profession

UNITED STATES

LESLEY UNIVERSITY

CAMBRIDGE, MA Ph.D. in Expressive Therapies ​

CONTACT [email protected]

617.349.8300 www.lesley.edu/phd_exth.html

SAN DIEGO UNIVERSITY FOR INTEGRATIVE STUDIES

SAN DIEGO, CA

PhD in Psychology with a Specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy

Online Program

CONTACT [email protected]

[email protected]

www.sduis.edu

EUROPEAN GRADUATE SCHOOL

SWITZERLAND Doctoral Program in Expressive Arts:

Therapy, Coaching, Consulting and Education, Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding

Low-Residency Program During Summers

CONTACT www.expressivearts.egs.edu

+41 27 474 99 17

+41 27 474 99 18

Note: Affiliated with Appalachian State University (Keith M. Davis at  [email protected] ). Programs exchange/transfer academic credits. In Europe, affiliated with Hochschule fur Musik und Theater in Hamburg, Germany(Gabriele Bastians at [email protected] )

NORTH AMERICA

APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Expressive Arts, Leadership, and Inquiry  

The concentration in Expressive Arts, Leadership, and Inquiry will equip doctoral students with enhanced discernment and imagination that enriches leadership work across the spectrum of pK-20. Students in this concentration will become leaders using multi-modal expressive arts theory and inquiry to promote human flourishing,

View Graduate Bulletin for more details about course requirements.

For further information about the expressive arts program and other related resources, please visit www.expressivearts.appstate.edu or email us at [email protected]

Dr. Audrey Dentith

Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership Director and Professor Phone: 828-262-8382 [email protected]  

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

MAKAWAO, MAUI, HI PhD in Expressive Arts Therapy (two to four years, depending on Academic Study Plan and preparation of Doctorate Dissertation)

Program established in 1994 includes multi-modal expressive arts and exploration of each modality

CONTACT Elise Kert, Registrar, 800-806-0317, 808-573-7722 fax

[email protected] ,  [email protected] OR  Alessandra Colfi, Assistant to the Director, Expressive Arts Therapy Department

[email protected]

www.iups.edu

UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS THERAPIES

199 Aba Khoushy Av. Mount Carmel, Haifa, 31905, Israel

Two year training in Hebrew, offering MA in Creative Arts Therapies with a concentration in Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, Psychodrama, Music Therapy, or Dance/Movement Therapy. PhD at the School of Creative Arts Therapies

Webpage:   http://hw.haifa.ac.il/en/art-home

Phone:   +(972)4.824.9750

Contact: Dr. Hod Orkibi, PhD,  [email protected]

The International Expressive Arts Therapy Association® (IEATA®) provides these resources as a courtesy for those interested in exploring the expressive arts. IEATA® assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of this information. IEATA® is not connected with any listed organization and does not endorse any educational institution as an official expressive arts training program. Individuals seeking a career in the expressive arts are encouraged to seek appropriate counseling from the institution of their choice. IEATA® and its representatives are not able to provide recommendations for any of these programs. If you know of a program or school that could be added to our listing, please contact the  Educational Resources Committee