phd creative arts therapy

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

Creative Arts Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy

Here is a basic guide to creative, brain-wise approaches to therapy..

Posted June 30, 2014 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• What Is Therapy?
• Find a therapist near me

Creative interventions have been formalized through the disciplines of art therapy, music therapy, dance/movement therapy, drama therapy or psychodrama, poetry therapy, and play therapy, including sandtray therapy. Each discipline has been applied in psychotherapy and counseling with individuals of all ages, particularly children, for more than 70 years.

Art, music, dance, drama, and poetry therapies are referred to as “creative arts therapies” because of their roots in the arts and theories of creativity . These therapies and others that utilize self-expression in treatment are also called “expressive therapies” (Malchiodi, 2005; 2013; 2014).

Expressive arts therapies are defined as the use of art, music, drama, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, bibliotherapy, play, and sandplay within the context of psychotherapy, counseling, rehabilitation, or medicine. Additionally, expressive therapies are sometimes referred to as “integrative” when various arts are purposively used in combination in treatment.

Individual approaches to creative arts therapy are defined as follows:

Art therapy is the purposeful use of visual arts materials and media in intervention, counseling, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation; it is used with individuals of all ages, families, and groups (Edwards, 2004; Malchiodi, 2012).

Music therapy is the prescribed use of music to effect positive changes in the psychological, physical, cognitive, or social functioning of individuals with health or educational problems (American Music Therapy Association, 2014; Wheeler, 2014).

Drama therapy is the systematic and intentional use of drama/theater processes, products, and associations to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional and physical integration, and personal growth. It is an active approach that helps the client tell his or her story to solve a problem, achieve catharsis, extend the depth and breadth of his or her inner experience, understand the meaning of images, and strengthen his or her ability to observe personal roles while increasing flexibility between roles (National Association for Drama Therapy, 2014).

Dance/movement therapy is based on the assumption that body and mind are interrelated and is defined as the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process that furthers the emotional, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual. Dance/movement therapy effects changes in feelings, cognition , physical functioning, and behavior (American Dance Therapy Association, 2014).

Poetry therapy and bibliotherapy are terms used synonymously to describe the intentional use of poetry and other forms of literature for healing and personal growth.

Play therapy is the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development (Crenshaw & Stewart, 2014; Webb, 2007).

Sandplay therapy is a creative form of psychotherapy that uses a sandbox and a large collection of miniatures to enable a client to explore the deeper layers of his or her psyche in a totally new format; by constructing a series of “sand pictures,” a client is helped to illustrate and integrate his or her psychological condition.

Integrative approaches involve two or more expressive therapies to foster awareness, encourage emotional growth, and enhance relationships with others. This approach distinguishes itself by combining modalities within a therapy session. Integrative approaches are based on a variety of orientations, including arts as therapy, arts psychotherapy, and the use of arts for traditional healing (Estrella, 2005; Knill, Levine, & Levine, 2005).

While some practitioners define art, dance/movement, music, or drama therapies as play therapies, creative arts therapies and expressive therapies are not merely subsets of play therapy and have a long history in mental health with distinct approaches. While the arts may sometimes be a form of play, encouraging individuals to express themselves through a painting, music, or dance involves an understanding of the media beyond the scope of play. In brief, the arts therapies are different from play therapy because they integrate knowledge of art with principles of psychotherapy and related fields.

In addition to the disciplines and approaches mentioned above, many therapists integrate activities that enhance relaxation as part of trauma intervention. Relaxation techniques often include creative components such as music, movement, or art-making. For example, guided imagery or visualization , meditation , yoga, and other methods of stress reduction are also used with individuals who have experienced trauma or loss.

Finally, art, music, and dance/movement therapies and other creative interventions such as play have sometimes been incorrectly labeled as “nonverbal” therapies. They are both verbal and nonverbal because verbal communication of thoughts and feelings is a central part of therapy in most situations. In fact, most therapists who use these methods integrate them within a psychotherapy approach, including but not limited to psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, developmental, systems, narrative, solution-focused, and others.

There are also creative interventions that specifically focus on verbal communication and self-expression as part of treatment, such as drama therapy, creative writing, and poetry therapy, and bibliotherapy. In all cases, these approaches are "brain- wise " interventions that stimulate whole-brain responses to help individuals of all ages experience reparation, recovery and well-being.

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

© 2014 Cathy Malchiodi, PhD

American Dance Therapy Association. (2007). What is dance therapy?

American Music Therapy Association. (2014). Music therapy makes a difference: What is music therapy?

Crenshaw, D., & Stewart, A. (eds.). (2014). A Comprehensive Guide to Play therapy. New York: Guilford Press.

Estrella, K. (2005). Expressive therapy: An integrated arts approach. In C. A. Malchiodi (Ed.), Expressive therapies (pp. 183–209). New York: Guilford Press.

Knill, P., Levine, E., & Levine, S. (2005). Principles and practice of expressive arts therapy: Towards a therapeutic aesthetics. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley.

Malchiodi, C. A. (2005). Expressive therapies. New York: Guilford Press.

Malchiodi, C.A. (Ed.). (2013). Art therapy and healthcare . New York: Guilford Press.

Malchiodi, C.A. (2014). Creative arts therapy approaches to attachment issues. In C. Malchiodi & D. Crenshaw (Eds.), Creative Arts and Play Therapy for Attachment Problems (pp. 3-18). New York: Guilford Press.

National Association for Drama Therapy. (2007). Frequently asked questions about drama therapy: What is drama therapy?

Webb, N. B. (Ed). (2007). Play therapy with children in crisis: Individual, group, and family treatment (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Wheeler, B. (2015). Music therapy handbook . New York: Guilford Press.

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.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

Creative Arts Therapies Explained: 18 Best Courses and Ideas

In ancient Greece and Rome, participation in theater acts was “prescribed” for individuals with depression or anxiety.

Likewise, tribal communities around the globe have been using dance, music, and painting in healing for millennia (Degges-White, 2011).

If you’re interested in taking the next step in your career to become a creative arts therapist, look no further. In this article, we’ll give you a basic introduction to the field of creative arts therapies, recommend some training options, and point you toward our favorite resources you can use with your art therapy clients today.

Before you continue reading, we thought you might like to download our three Grief Exercises [PDF] for free . These science-based tools will help you move yourself or others through grief in a compassionate way.

This Article Contains:

What are creative arts therapies, a brief history of creative arts therapies, how to become a creative arts therapist, training options: 9 courses and degrees, 5 best online programs to consider, how to use creative arts in counseling, top 4 activities and ideas for your sessions, helpful resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message.

Creative arts therapies (CATs) involve

“the implementation of an arts intervention by a trained, credentialed creative arts therapist; the presence of a systematic psychotherapeutic process; and the use of individualized treatment interventions.”

Bradt & Goodill, 2013, p. 970

Like other therapies, CATs address patients’ specific therapeutic issues and include the phases of patient assessment , treatment, and evaluation. Further, CAT interventions can consist of a broad range of artistic practices, including (Bradt & Goodill, 2013):

• Dance/movement
• Expressive writing
• Psychodrama

CAT differs from more general art-related healthcare practices in that CAT practitioners should be licensed and accredited.

