Creative Arts Therapist Career & Jobs: Training, Salary & Certification Requirements

Although our family members are our closest relatives and the people that we live with for the majority of our lives, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t often the source of our most intense frustrations and anxieties. When communication breaks down in a family or relationship, it can be hard to figure out what you can do to make it better. Creative arts therapists are professionals who teach people how to better express themselves through different art forms. Creative arts therapists are responsible for interviewing their patients and evaluating where they are in their mental development, and devising ways that art can be used to help them feel more confident, loved, are listened to. Therapists often work closely with psychologists, nurses, social workers and teachers to treat their patients.

Salary Outlook

Average Annual Salary
$36,600
Salary Range
$30,700 - $43,200

Work Environment

In most cases, creative arts therapists find work in environments where patients are being treated for mental illnesses, depression or medical conditions that affect their ability to express feelings and interact with others in a productive manner. Many are employed at nursing homes, hospitals, correctional facilities and halfway houses, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, homes for abused individuals and private counseling practices.

High School Preparation

For students who think that they might enjoy a career as a professional creative arts therapist, it is important that they have a love and talent for many different kinds of art from a young age, including dance, music, visual art and drama. While in high school it is essential that students get high marks in literature, physical education, business management, psychology, sociology, and study of the health occupations/medical professions.

Requirements

After graduating from high school, all individuals that are interested in becoming creative arts therapists are required to complete a liberal arts degree at an accredited college or university. After they have obtained their bachelor’s degree, these individuals must continue on to obtain their master’s degree as well. Following the master’s degree, the individuals must complete a mandated amount of hours of supervised post graduate service. The number of hours that you must complete is decided by the specialty that you choose. Music therapists must complete the most hours of supervised teaching and therapy, and it is important to contact the supervising professional organization to see what the specific requirements are for your area of expertise.

Career Outlook

Although the mainstream medical community has been slow to accept arts therapy as a viable alternative to intensive psychotherapy, more and more patients are demanding options when it comes to mental treatment and rehabilitation. However, the field is still relatively small, and growth will not exceed national averages for the time being.

Professional Organizations

American Art
Therapy Association
1202 Allanson Road
Mundelein, Illinois 60060-3808
Phone: (888) 290-0878
www.arttherapy.org