Do you love using creative approaches to help your clients be more engaged, express themselves, and find new insights?

Are you looking for a deeper, more integrated understanding of how to use art in therapy?

Do you want to be more confident in choosing the art directives and media that will best help your clients?

Fundamentals of Art in Therapy is a 6-week online course that will give you essential knowledge that you need if you are using art in therapy. 

Topics include:
The benefits of art in therapy
Your role as the creative therapist
The Expressive Therapies Continuum as a framework for using art in therapy
How to understand client art
Using art to help clients express emotions and build healthy coping
Practicing mindfulness skills through art
Art directives to help with identity exploration
Special considerations when working with groups and families
Ethics related to art in therapy

Guided art experiences throughout the course will help spark your own creativity and enhance learning.

What To Expect:

The course is 6 units, with a new unit released each week, starting June 16, 2018. Expect each unit to take about 2 hours to complete.

You will learn through informational videos, readings, short reflection questions, and experiential art activities.

In addition to several ideas for art directives to use with your clients, you will get the knowledge and tools you need to be able to tailor art in therapy interventions to individual clients.

You will also be able to build community and get consultation through our Discussion page and private Facebook group.

The current course is full and registration is closed. Please join our wait list email to be notified the next time it is offered.

Notify Me When Registration Opens

Course Curriculum:

  • 1
    Welcome
  • 2
    Basics of Art in Therapy
  • 3
    Exploring the Art - Talking About and Looking at Client Art
  • 4
    Art for Emotional Expression and Identity Exploration
  • 5
    Art for Mindfulness and Relaxation
  • 6
    Art With Families and Groups
  • 7
    Ethics and Clinical Challenges
  • 8
    Conclusion
  • Welcome Course Info Suggested Art Supplies Course Objectives
  • Unit Overview and Directions Personal Creativity Reflection Notes Handout - Basics of Art in Therapy Week 1 Intro Introduction to Art Therapy Benefits of Art in Therapy The Therapist's Role Quiz - Basics of Art in Therapy Art Experiential #1 - Your Therapist Identity Collage
  • Unit Overview and Directions Notes Handout - Exploring The Art Week 2 Intro Talking About The Art Looking At and Understanding the Art Art Experiential #2 - Emotions and Colors Art Experiential #2 Worksheet - Emotions and Colors Developmental Stages in Art The Expressive Therapies Continuum Quiz - Exploring The Art Art Experiential #3 - Expressive Therapies Continuum Integration Self-Reflection - Exploring the Art
  • Unit Overview and Directions Notes Handout - Art for Emotional Expression and Identity Exploration Week 3 Intro Art for Expressing Emotions Art for Positive Coping Art for Self-Expression and Identity Exploration Quiz - Art For Emotional Expression and Identity Exploration Self-Reflection - Art For Emotions Art Experiential #4 - Emotion Series
  • Unit Overview and Directions Notes Handout - Art for Mindfulness and Relaxation Week 4 Intro Mindful Approaches to Art Art Experiential #5 - Mindful Mandala Directives For Mindfulness Practice Art Experiential #6 - Draw Your Breath Art Experiential #7 - Mindful Painting/Drawing to Music Art Experiential #8 - Contour Drawings Quiz - Art for Mindfulness and Relaxation
  • Unit Overview and Directions Notes Handout - Art With Families and Groups Week 5 Intro Art With Families and Group - Benefits and Things To Consider Family and Group Directives Art Experiential #9 - Kinetic Family Drawing Art Experiential #10 - Family Strengths and Values Collage Quiz - Art With Families and Groups
  • Unit Overview and Directions Week 6 Intro Notes Handout - Ethics and Clinical Challenges Ethics and Clinical Challenges Reading - Should Therapists Make Art With Clients? Reading - What Do You Do With The Art After Therapy? Additional Ethics Resources Quiz - Ethics and Clinical Challenges Art Experiential #11 - Growth Sculpture
  • Completing the Course Course Evaluation

Bonus Material

  • Downloadable Handouts

    Note PDFs in each unit can be downloaded for ongoing reference. The handouts will include the essential information from the unit, as well as all the art intervention ideas that are shared, so you don't have to take notes.

  • Consultation

    Have questions or want some consultation as you go through the course? All participants will be able to discuss, ask questions, and get suggestions through a private Facebook group and a course Discussion group.

FAQ

  • Who is this course for?

    This course is for all licensed and pre-licensed counselors and therapists that want to use art and creativity in their clinical work. Maybe you are a mental health professional who is also an artist and you want to be able to bring these two parts of your identity together. Maybe you love to find creative activities to engage your clients, but want to have a more integrated approach. Maybe you want a deeper understanding of what your clients are expressing in their art and how it is helping their healing and growth. You probably don't have time or money to get an Art Therapy degree, so this course aims to give you a stronger foundation.

  • What if I'm not sure I can commit to 2 hours a week? What happens if I get behind?

    One of the great advantages of an online course it that you can work at your own pace and around your own schedule. I hope that you'll be able to keep up as the new units are released. But if you have to miss a week or work a bit slower, you'll have access to the course for a full 3 months.

  • Do I need to have art supplies or anything else?

    You'll need a variety of art materials to complete the hands-on art experiences. Supplies that you'll need include collage images, drawing media like pencils and markers, paint, and your choice of 3D media. I'll share a list of suggestions of some of my favorite materials, but feel free to use anything you already have. You also need a camera (phone is fine) to photograph and upload your completed artwork for each unit.

  • What if I have questions during the course?

    I'll be happy to help! Email me at anytime if you have questions about the course or the material that you are learning. If you are wondering how to implement the ideas with particular clients or need more resources, feel free to ask by email, in the Facebook group, or in the course Discussion feature.

  • Can I get CEUs for this course?

    I am an approved CEU provider for for Texas MFTs, LPCs, and Social Workers. For all other states, please check your license requirements.

  • What types of clients will these ideas be helpful for?

    In my own work as an art therapist, I use art with a wide variety of clients and this experience is reflected in the course. So whether you work with children or adults, individuals or groups, in a private practice or a more intensive setting, this course will have helpful information and ideas that you can put into practice.

  • What if I'm still not sure this course is for me?

    Feel free to email me if you have other questions before signing up. You can reach me at [email protected].

I'm so excited to have you join me for this new course! Art can be an amazing tool to help your clients express themselves, grow, and heal. You will leave the course with a deeper understanding of what your clients are communicating in their art, how the art process can facilitate change, and how you can better guide your clients through creative healing.