Another difference is that more general art-related healthcare practices encompass a broad continuum of care, and the patient may play a more or less active role in the performance or creation of the art.

For instance, a performance put on by a group of artists for a patient would fall under the broader umbrella of general art-related healthcare but not be considered CAT, which centers around patient involvement as part of a targeted psychotherapeutic intervention.

When did it begin?

Founded in 1855, St. Elizabeths Hospital’s Department of Behavioral Health in Washington, D.C., had pioneering campuses in the therapeutic fields of art, music, dance, bibliotherapy, and psychodrama, and is widely considered to be the birthplace of CAT.

Marian Chace, a dancer and therapist born in Rhode Island, believed that dance was a powerful medium through which humans could meet their essential need for communication and understanding (Winerman, 2005). She is recognized as one of the first to use dance to meet the needs of patients with severe mental health challenges, practicing at St. Elizabeths Hospital in the 1940s after observing the positive effects that movement could have on symptoms of trauma (Sandel, Chaiklin, & Lohn, 1993).

A key figure in the founding of the American Dance Therapy Association, Chace ultimately became the Association’s first president and has left a long legacy of dignity and compassion in her work.

Arleen Hynes, a librarian and bibliotherapist at St. Elizabeths, discovered that inviting her patients to relate to poems resulted in evocative and creative responses that expressed their inner lives (Winerman, 2005; Rossiter, 2004). She began focusing on literature that stimulated the imagination rather than on narratives and trained herself to conduct therapy with poetry (Lamb & Friday, 2006).

Download 3 Grief & Bereavement Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with tools to process grief and move forward after experiencing loss.

Download 3 Free Grief Tools Pack (PDF)

By filling out your name and email address below.

• Email Address *
• Your Expertise * Your expertise Therapy Coaching Education Counseling Business Healthcare Other
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The requirements for becoming a CAT will differ between countries and states.

The minimum qualifications for conducting any form of therapy involve different supervised internship hours and accreditation requirements.

To learn more, be sure to look at our dedicated article How to Become a Therapist: Requirements, Degrees, & Experience  or consider purchasing our in-depth guide, On Becoming a Therapist .

The standard pathway for becoming a CAT typically proceeds as follows (New York Health Careers, n.d.):

• Complete a bachelor’s degree that includes coursework in both creative arts and psychopathology.
• Complete a master’s degree in CAT from a registered/accredited program.
• Complete a minimum number of supervised internship hours (e.g., in New York, this is 1,500 hours).
• Undergo accreditation to practice therapy in your country or state.
• Pass a CAT test/exam, such as the Art Therapy Credentials Board, the Certification Board for Music Therapists, or the New York State Case Narrative Exam.

Interested in being trained as a creative arts therapist? Here are some of the degree options around the world.

Bachelor’s degrees

The following bachelor’s programs are recommended entry points for learning about CAT. They do not fully prepare students for licensure or certification to practice CAT, as this requires a minimum of a master’s degree.

The University of Tampa – Bachelor of Arts in Art Therapy, USA

This BA program gives students a well-rounded introduction to the therapeutic arts, teaching its applications for working with a range of intrapsychic phenomena.

Particular applications include the use of arts for personal growth, rehabilitation, and self-awareness .

The program includes topics on the following art mediums:

• Printmaking

You can learn more on the program’s website .

University of South Wales – Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Creative and Therapeutic Arts, Australia

This bachelor’s program allows students to develop their future practice as a CAT in community and educational settings.

Across three years, students will learn innovative creative and therapeutic arts methods through art practice placements and theory-related skill building from leading experts.

Placement opportunities include those in community settings, such as women’s centers and children’s play therapy settings.

Find out more on the program’s website .

Ikon Institute of Australia – Bachelor of Arts Therapy, Australia

This undergraduate program gives students a broad knowledge of psychotherapy and therapeutic skills while emphasizing the processes of art therapy.

In particular, students will practice the artistic modes of:

• Visual arts
• Storytelling

For electives, students can choose topics including eco-psychotherapy, art and social action, indigenous approaches to health and wellbeing, and dreams and symbols.

Master’s degrees

The following is a sample of accredited master’s programs designed to prepare students for licensure and certification as a CAT.

Pratt Institute – Creative Arts Therapy Graduate Degrees, USA

New York’s Pratt Institute is a global leader in higher education, offering two accredited graduate degrees in CATs.

The Master of Professional Studies in Art Therapy and Creativity Development is an accredited 60-credit program synthesizing creative, aesthetic decision-making and psychotherapeutic practice and theory through experiential learning.

The Master of Science in Dance/Movement Therapy is structured similarly but emphasizes dance/movement as the means for therapeutic change based on the healing processes proposed by psychodynamic theory .

You can learn more about these programs on the institute’s website .

Leeds Beckett University – Master of Art Psychotherapy Practice, UK

This program, run in partnership with Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, is designed to meet the national training criteria to practice and register as an art therapist or art psychotherapist in the United Kingdom.

Training focuses on developing students’ ability to deliver safe and effective care using visual art and image making. It also gives students access to work placements in a broad range of settings, including general hospitals, disability services, and forensics.

You can learn more on the program’s website or by viewing the program’s course overview .

University of Melbourne – Master of Creative Arts Therapy, Australia

This two-year degree program provides an overview of theories related to health treatment involving the arts, which can be applied in a range of contexts.

Students will learn about contemporary practices in the field of art therapy and explore the similarities, differences, and differing effects of various art forms.

Several Australian licensure bodies accredit the program for CAT and connect students with a broad range of placement opportunities.

You can learn more on the University of Melbourne’s website .

Doctoral programs

Note that the following doctoral programs are designed to help students pursue a nonclinical career or expand on other programs’ clinical licenses. They do not prepare graduates for clinical licensure or certification.

Saybrook University – PhD in Psychology: Creativity Studies Specialization, USA

In this doctoral program, students will discover the value of nurturing creativity to help achieve health and organizational outcomes.

In particular, students will learn to analyze and conduct psychological research while strengthening their skills to work in a range of public, private, and nonprofit sectors, such as the arts, health, consulting, and social transformation.

To learn more, visit the program’s website .

Florida State University – PhD or EdD in Art Education: Concentration in Art Therapy, USA

The art education PhD or EdD at Florida State teaches students the skills to make substantial academic contributions to the field of art therapy, with many of this program’s students making major contributions to the literature in faculties and colleges around the United States.

In particular, students of this program will gain the skills to teach, lead research teams, publish and present findings, engage in advanced clinical practice, and develop art therapy education programs.

To learn more, visit the program’s website or view the College of Fine Art’s handbook .

University of Haifa – School of Creative Arts Therapies Doctoral Programs, Israel

Israel’s School of Creative Arts Therapies at the University of Haifa offers creative arts therapy PhD programs with the following specializations:

• Art therapy
• Music therapy
• Dance/movement therapy
• Drama therapy

These programs are designed to train students in the skills to forward research in CAT, focusing on theory development, evidence-based practice , and basic and applied research.

You can learn more about these programs and get contact information by visiting the program’s website and downloading their information leaflet .

For even more programs and information, be sure to take a look at the American Art Therapy Association’s website .

