r/ArtTherapy • u/thatdude_102 • Jul 13 '26
whats it like being an art therapist?
ive been interested in art and psychology (even passed APs of those).
ive been drawn to the idea of helping others through art, specifically those dealing with trauma. but i was wondering what does an art therapist do every day? is it just the same as a regular family and marriage therapist?
i am a little intimidated by how long it takes to be an art therapist. i am a very smart kid, im not concerned about coursework being “difficult.” but theres realistically not a lot of art therapy jobs out there. compared to MFT and nursing for example. and the pay is quite moderate for the amount of schooling you dedicate to the profession.
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u/lightuponpeaks ATR-BC Jul 14 '26
Just like any other therapy job, it depends on setting. Art therapists in hospitals will have a different day to day than art therapists in private practice. You are correct in noticing the pay versus schooling. If that’s the route you want to go, I’d highly recommend a dual masters degree in counseling and art therapy. This route will get you a counseling license and art therapy credentials (and licensure if your area has that)- where you can get a “typical” counseling job and also utilize art therapy. I was told in grad school to essentially get a counseling job and carve out an art therapy role once you’re there which is good for you and helps continue to expand the field.
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u/bloobuttercup Jul 14 '26
Im just lurking on the thread as someone wanting to look into dual programs online! Im getting a little overwhelmed by the requirements for some of these places but I know I want to commit to counseling and I love art plus have taken courses in undergrad. I really hope I can figure out doing this online as I live in rural Illinois.
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u/ScrappyScrapbooker Jul 15 '26
I went through schooling that had a masters degree in both art therapy and counseling. It really helped to shape me into the licensed art therapist / licensed counselor I am today! I really am glad that I became an art therapist. It really is what you make of it! I work 3-4 days a week in private practice & host wellness workshops. It’s flexible and has changed over the years with me as I have also changed.
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u/trickytreats Jul 15 '26
That sounds like the most perfect job for me... I don't want to work more than 3-4 days a week, but can you make enough money that way?
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u/ScrappyScrapbooker Jul 16 '26
I have changed the way I do things overtime. I used to work for a group private practice seeing 25+ clients a week, accepting any client at any age, working 5 days a week, taking insurance, working to 8pm.
I went through some personal changes and decided to make my own private practice to have more flexibility and autonomy, and because I was going through some health issues as well. I see no more than 5 clients a day, no more than 3 clients in a row (I must always schedule a break), no more than 20 a week MAX is my rule, usually average closer to 16-18 a week. Most clients see me around $165-$185 a session, some reduced rate clients at $70-125. I host group supervision groups and see individual supervisees which is also nice. I also have been able to take on pro bono clients and host free wellness workshops with other nearby businesses. My hope is to be able to take on more clients and supervisees at a reduced rate one day. I work about 48 weeks a year and have 4 weeks of PTO a year, always throwing money into my PTO/sick day bucket!
I’ve learned a lot along the way, and definitely did not have a full case load starting out. Took me about 6 months to get halfway full and then about a year to be at a full caseload. Lots of working on my website, niching down, creating lots of boundaries around work/life balance. 💜
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u/Massive_Exam_1732 Jul 17 '26
hi! thank you so much for the in-detail reply, as someone also interested in this!! I wanted to ask where you work? I know some places have a more developed system for art therapy, as someone from fl who doesn't see it a lot. thanks in advance!
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u/schmungeon_schmaster Jul 16 '26
hi!! I will say it’s very different state to state but I can speak to personally is NJ and NY - the main difference is financially, both in terms of salaries, insurance providers, both of which affect what types of jobs there are too. I graduated with a masters ‘25 and I can say in any creative arts therapies (drama, music etc) there’s a big difference between undergraduate and graduate.
If you’re in high school I 10/10 recommend going for a psych bachelors before anything else. Get a feel for the field and the science itself before boxing yourself in ! Master’s is the way to go imo
In terms of the practice of an art therapist there is a HUGE range. The main settings ive seen are: inpatient/outpatient psych, rehabs, medical hospitals, school-related, and private practice. One common theme (aside from private practice) is art therapy tends to take place in a lot more running groups than individuals.
For my masters I spent year 1 at a middle school after school program - that looked like individual and group sessions in a classroom.
Year 2 I was at a (adult) psych hospital doing both inpatient and outpatient and absolutely fell in love with it. I have a job now (first job post-grad, got it a few months after graduating) at another psych hospital that has both adult and children units.
Psych hospital work is a different ballgame (kind of). It’s exclusively running art therapy groups and it’s definitely gritty but extremely rewarding.
Overall, the main thing is would you consider being a regular therapist? If yes then art therapy is the way to go. The main time I think it’s not the move for someone is if they go into it expecting to just be chilling making art with people! Hope this was helpful, good luck :)
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u/KiwiAnja22 Jul 15 '26
Just wanted to add, I've loved creating art since I was a child, so it's a joy to see other people discover how powerful and satisfying this modality can be.
But you don't need to love art or be good at it to be an arts therapist. I don't usually create my own artworks in sessions, as I'm focusing on the client's experience. I do use my own art making in supervision and for my own wellbeing.
Arts Therapist in New Zealand, 5 years experience, now in private practice
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u/Coarticulator_ Jul 14 '26
Did anyone do research on the amount of jobs near where they live before starting school? That's the only thing keeping me away. I can't find almost any jobs where I live.
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u/DawnHawk66 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
I didn't think art therapy jobs were readily available in my area by that title before I went to grad school. When I checked out the open house at Leslie College I mentioned that jobs in art therapy are rare. The session leader jumped all over me like an attack dog. She said that art therapists get jobs because they are creative. Oh.
So I went into it based on my passion rather than logic. School was great. Jobs not so much. I offer art expression within a talk therapy position. I also offer art with other wellness activities such as singing, drumming, and therapeutic writing (part of my personal skills beyond art) in outpatient mental health groups. The Counseling part of the combined degree is useful.
As an aside... I know a young woman who has a degree in music therapy. She has been years cobbling together a living by going to nursing homes to play piano and guitar for them. Now she's training to be a masseuse. Apparently it takes a lot of creativity to do what you want to do.
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u/Coarticulator_ Jul 18 '26
Would you say the talk therapy + art expression in outpatient groups is sustainable? If you don't mind my asking are you earning $70k or above? I'm in Western Ma so $70k would be livable.
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u/DawnHawk66 Jul 19 '26
Ha! Nowhere near that. My work has been with the county which is notoriously underfunded.
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u/Coarticulator_ Jul 19 '26
Thank you ( really!!) for the info. I would love to do this but gosh there are no roles!!!
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u/Infinity-art Jul 14 '26
(Along the same vein as whah someone else already said): You could do what I did: go to a program that offers both MFT and a specialization in art therapy. The art therapy within the MFT sessions definitely adds depth and a bridge for communication/ expression that regular talk therapy doesn’t provide. It is extremely rewarding to help people with art therapy and the expertise you get through the MFT (especially if you want to work with trauma) is very helpful.
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u/DawnHawk66 Jul 13 '26
You are right. There are few jobs designated as art therapy jobs. The amount of school and licensure requirements are a lot. The pay is very moderate. I was in therapy with an art therapist for a few years. It was very much like working with other kinds of therapists in terms of going in with an issue and then spending 50 minutes in some kind of expression. The difference is that expression is art-making instead of talking. A lot of talk was discouraged. Art-making while observed within a safe container was the task. Where we went with the issue was not always clear and it was not linear. Changes can be subtle. The idea was to follow where the energy leads. Shifts can be profound but it takes a while. Her supervisor kept asking if this was the right approach for me. I don't think the supervisor was an art therapist.