Art Therapists
Plan or conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, cognitive, or emotional well-being.
Also known as: Art Psychotherapist, Art Therapist, Art Therapy Specialist, Arts Therapist, Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), Board Certified Arts Therapist (ATR-BC), Certified Art Therapist, Clinical Therapist, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Much faster than average)
What You'd Do
- Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches.
- Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for art therapy.
- Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
- Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.
- Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
- Confer with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.
- Customize art therapy programs for specific client populations, such as those in schools, nursing homes, wellness centers, prisons, shelters, or hospitals.
- Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
- Develop individualized treatment plans that incorporate studio art therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy techniques.
- Establish goals or objectives for art therapy sessions in consultation with clients or site administrators.
- Instruct individuals or groups in the use of art media, such as paint, clay, or yarn.
- Interpret the artistic creations of clients to assess their functioning, needs, or progress.
- Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.
- 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.
- Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.
- Gather client information from sources such as case documentation, client observation, or interviews of client or family members.
- Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment.
- Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines.
- Select or prepare artistic media or related equipment or devices to accomplish therapy session objectives.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.