If you’re looking to complete a university-level qualification in CAT, know that many programs have online or blended modes of instruction. To get the latest information on the availability of these online options, we recommend reaching out to advisors at your chosen college or university.

Edinboro University – Master of Arts in Counseling, USA

Edinboro University in Pennsylvania is one of the few universities worldwide offering a 100%-online master’s program in art counseling.

The program is accredited and provides students with a solid theoretical and practical foundation upon which to build your own art counseling practice.

Students are invited to select a practicum opportunity and internship in a specialty area of their choice in their local community. This course can also be taken as an abbreviated post-master’s certificate by those who already have a master’s in a related field and are looking to expand an existing skill set.

You can learn more about this program and its offerings on Edinboro University’s website .

Certificates and diplomas

If you’re looking to dip a toe in the field of creative arts therapy or expand an existing skill set, consider the following online training options:

• College for Educational and Clinical Art Therapy (CECAT) Servicing over 30 countries via its online offerings, CECAT offers a range of certificates, diplomas, and introductory courses in English, German, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, and Arabic.
• Healing With the Arts ( available on Coursera ) The activities in this four-week course offered by the University of Florida draw on dance, visual arts, music, and writing to help students discover their inner artist and promote physical, spiritual, cognitive, and emotional healing within themselves.
• Therapeutic Art Life Coach Certification ( available on Udemy ) With a focus on tools about releasing pain, finding meaning, and accessing intuition , this course supports licensed therapists and coaches looking for new tools and ideas to integrate into their practice.
• Positive Psychology Art Coaching ( available on Udemy ) This course teaches coaching that supports children’s self-esteem , confidence, and wellbeing using arts and can be adapted for a combination of one-to-one and online group coaching sessions.

Just as the arts have taken hold in therapy, there are many avenues to apply the arts in counseling. Further, there are often many advantages to doing so.

Here are just a few ways you might use creative arts to support the clients of your counseling practice (Degges-White, 2011):

• The arts are universal and can help a diversity of people across cultures and demographics.
• Visual arts can aid people with limited verbal ability or in situations with language barriers.
• Music therapy has been shown to benefit individuals with age-related diseases/disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
• Movement through dance can help people with physical disabilities stretch and gain mobility.
• Expressive writing is accessible to people of different abilities through tools such as dictation and specialist keyboards.

Overall, creative arts can help counselors move beyond simply talking to discover innovative pathways to achieving a client’s goals.

For more useful resources, look at the books Integrating the Expressive Arts Into Counseling Practice by Suzanne Degges-White and Nancy Davis and The Creative Arts in Counseling by Samuel Gladding. Also check out our article Expressive Arts Therapy: 15 Creative Activities and Techniques which is specifically dedicated to Expressive Art Therapy.

Art as empowerment: the virtue of art therapy – Ann Lawton

For useful ideas for your next creative arts therapy session, consider the following free worksheets:

• 3-Month Vision Board This worksheet encourages your clients to set three-month goals by drawing pictures of their ideal future in eight life domains.
• Honesty: Why, How, and What As a learning exercise rather than a specific therapeutic intervention, this worksheet begins with a series of questions and reflections about honest versus dishonest behavior and concludes with an activity inviting children to illustrate their understanding of honesty by creating a poster.
• Drawing Your Fears This exercise invites children to identify a scenario that is causing them anxiety and draw different ways the scenario might unfold to result in different outcomes.
• Gratitude Gifts This activity invites children to reflect on things or people for which they are grateful. They are then asked to draw what they are grateful for in a series of gift boxes.

For even more ideas, be sure to check out our dedicated blog posts exploring therapy via the visual arts , movement , narrative , drama , and music.

World’s Largest Positive Psychology Resource

The Positive Psychology Toolkit© is a groundbreaking practitioner resource containing over 500 science-based exercises , activities, interventions, questionnaires, and assessments created by experts using the latest positive psychology research.

Updated monthly. 100% Science-based.

“The best positive psychology resource out there!” — Emiliya Zhivotovskaya , Flourishing Center CEO

For even more useful ideas, consider checking out the many resources available through the Positive Psychology Toolkit© . This toolkit contains over 400 carefully developed tools to support your therapy or counseling practice, with many templates centering on the creative arts.

Here, we illustrate one activity from this resource as an example of the way color and creativity can be used to strengthen understanding of links between the body and one’s emotions.

Visualizing the Bodily Experience of an Emotion

This exercise aims to increase emotional awareness by inviting clients to explore and draw their emotions in the body.

• Materials Colored pencils, watercolor paints, crayons, or textas; blank silhouettes/outlines in the shape of a body, printed on sheets of paper.
• Introduction Have you ever noticed that different emotions manifest differently and in different areas in your body? For example, when we are angry, we might feel heat rush to our heads, chest, and fists; when we are sad, we might feel a heaviness in the chest and tired all over. In this exercise, you will explore and draw where you feel your emotions in your body.
• Activity Steps First, choose an emotion. This could be an emotion you have been struggling with recently or one you are experiencing presently, such as anxiety, anger, or happiness. Next, take two of the pieces of paper with the outline of a body. On one template, use the different colors and materials to represent which parts of the body feel most activated (i.e., sensations feel stronger or faster) when you are experiencing this emotion. On another template, indicate which parts of the body feel most deactivated (i.e., sensations feel weaker or slower) when experiencing this emotion.
• Wrapping Up Complete the previous steps for any other emotions that you are curious about, pleasant or unpleasant. Doing so will allow you to become more aware of and familiar with your emotions and recognize them in your body when they arise.

For a done-for-you version of this activity, including facilitation instructions and printable templates, be sure to take a look at the Positive Psychology Toolkit© .

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others move through grief in a compassionate way, this collection contains 17 validated grief and bereavement exercises . Use them to help others find balance as they attempt to make sense of a life that has been irrevocably changed.

CAT is a well-established yet growing practice, and demand for therapists trained in CAT may well increase.

At the core of creative arts therapy is a focus on the act of creating art rather than the final product. By emphasizing this focus, practitioners can give clients opportunities for self-expression and discovery of unseen parts of themselves, making the shift to a creative medium or mode often worth it.

We hope this article has inspired you to consider a career in creative arts therapy or to begin integrating artistic practices into the care you provide. If you know of any other resources or avenues for training in this field, be sure to let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear from you.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Grief Exercises [PDF] for free .

• Bradt, J., & Goodill, S. (2013). Creative arts therapies defined: Comment on “Effects of creative arts therapies on psychological symptoms and quality of life in patients with cancer”. JAMA Internal Medicine , 173 (11), 969–969.
• Degges-White, S. (2011). Introduction to the use of expressive arts in counseling. In S. Degges-White & N. Davis (Eds.), Integrating the expressive arts into counseling practice (pp. 1–6). Springer.
• Hynes, A., & Hynes-Berry, M. (2011). Biblio/poetry therapy: The interactive process: A handbook (3rd ed.). North Star Press.
• Lamb, Y. S., & Friday, W. P. S. W. (2006, September 15). Arleen Hynes, 90: Bibliotherapy pioneer. The Washington Post . https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/14/AR2006091401712.html
• New York Health Careers. (n.d.). Creative arts therapists . University at Albany, SUNY, School of Public Health. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareersinfo.net/creative-arts-therapists/
• Rossiter, C. (2004). Blessed and delighted: An interview with Arleen Hynes, poetry therapy pioneer. Journal of Poetry Therapy , 17 (4), 215–222.
• Sandel, S., Chaiklin, S., & Lohn, A. (Eds.). (1993). Foundations of dance/movement therapy: The life and work of Marian Chace . American Dance Therapy Association.
• Winerman, L. (2005). Express yourself! Psychologists are bringing creative arts therapies into the mainstream. Monitor on Psychology , 2 (36), 34–35.

