Art Therapists

Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses art techniques and skills to treat patients suffering from physical, mental, and/or emotional problems or disabilities. Olena Darewych tells us about her career in art therapy.

Q: What motivated you to study art therapy?

A: When I started at the university, I wanted to enter a physical therapy program. I majored in human biology/art and took psychology courses. In my third and fourth year, I began to explore different professions. Art therapy seemed to fit with my educational background and my personal strengths. I found it fascinating, and I also enjoyed the creative and human aspects of it.

Q: Are you artistic? In which art forms?

A: Yes, I'm definitely artistic. I paint with oils, and when time allows, I also like to work with clay. I enjoy art history, and I'm particularly fond of Impressionism & Post-Impressionism. My favorite artists are the painter, Claude Monet (1840–1926) and the sculptor, Auguste Rodin (1840–1917).

Q: What was the path to your career? What's your educational background?

A: I received my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto. At the time, the only graduate level program in art therapy available in Ontario was at the University of Western Ontario. So I shopped around, and eventually arrived at the Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, just south of San Francisco. I completed a Master's degree program in marital/family/child therapy with an emphasis on art psychotherapy. At the time, the art therapy program was a two-year program, which included psychology classes and art courses, as well as 2,000 clinical hours on-site. As part of the program, I wrote a thesis that focused on children with congenital glaucoma.

My move to San Francisco wasn't just was about the education, however, it was also personal. I wanted to experience a new environment.

Q: What were your first years as an art therapist like?

A: I began as an intern therapist. I worked as school counselor with children with behavioral issues, such as pervasive development disorder (PDD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), autism, and Asperger's syndrome. After one and a half years, I moved to Australia and worked in long-term care, helping individuals with dementia and/or physical disabilities. My title was Recreational Coordinator/Quality Assurance Coordinator. By the way, that's something particular to art therapy – as the setting changes, so too does the title. I then worked in Community & Family Services as Director of the Before & After School Program. This involved planning and implementing therapy for special needs children suffering from autism, Down syndrome, or PDD.

Q: What types of people (e.g. personality types, or mental or physical disorders) benefit the most from art therapy?

A: Individuals who struggle with verbal expression and/or expressing emotions, and/or those who have to deal with personal conflicts, benefit the most from art therapy. It's fun and enticing for children, because it pre-dates verbal skills. And it works well, too, with the aged, especially clay and pottery art, which helps with motor skills and muscle tone. It can also be used for couples. In this case, you're not necessarily looking at the art they produce, you're more interested in the relationship dynamics, that is, their non-verbal communication, and how they solve problems.

Q: With which types of patients does it not work?

A: It doesn't work well with clients who need to be persuaded of the therapy.

Q: Do any of your former patients stick out in your mind?

A: My clients from the time I wrote my thesis on congenital glaucoma. I guess it's because I recognized, at the time, that their low self-esteem resulted from having to undergo treatment. One boy, who was only 10 years old, had undergone his 200th laser surgery.

Q: How do you acquire the skill to interpret what the patient is drawing, etc.? Or is the focus instead to get the patient to talk about what he or she has drawn?

A: Actually, you're not analyzing the drawings. Some therapists believe in "art for art's sake," and therefore there is no interpretation involved. Others have a background in psychology and combine art therapy with psychological research. But the real assessment comes from the verbal component that has been added: "what you're telling me about the image," "your own interpretation of the drawing," etc. The idea is to foster self-awareness.

Q: What would you say is the most unique feature of art therapy? What differentiates it, in your view, from talking therapies?

A: For me, the most unique feature of art therapy is the combination of the verbal and non-verbal communication, and the fact that it provides a creative setting for the client to express him- or herself.

Q: How long does the average treatment take?

A: That varies, because it depends on why the therapy is being done, and what type of therapy is used. In general, however, sessions typically take place once a week, and are between 30 and 40 minutes in length. Art therapy for couples, for example, usually involves eight to 10 sessions.

Q: Does it work better with children or adults?

A: It is more instinctual with children. Adults are a greater challenge, but they also benefit from it.

Q: Where to you get referrals?

A: That depends on the setting. Hospitals do psychological referrals, and school principals make referrals from schools.

Q: Do art therapists work primarily in institutions? What kind? Do some work in private practice? Is there currently a shortage or oversupply of art therapists?

A: According to the American Art Therapy Association, Inc.:

"Art therapy is a growing field. Employment continues to increase as it becomes recognized by professionals and clients. Graduates of art therapy programs are successful at finding employment in both full and part-time positions. Those with ATR and ATR-BC have a distinct advantage as it is the recognized credential of the profession.

Earnings for art therapists vary geographically depending on the type of practice and job responsibilities. Entry level income is approximately $25,000, median income between $28,000 and $38,000, and top earning potential for salaried administrators ranges between $40,000 and $60,000. Art therapists with doctoral degrees, state licensure, or who qualify in their state to conduct private practice, have an earning potential of $75.00 to $90.00 per hour in private practice."

Q: What skills do you have to have to become an effective art therapist?

A: First and foremost you need communication skills. You have to be a good listener and a keen observer. And good interpersonal skills are important, because you have to like working and collaborating with others.

Q: Would you recommend it, and why?

A: Yes, I definitely would. Art therapy is a challenging and rewarding field that provides you with a creative environment work in. Clients are never the same, you work with a range of people, from children through to the elderly, and the settings also change, that is you can work in schools, hospitals, and residential, community, and aged care facilities. That's important, because when the settings changes, you're also given the chance to work collaboratively with a variety of other professionals.

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