Art therapy emerged in the 1930's and was first recognized as a human service profession in the 1950's. Art therapists may provide art therapy services as primary form of treatment or it can be parallel or adjunctive in treatment found in many different settings, such as clinical, educational, rehabilitative, and mental health settings. Any mental health clinician who has not received a Master's in Art therapy may not be a true art therapist. When a clinician has an ATR they are a registered art therapist and have fulfilled the requirements of the ATCB (Art Therapy Credentials Board).
In order to become a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) the ATCB requires the completion of master’s level education (including art therapy core curriculum and supervised practicum and internship experiences), as well as post-education supervised clinical experience. Today's art therapists come from a wide variety of educational experiences. A board certified art therapist is one who has passed a board certification exam, given by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). This exam creates some uniformity in the scope of practice in the field of art therapy. In some states this exam is considered a licensing exam.
The ATCB states: "The ATCB Board has established the following as related mental health fields: Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, and Psychiatry."
In order to become a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) the ATCB requires the completion of master’s level education (including art therapy core curriculum and supervised practicum and internship experiences), as well as post-education supervised clinical experience. Today's art therapists come from a wide variety of educational experiences. A board certified art therapist is one who has passed a board certification exam, given by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). This exam creates some uniformity in the scope of practice in the field of art therapy. In some states this exam is considered a licensing exam.
The ATCB states: "The ATCB Board has established the following as related mental health fields: Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, and Psychiatry."
Ethical Practice of Art Therapy in Oregon:
As of January 1, 2020 Oregon put into place an Art Therapy license. This means that for a clinician to be able to use the term Art Therapist and to be able to practice Art Therapy they will need to be licensed to ensure that they have completed the training required to practice Art Therapy.
There are two Art Therapy licenses in Oregon: Licensed Art Therapist (LAT) and Licensed Certified Art Therapist (LCAT). An art therapist with either license has graduated from a Master's degree program in Art Therapy or has met the equivalency and has completed post-graduate clinical supervision hours and is credentialed with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). An LCAT Art Therapist has also passed a national board certification exam through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB).
As of January 1, 2020 Oregon put into place an Art Therapy license. This means that for a clinician to be able to use the term Art Therapist and to be able to practice Art Therapy they will need to be licensed to ensure that they have completed the training required to practice Art Therapy.
There are two Art Therapy licenses in Oregon: Licensed Art Therapist (LAT) and Licensed Certified Art Therapist (LCAT). An art therapist with either license has graduated from a Master's degree program in Art Therapy or has met the equivalency and has completed post-graduate clinical supervision hours and is credentialed with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). An LCAT Art Therapist has also passed a national board certification exam through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB).