Share this article:

Article feedback

What our readers think.

Unfortunately this profession is not regulated here in Australia. It is a good overview, however, it is disappointing to see undergraduate programs listed, which are expensive and are not the international minimum standard to become an art therapist, and that you have left out The University of Queensland’s (School of Medicine/Department of Psychiatry) Master of Mental Health-Art Therapy, which is a highly regarded post-graduate program.

Thank you Karis to mention the Mater Program of Mental Health-Art Therapy in your country. I agree with you that the overview is fine and a help to get informed about the differenct landscapes of trainings. I am dissapointed that the announcement of the free “Grief PDF” turned out to be a salary promotion. I would not have given my email for that. Giving my email was a “thank you” to https://positivepsychology.com for getting more newsletter suscribers and potential users

Good day Freda,

My apologies in advance should have accidentaly received incorrect worksheets. Could you please verify whether the three free grief worksheets included the ‘Drawing Grief Tool’, ‘Objects of Connection’ and the ‘Prescription to Grieve Tool’? Which worksheet did you perceive as a salary promotion?

I will definitely look into this upon your feedback.

Annelé Venter Publisher

Let us know your thoughts Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related articles

Reminiscence Therapy vs. Life Review Therapy: A Quick Guide

Remembering is a powerful skill. It has the potential to help us revisit the positive emotions of our past, while improving our connections with ourselves [...]

Breakup Therapy: How to Help Clients Cope With Grief

Everyone who has experienced love has, most likely, faced a painful breakup. Ongoing research is beginning to recognize that the feelings associated with losing a [...]

How to Treat Complicated Grief in Therapy: 12 Examples

Each grief experience is unique, yet we share the need to have it witnessed without someone attempting to lessen it or find ways to reframe [...]

Read other articles by their category

• Body & Brain (50)
• Coaching & Application (58)
• Compassion (25)
• Counseling (51)
• Emotional Intelligence (23)
• Gratitude (18)
• Grief & Bereavement (21)
• Happiness & SWB (40)
• Meaning & Values (26)
• Meditation (20)
• Mindfulness (44)
• Motivation & Goals (45)
• Optimism & Mindset (34)
• Positive CBT (30)
• Positive Communication (22)
• Positive Education (47)
• Positive Emotions (32)
• Positive Leadership (19)
• Positive Parenting (16)
• Positive Psychology (34)
• Positive Workplace (37)
• Productivity (18)
• Relationships (43)
• Resilience & Coping (38)
• Self Awareness (21)
• Self Esteem (38)
• Strengths & Virtues (32)
• Stress & Burnout Prevention (34)
• Theory & Books (46)
• Therapy Exercises (37)
• Types of Therapy (64)

• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

ART THERAPY PRE-PROFESSIONAL UNDERGRADUATE AND DOCTORAL PROGRAMS

The listing of educational programs on this page is not indicative of an endorsement by aata., undergraduate pre-professional learning.

Millikin University 1184 W. Main St., Decatur, IL 62522 Program: BFA in Art Therapy or BA in Art Therapy Contact: Jonathan Haag, DAT, LCSW, ATR-BC, Assistant Professor of Art Therapy Phone: 217-424-6227 Email: [email protected]

Massachusetts

Russell Sage College 65 1st Street, Troy, NY 12180 Program: BS in Creative Arts in Therapy Contact: Leigh Davies, ATR-BC, LCAT, LMFT, Director of Creative Arts in Therapy Phone: 518-244-2437 Email : [email protected]

North Carolina

Pennsylvania.

Mercyhurst University 501 East 38th St., Erie, PA 16546 Program: BA in Art Therapy Contact: Heather Denning, MA, ATR-BC, ATCS, LSW Phone: 814-824-2212 , Director of Art Therapy Email: [email protected]

Seton Hill University One Seton Hill Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601 Program: Art Therapy Major (BA) Contact: Patti Ghubril, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, Program Coordinator Email: [email protected]

Temple University, Tyler School of Art and Architecture 2001 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122 Program: BA in Art Therapy Contact: Dr. Lisa Kay, ATR-BC, Program Director Phone: 215-777-9090 Email: [email protected]

The University of the Arts 320 S. Broad St., Philadelpia, PA 19102 Program: BFA with Minor in Art Therapy Contact: Michelle L. Dean, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, CGP, Director of Art Therapy Minor Program Phone: 215-717-6236 Email:  [email protected]

South Carolina

Mount Mary University 2900 North Menomonee River Pkwy, Milwaukee, WI 53222 Program : BA in Art Therapy Contact : Christopher Belkofer, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC Phone : 414-930-3049 (Admissions), 414-930-3250 (Art Therapy Department) Email : [email protected]

Alverno College 3400 S. 43rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53234 Program : BA in Art Therapy Contact : Dr. Kelly J. Henckel, DAT, ATRL-BC, LPC Phone : 414-382-6147 Email : [email protected]

DOCTORAL PROGRAMS

Lesley University 29 Everett St., Cambridge, MA 02138 Program: Low Residency PhD Program in Expressive Therapies Contact: For information about visitation days, campus tours, virtual information sessions and scheduling an appointment with an admissions counselor please visit here . Phone: 617-349-8300 Email: [email protected]

Please email changes or corrections for your listing to the AATA National Office .

College of Nursing and Health Professions

Phd in creative arts therapies.

December 19, 2023

Doctoral students have the opportunity to work with art, music and dance/movement therapy researchers as part of their education.

Creative Arts Therapies Labs

Music, creativity and wellness lab.

The work in lab has received major funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Most recently, Dr. Bradt was awarded a $2.3M grant by the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health at NIH to build the Music4Pain Network. This network will bring together multidisciplinary researchers to advance mechanistic understanding of how music helps to reduce pain.

Mind-Body & Movement Research for Whole-Person Health Lab

Dr. Shim's research primarily involves using rigorous methodological designs and an interdisciplinary lens to explore the feasibility and efficacy of dance/movement therapy (DMT) in enhancing health outcomes for individuals coping with medical conditions. This also includes elucidating the treatment mechanisms of DMT specified by theory.

The lab's research endeavors have garnered support from federal entities, such as the National Institute of Health, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the National Endowment for the Arts. Key projects have delved into the benefits of mindfulness-based DMT in managing chronic pain and fostering healthy aging. Recently, the lab has been extending its reach by incorporating technological innovations like online interventions and virtual reality, furthering the scope and impact of Dr. Shim’s work.

Health, Arts, Learning and Evaluation (HALE) Research Lab

In her current studies, Dr. Kaimal is examining outcomes of art therapy for military service members with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress, narratives from Gulf war veterans and arts-based approaches to mitigate chronic stress among patients and caregivers in pediatric hematology/oncology units. Additional international research projects include examining the therapeutic underpinnings of indigenous and traditional art forms and creative self-expression in times of adversity across the human lifespan.

Living out her research interests, she has been a lifelong visual artist and her art explores the intersection of identity and representation of emotion.

PhD Student Spotlights

Asli arslanbek, ma, atr-bc.

Her doctoral research is centered on the characteristics of arts-based psychosocial support training in humanitarian emergency settings. Asli is particularly interested in capacity building in using arts-based psychosocial support interventions in post-disaster and humanitarian emergency contexts. She is keen to explore the efficacy of arts-based interventions on improved well-being and mechanisms of change in art therapy in these areas in the future.

Monica Gaydos, MA, R-DMT, RYT-200

Stephenie Sofield, MA, MT-BC

A Message from the Founding Director

Learn more about updates regarding the 2024–2025 FAFSA process.

School of Art

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Continuing Studies
• Study Abroad
• Center K–12
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Undergraduate Advising

Admissions & Aid

• Undergraduate
• Admissions Contacts
• Student Financial Services

Life at Pratt

• Life in Brooklyn
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Residential Life & Housing
• Health & Safety
• Student Success
• Athletics & Recreation
• Student Involvement
• Student Affairs
• Title IX & Nondiscrimination
• Current Students
• Prospective Students
• International Students
• Administrative Departments
• People Directory

Art and Design Education

• Art and Design Education, Undergraduate
• Art and Design Education, Graduate

Associate Degrees

• Game Design and Interactive Media, AOS
• Graphic Design, AOS
• Illustration, AOS
• Graphic Design/Illustration, AAS
• Painting/Drawing, AAS

Creative Arts Therapy

• Art Therapy and Creativity Development, MPS
• Art Therapy and Creativity Development, MPS, Low Residency Program
• Dance/Movement Therapy, MS
• Dance/Movement Therapy, MS, Low Residency Program

Creative Enterprise Leadership

• Arts and Cultural Management, MPS
• Design Management, MPS

Digital Arts and Animation

• Digital Arts, BFA (Emphasis in 2-D Animation)
• Digital Arts, BFA (Emphasis in 3-D Animation and Motion Arts)
• Digital Arts, BFA (Emphasis in Art & Technology/formerly Interactive Arts)
• Game Arts, BFA
• Digital Arts, MFA (3-D Animation and Motion Arts Concentration)
• Digital Arts, MFA (Interactive Arts Concentration)
• Fine Arts, BFA
• Fine Arts, MFA

Photography

• Photography Undergraduate
• Photography Graduate
• About the School of Art
• School of Art Exhibitions
• SoArt Lectures
• School of Art >
• Creative Arts Therapy >

Art Therapy at Pratt

Creative, aesthetic, and psychotherapeutic theory come together in everything we do. Artwork is done in every course and is used to learn a range of therapeutic skills. Experiential processes translate the theoretical framework into personal and practical application. You’ll focus on a variety of populations over the course of two years of clinical training.

The Experience

The MPS in Art Therapy and Creativity Development is a 60-credit program for students who want a diverse skill set, balanced with a strong theoretical framework. Interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and justice-driven, our Creative Arts Therapy community is connected by a shared mission for transformative change. Pratt’s Art Therapy program can be completed in 4 semesters of full-time study. All courses are offered on the Pratt Brooklyn campus.

Internships

We believe creative and clinical practices are best developed together, each informing and improving the other. Internships are a vital part of the hallmark experiential learning process. Much of the coursework draws directly from clinical experiences and processing of client material. Students complete internship experiences in an array of site placements, including inpatient hospitals, community mental health agencies, and school-based settings, among others.

The mission of the Creative Arts Therapy Department at Pratt Institute is to provide the highest level of clinical training in art and dance/movement therapy, preparing graduates to work effectively with people from diverse communities. Our unique teaching philosophy is based on a combination of personal experience, didactic learning, and practical application, and is rooted in the primacy of creative process and psychodynamic theory. We offer an integration of historical perspectives and current andragogy, leading to applications of practice in a variety of settings. The program combines the power of non-verbal communication, artistic process, and embodied creative action. Our students develop self-awareness and recognition of their unique attributes through experiential learning. They acquire an increased sense of self and resiliency, which is translated to their work as creative arts therapists.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify and utilize their own internal processes in service of therapeutic interventions.
• Students will comprehend and apply creative and aesthetic processes in the context of creative arts therapy theory and practice.
• Students will be able to establish a therapeutic relationship using imagery, movement, symbolization, and verbalization; and recognize shifts within that developing relationship.
• Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of psychodynamic theory within the context of creative arts therapy practice in the service of diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing evaluation.
• Students will be able to articulate clinical theory and applied practice through writing, research, oral presentation, and professional advocacy across broad interdisciplinary communities.  
• Students will be able to apply ethical and professional codes of practice as they apply to clinical practices, communities, and self.
• Students will be able to understand the intersectionality of power, privilege, and oppression as they apply to clinical practices, communities and self.

Our Faculty

Alongside their teaching roles, our faculty are accomplished artists who integrate creative and clinical practices every day in their work. See all Creative Arts Therapy faculty and administrators .

Students in Action

Impacts of Baking as Art Therapy on Stress and Anxiety in Adults

Connection in Isolation

Success Stories

Using Art and Dance to Promote Healing in Internships at Rikers Island and Providence House

Prattfolio Story

The Art of Holding

Educating for the Future: Creative Arts Therapy Chair Julie Miller

How We Lead: Drena Fagen, MPS Art Therapy ’02, and Nadia Jenefsky, MPS Art Therapy ’99

Ready for more.

School of Art Pratt Institute

@soartpratt

From the Catalog

Sample courses.

• ADT-630 Clinical Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment 3 credits
• ADT-632 Research and Thesis 3 credits
• ADT-635 Art Therapy Open Studio 3 credits
• ADT-640 Development Of Personality I 3 credits
• ADT-641 Creative Arts Therapy I 3 credits

Program Overview

The program’s structure.

Both the MPS in Art Therapy and Creativity Development and MS in Dance/Movement Therapy Master’s are 60-credit programs providing a synthesis of creative, aesthetic, and psychotherapeutic theory. Courses offer a thorough theoretical framework that is translated into personal and practical application through an experiential process. Artwork and/or movement is done in every course and is used to learn therapeutic skills. Students focus on a wide variety of populations and are required to work with a different population for each of the two years of fieldwork/internship/practicum. Both programs are for students who want a broad body of skills, balanced with a strong theoretical framework. 

ACADEMIC-YEAR FORMAT

The academic year format offers classes in a traditional manner, with classes in fall and spring semesters, for 15 weeks each semester.  The cycle of classes is as follows: students take courses and fieldwork/practicum/internship from September through May for two consecutive years.  Students in the low residency format are admitted for the spring semester only.

Master of Arts

• Creative Arts Therapy Counseling

Enhance the lives of others with the healing qualities of art making with an MA in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling. As an art therapist, you’ll be able to combine counseling strategies with creative expression to help individuals struggling with mental illness grow and thrive. This 60-credit degree program features small, intimate class sizes with a focus on experiential learning and strong faculty-student relationships.

Your courses and the program’s integrated field experience will prepare you for licensure (LCAT) in New York State and to sit for the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination (ATCBE). You’ll receive a well-rounded and interprofessional education with new and refined courses in the areas of ethics, diversity, aging and development, and career counseling.

The Hofstra University Creative Arts Therapy Counseling program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE), 9355 113th St N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775; 727-210-2350; www.caahep.org .

The Master of Arts in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling program is a 60-credit degree and prepares graduates for licensure in NYS as a Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) and to sit for the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination (ATCBE).

Our small, intimate class sizes and diverse student body, as well as the didactic and clinical aspects of the program prepare our students for successful careers in art therapy.  The program features new and refined courses in the areas of ethics, diversity, aging and development, career counseling, and experiential learning.

About the Master's Program

• Adelphi to Hofstra Pathway
• Graduate Program Details
• Program Highlights
• Admission & Curriculum
• Financial Aid
• Creative Arts Therapy Club at Hofstra (CATCH)
• Student Spotlights
• Alumni Spotlights
• Program Outcomes

2021-2022 Retention Average

Retention Detailed Analysis and Action Plan not required.

Positive Placement by Graduation Year 2023

2021-2022 Positive Placement Average

Positive Placement Detailed Analysis and Action Plan not required.

Adelphi University/Hofstra University Graduate Study Partnership

Hofstra University and Adelphi University have launched a streamlined partnership to expand student success to a Master’s in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling.

Adelphi students with a BA in Fine Arts, a BFA in Fine Arts or a BA in Psychology can now smoothly transition to continue their graduate studies at Hofstra in the MA in Creative Arts Therapy Counseling program.

For Adelphi students looking to learn more about the partnership program, please contact Professor Kellyann Monaghan at [email protected] .

To learn more about the Hofstra University Creative Arts Therapy Counseling MA program, please contact Program Director Morgan Gaydos at [email protected] .

Showcase Your Creativity

Prepare For Your Career In Creative Arts Therapy

• Licensure and Certification
• Career Pathways
• Professional Resources
• Internships at the On-Campus Clinic

Morgan Gaydos LCAT, ATR-BC Program Director and Adjunct Instructor Phone: (516) 463-5300 214 Hagedorn Hall Email

Deborah Elkis-Abuhoff, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, BCPC Associate Professor Email

Sojung Park, PhD, LCAT, ATR-BC Assistant Professor Phone: (516) 463-6456 Email

Adjunct Faculty:

• Vivien H. Abrams, LCAT, ATR-BC, CASAC
• Joan Alpers, MSP, LCAT, ATR-BC, CCLS
• Jennifer Anderson, LCAT, ATR-BC
• Nick Farr, MS, MT-BC-LCAT
• Morgan Gaydos, MA, LCAT, ATR-BC
• Michelle A. Hololob, MS, ATR-BC, LCAT, ATCS
• Elyse A. Miller, MA, LCAT, CLAT, LPAT, ATR-BC, ATCS, CLL-E, CCTP, Director of Internship, Practicum and Assessment, Department of Counseling and Mental Health Professions
• Sheryl Stern, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, LMFT
• Lisa Wisel, ADTR

Department of Creative Arts Therapy

Art Therapy

• •  ATR 600 - Selected Topics
• •  ATR 612 - Theories and Practice of Group Art Therapy
• •  ATR 613 - Theories of Counseling and Art Therapy
• •  ATR 614 - Materials and Techniques of Art Therapy Practice
• •  ATR 615 - Social and Cultural Considerations in Art Therapy and Counseling
• •  ATR 616 - Art Therapy Supervised Practicum/Internship I
• •  ATR 617 - Professional Orientation, Ethical and Legal Issues in Art Therapy and Counseling
• •  ATR 618 - Helping Relationships and Applications in Art Therapy and Counseling
• •  ATR 718 - Internship II
• •  ATR 719 - Internship III
• •  ATR 720 - Assessment
• •  ATR 721 - Art Therapy Research and Evaluation
• •  ATR 722 - Art Therapy Internship Elective
• •  ATR 822 - Thesis or Culminating Project I
• •  ATR 823 - Thesis or Culminating Project II

Quick Links

What are you looking for, suggested searches.

• Academic Programs
• Community Health Clinics

Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapy

Embracing the power of the arts for healing, growth, and social change.

In this Section

Program overview, 3 - 5 years, 60 (mft) or 69 (lpcc), our approach.

The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a Concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy is a BBS-approved, part- or full-time low-residency degree program for California residents. The pedagogy provides an engaging online, hybrid curriculum that weaves multimodal expressive arts, such as visual and digital arts, music, dance and movement, poetry, spoken word, and drama, into all courses.

Our program utilizes the strength of the arts as implements for human development and healing, social change, and empowered self-agency. Our emancipatory perspective explores individual, group, couples, and family therapy practices.

The program works on the innovative Scholar-Artist-Practitioner model that focuses on uniting academic knowledge, clinical practice, and community engagement. Throughout the program students engage with peers and faculty in a collaborative, liberation-focused, arts-based environment. We place a premium on co-learning between students and faculty by creating opportunities for rich, playful, and diverse conversations and experiences.

Career Paths

CIIS’ Expressive Arts Therapy program integrates a rigorous education in theories and methods of psychotherapy with intensive training in expressive arts therapy and counseling psychology. 

• Schools and education-based settings
• Community mental health, arts, and social justice organizations
• Hospitals and residential treatment programs
• Consulting and coaching
• Private practice

The training for this program meets the educational requirements for California's Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) license and California's Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) license. This program is also designed to meet the educational requirements to become a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) with the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA).

Hands-on learning through experiential coursework is emphasized. In the first and second years of study, students have the opportunity to integrate theoretical and expressive arts into practice through volunteering or incorporating these basic principles into their current job/vocation. Third year students engage in a year-long, supervised practicum, gaining direct client work experience. 

Classes are taught online in asynchronous and virtual synchronous formats. Students are expected to attend an in-person, one-week intensive that is held at the start of each fall and spring semester in the San Francisco Bay Area. Students work in clinical practice dyads and small groups to deliver collaborative assignments.

Intensive Arts-Based Seminar     Students, faculty, and advisors come together in residential seminars to engage in extensive, experiential, and intermodal arts-based learning. Up to a third of the coursework for the semester is completed in person, with the remaining coursework delivered in combined asynchronous, and occasional virtual synchronous learning formats to support clinical skill development.

Ongoing Arts Practice     Throughout the program, all students commit to ongoing engagement with new or existing arts practices. First semester courses allow students to employ modalities with which they are familiar, and provides exposure to new modalities as well. At the end of the first semester, each student outlines a practice plan that will promote their learning and preparation to become an expressive arts therapist. Plans are flexible and adaptive to respond to a student’s growth and changing needs over their time in the program. Expressive Arts Therapy courses offer frequent opportunities for art-making, response art, and arts-based inquiry through which students can apply their arts practices and experiment with new ones.

Students have the freedom to choose less formal, self-guided practices and/or those involving more structure, including guided training, presentations, publication, performances, and more. All costs and materials involved with a student’s individual arts practice are the sole responsibility of the student.

Personal Therapy Requirement

Students are required to complete 50 hours of personal psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional (ideally an Expressive or Creative Arts Therapist).

License Ready

The Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a Concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy meets the educational requirements for MFT licensure in the state of California, and LPCC in the state of California with additional optional units. After graduation, students must complete a number of supervised client contact hours and pass the MFT licensing examination before becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist. This process takes, on average, 3 to 5 years post graduation.

Curriculum Highlights

EXA 5501 Psychotherapy Theories & Practice (3 units) This is an introduction to traditional and contemporary theories and practices of psychotherapy. We begin by situating the field in relation to its sociocultural, historical, and Indigenous roots. We go on to examine psychodynamic, Jungian, existential-humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, and collaborative approaches integrating feminist and multicultural perspectives, addressing intersections with the recovery model. Creative arts-based case examples for various approaches are woven into the fabric of the class.

EXA 6020 EXA & Trauma (3 units) This advanced-level class focuses on developing an understanding of what trauma is and how it functions on individual, community, and collective levels. You will critically explore theories and practical responses to the affective, cognitive, behavioral, neurological effects associated with trauma and crisis counseling. You will develop an advanced understanding of DSM definitions of trauma, differential diagnosis, and evidenced-based treatment strategies. You will additionally learn how to explore the ways that expressive arts and somatic psychotherapies can be effective as interventions in helping clients to recover from trauma.

MCPE 5606 & MCPE 6606 Family & Couples Dynamics I & II (3 units) This two-part course surveys a broad range of contemporary theories and practices within the field of family and couples therapy and their application in working with LGBT and heterosexual couple and family constellations across diverse cultures. You will be introduced to major contemporary approaches within the field, including structural, strategic, narrative, solution-focused, symbolic-experiential, EFT, and the Gottman Method. The course includes modules addressing issues related to blended families, interpersonal violence, migration stressors, divorce and separation, addiction, and illness. You will learn how to integrate the use of visual arts, music, movement, drama, and the language arts in family and couples therapy practice.

Hybrid MFT Track (60 units total)

Semester 1 | Fall

EXA 5501 Psychotherapy Theories and Practices (3 units)

EXA 6036 History and Foundations of EXA Therapy (2 units)

MCPE 6604 Multicultural Counseling and the Therapeutic Relationship (3 units)

EXAL 5602 Therapeutic Communication Lab (1 unit)

MCPE 5201 Human Development and the Family (3 units)

Semester 2 | Spring

EXA 6064 Psychological Assessment and Creative Arts Therapy (3 units)

EXA 6088 EXA Approaches: Module I (1 unit)

MCPE 5634 Group Dynamics and Therapy (3 units)

MCP 5108 Psychopathology & Psychological Assessment (3 units)

MCP 6106 Human Sexuality (1 unit) OR MCP 6102 Assessment and Treatment of Addiction Disorders (1 units)

Semester 3 | Fall

EXA 6089 EXA Approaches: Module II (1 unit)

MCPE 5606 Family & Couples Dynamics I (3 units)

MCPE 6403 Research Methods (3 units)

MCP 6502 Child Therapy (2 units)

MCP Intro to Community Mental Health & Recovery Model (2 units)

Semester 4 | Spring

MCP 5105 Professional Ethics and Family Law (2 units)

EXA 6055 The Arts in Therapy (3 units)

EXA 6618 EXA Approach: Narrative Expressive Arts and the Family (2 units)

MCPE 6606 Family & Couples Dynamics II (3 units)

MCP 6101 Human Sexuality (1 unit) OR MCP 6102 Assessment and Treatment of Addiction and Disorders (1 unit)

Semester 5 | Fall

MCPE 7604A Supervised Clinical Practicum Group (3 units)

EXA 5993 Expressive Arts Therapy Integrative Seminar I (1 unit)

EXA 6090 EXA Approaches Module III (1 unit)

EXA 6020 EXA & Trauma (3 units)

Semester 6 | Spring

MCPE 7604B Supervised Clinical Practicum Group (3 units)

EXA 5994 Expressive Arts Therapy Integrative Seminar II (2 units)

EXA 6853 Professional Development (1 units)

EXA 609 EXA Approaches Module IV (1 unit)

Entry Requirements

If you would like to learn more about this program, we’re here to help. Explore our program further with in-depth materials, discuss your personal and career goals at one of our open houses, or get in touch with our admissions counselors, who are ready to assist you in navigating the application process.

Online Admissions Application: Begin the application process by submitting an online application and paying the non-refundable $65 application fee.

Degree Requirement: An undergraduate degree (B.A., B.S., or B.F.A.) from an accredited college or university.

Minimum GPA: A GPA of 3.0 or higher in previous coursework is required. A GPA below 3.0 does not automatically disqualify an applicant. CIIS will consider a prospective student whose GPA is between 2.0 and 3.0. These individuals are required to submit a GPA Statement and are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions to discuss their options.

Transcripts : Official transcripts from all accredited academic institutions attended where 7 or more credits have been earned. If transcripts are being mailed to CIIS, they must arrive in their official, sealed envelopes. Transcripts from institutions outside the US or Canada require a foreign credit evaluation through World Education Services (WES); CIIS will also accept foreign credential evaluations that are in a comprehensive course-by-course format from the current members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) .

Short Essay Responses: Please write a series of brief responses, one for each of the following prompts in the order that they appear:

• Why are you interested in applying to CIIS specifically to study Expressive Arts Therapy? (350 words maximum)
• Describe the creative arts modalities you would bring with you into the Expressive Arts Therapy program. (350 word maximum)
• Please describe the direct human services experiences you have had in either employment  and/or through volunteering. (200 word maximum)
• What internal and external strengths and resources do you draw from to help you cope in your daily life? What social supports does this include? (200 word maximum)
• Our graduates are expected to be able to work with people from very diverse social, cultural, sexual/affectional preference, gender and socioeconomic backgrounds. What is your experience of relating across dimensions of difference? (200 word maximum)
• The low-residency program requires a high level of self-directed, autonomous work in addition to the ability to work in groups. Please describe your experience in: a.) working individually, and b.) working collaboratively in a group to meet a deadline. (200 word maximum)
• Due to the hybridized nature of our education delivery format, students must demonstrate the ability to work with/navigate online learning formats. Please describe a challenge you have encountered in working in an online learning environment and how you overcame (or imagine overcoming) the challenge. (200 word maximum)

Two Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation will be accepted from academic advisors, professors, professional supervisors, or someone able to attest to your ability to undertake the work required for your program. Recommenders should use standard business format and include full contact information - name, email, phone number, and mailing address. 

Academic Writing Sample: A five-page sample of a piece of your academic writing (typed, double-spaced) that demonstrates your capacity to think critically and reflectively and demonstrates graduate-level writing abilities. You may submit copies of previous work, such as a recent academic paper, article, or report that reflects scholarly abilities. The selected sample must be five consecutive pages. A sample that uses outside sources must include proper citations. Please include the reference pages from this writing sample. (The reference pages are not included in the five-page limit.)

A Current Curriculum Vitae detailing your educational and professional experience.

Have the arts ever helped you through an emotional or life crisis? Have you ever used activities such as creative writing, painting, pottery, singing, dancing, or improvisational acting to feel a greater sense of aliveness? Are you looking for a career where you can integrate your passion for the arts with your desire for personal, relational, and systemic healing and social change?

At CIIS, we encourage you to combine academic rigor with personal experience to craft your own identities as Expressive Arts Therapists.

• Malchiodi, C. A. (Ed.) (2005).  Expressive Therapies . New York, NY: Guilford Press. Dr. Cathy Malchiodi is a prominent voice in the field of Expressive Arts Therapies. Her publications have made these concepts and research in our field widely accessible to practitioners and the general public. Her most recent works focus on the healing principles of EXA when working with clients who have experienced trauma. This text offers a very helpful, efficient introduction of the major creative and expressive arts therapy disciplines.
• Bailey, S. (2021),  Careers in Creative Arts Therapy Careers: Succeeding as a Creative Professional . Routledge. This is a collection of essays written by and interviews with registered drama therapists, dance/movement therapists, music therapists, art therapists, poetry therapists, and expressive arts therapists. The book sheds light on the fascinating yet little-known field of the creative arts therapies – psychotherapy approaches which allow clients to use creativity and artistic expression to explore their lives, solve their problems, make meaning, and heal from their traumas. Featuring stories of educators in each of the six fields and at different stages of their career (including CIIS EXA faculty, Danielle Drake, PhD and Phil Weglarz, PhD), it outlines the steps one needs to take in order to find training in one of the creative arts therapies and explores the healing aspects of the arts, where creative arts therapists work, who they work with, and how they use the arts in therapy.   This book illuminates creative arts therapy career possibilities for undergraduate and graduate students studying acting, directing, playwriting, creative writing, visual arts, theatre design, dance, and music. 
• Afuape, T. (2011).  Power, Resistance and Liberation in Therapy with Survivors of Trauma: To have our hearts broken . New York, NY: Routledge. Dr. Taiwo Afuape's work is foundational to the pedagogy of the EXA Program. She has reconceptualized the concepts of power, resistance and liberation as co-creative acts that take place in therapy and in life for both clients and practitioners alike. Through liberation psychology, Dr. Afuape outlines a vision for co-create healing practices that honor the wisdom and agency of all involved in healing processes.
• Menakem, R. (2017).  My Grandmother’s Hands.  Las Vegas, NV: Central Recovery Press. This recent publication by Mr. Resmaa Menakem shifts the focus of racism to the body. This ground-breaking text is part of the required reading for the Family Systems course sequence in the EXA program.
• Hooks, b. (1994).  Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom.  New York, NY: Routledge. A classic in the field of education, Womanist activist/scholar/educator bell hooks' treatise on teaching as an act of rebellion in the name of freedom informs the foundational pedagogies of the Expressive Arts Therapy program. As a community of learners, we are all gathered together to become contributing Scholar/Artist/Practitioners in the wider field of Expressive Arts Therapy.
• International Expressive Arts Therapy Association 
• Expressive Therapies Summit 
• Critical Pedagogies in the Arts Therapies 
• The National Organization for Arts in Health 
• Creative Arts in Education and Therapy

Before entering the world of Expressive Arts Therapy as a graduate student, we recommend that you get involved in the community. Practical experience in human services and local arts are important early steps of the learning experience. Below are examples of how to gain experience:

• LGBTQ Support -  The Trevor Project 
• Youth Support -  List of Teen Helplines 
• Seniors and Mental Health -  National Coalition on Mental Health & Aging  
• OR, contact local agencies in your area to inquire about volunteer opportunities
• Suicide Prevention Hotline Information  
• Domestic Violence Hotline Information  
• OR, contact your local DV agency to inquire about hotline training opportunities.
• Attend arts performances, lectures, movies, or cultural events (please practice safety measures during COVID-19 - many events have gone online!)
• Ask a friend from a spiritual practice other than your own if you may worship with them
• Take a class that teaches you about cultures other than your own locations of identity
• Read books (see above for some suggestions)
• Study forms of art that are unfamiliar to you. If you are a singer, study painting. If you are a ceramicist, study singing. If you are a poet, study improv. The sky is the limit!

The professional practice of counseling is a regulated occupation in the state of California. Coursework in the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program at CIIS and each of its five programs is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to fulfill educational requirements toward the marriage and family therapist license (LMFT).

Students also have the option to take additional coursework to fulfill the educational requirements of the professional clinical counselor license (LPCC). Students seeking the LPCC licensure also take courses for the MFT, enabling them to pursue either license and to work with couples, families, and/or children as an LPCC.

Students seeking licensure in California as an LMFT or LPCC must register with the BBS after graduation and successfully complete additional post-graduate supervised clinical associate hours and written examinations. See the BBS’ Statutes and Regulations PDF for additional information.

In many cases, our coursework and training is very similar or entirely portable to many states. However, each state has their own specific licensure requirements that include both academic coursework and clinical practicum hours that may differ from CA’s requirements.

In cases where this program does not meet the requirements for another state, additional coursework or practicum hours may be required. While licensure may be possible in another state, it is not guaranteed. Luckily, you will have the full support of the Director of MCP who will help you understand the specific licensing requirements.

Lastly, you should consult the licensing boards of the appropriate state of country for the most up-to-date licensing information outside of California.

Our Department in Action

Expressive Arts Therapy: Online Info Session

A Free Online Info Session with Christine Brooks

Summer Info Fair

Come to the Summer Info Fair on June 6, 2024 to ask questions and learn more about CIIS' innovative online and in-person academic programs.

A Free Online Info Session with Myriam Savage

Take the Next Step

For over 50 years, CIIS has been at the forefront of education that integrates rigorous science, innovative scholarship, and social justice. You will learn from faculty at the forefront of their fields, local artists and activists, and a community of peers as passionate and dedicated as you. There’s never been a better time to be here – let’s build a healthier and more equitable world.

File : Coat of Arms of Elektrostal (Moscow oblast).svg

File history, file usage on commons, file usage on other wikis.

Original file ‎ (SVG file, nominally 474 × 581 pixels, file size: 37 KB)

Structured data

Items portrayed in this file, 31 august 2007, source of file, original creation by uploader, image/svg+xml, a40fce78c48333073766c67e926dbd360cea4343, 38,005 byte.

• Coats of arms of cities and villages of Moscow Oblast
• Culture of Elektrostal
• Hephaestus in heraldry
• Hammers sable in heraldry
• 2 flashes Or in heraldry
• Atom symbols in heraldry
• SVG coats of arms of Russia
• PD-RU-exempt (coats of arms)

Navigation menu

• myPNW Login
• Brightspace Login
• PNW Calendar
• Scholarships
• Tuition and Fees

« All Events

Deadline to Submit Fall 2024 Application to Graduate

September 8.

Students completing their degree requirements in Fall 2024 must apply to graduate by Sunday, September 8, in MyPNW on the Apply to Graduate Graduation and Commencement Task. This application is required whether or not you plan to participate in a Commencement ceremony. Information from the application is used to order your diploma.

For more information regarding Graduation requirements and Commencement participation, visit the  Pre-Graduation Guide  for critical deadlines and valuable resources.

To request a disability-related accommodation, please contact the Office of Institutional Equity at [email protected] or (219) 989-2163 five days prior to the event.

• Google Calendar
• Outlook 365
• Outlook Live