How to Become an Art Therapist

What an art therapist does

Art therapists are trained mental-health clinicians who use the creative process, drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media, as a therapeutic tool. They help clients express and process emotions, work through trauma, manage anxiety and depression, and develop insight, especially when words alone are hard to access. It is a recognized form of psychotherapy, not an arts-and-crafts class.

The role combines two skill sets: clinical counseling and the arts. Art therapists work in hospitals, mental-health clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers, hospices, and private practice, often with children, trauma survivors, people with disabilities, and older adults.

Because art therapy sits at the intersection of counseling and a specialized credential, the path involves both a clinical master's degree and credentialing through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB), plus, in many states, a counseling or art therapy license.

The education path

Start with a bachelor's degree. A background in psychology, studio art, or both is ideal, and programs generally expect applicants to show both a foundation in psychology and a portfolio or demonstrated experience in the visual arts.

The core qualification is a master's degree in art therapy, typically two to three years. Look for a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE), the standard recognized by the field. The curriculum covers counseling theory, psychopathology, ethics, assessment, and the theory and practice of art therapy, with supervised practicum and internship experience built in.

Some clinicians enter art therapy through a counseling master's with substantial art therapy coursework, but a dedicated, accredited art therapy master's is the cleanest route to the ATR credentials.

Supervised hours and the ATR credentials

After the master's, you accumulate supervised clinical experience to earn the Registered Art Therapist (ATR) credential from the ATCB. This generally requires a defined number of post-master's supervised hours of direct client contact under a qualified supervisor.

Once you hold the ATR, you can earn the board-certified credential, ATR-BC, by passing the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination (ATCBE). The ATR-BC is the recognized mark of a fully credentialed art therapist and is maintained through continuing education. A newer provisional credential, the ATR-P, exists for recent graduates accumulating hours.

These credentials are national and specific to art therapy. They are separate from, and in many states in addition to, a state-issued clinical license.

State licensure

Licensing for art therapists varies more than for other clinical professions. A growing number of states license art therapists directly (for example as an LCAT or art therapy license). In states without a dedicated art therapy license, many art therapists also become licensed professional counselors (LPC) so they can practice independently and bill insurance.

This means the credential picture has two layers: the national ATCB credentials (ATR and ATR-BC) and a state-issued license to practice. Which state license applies, and whether art therapy is licensed on its own, depends entirely on where you intend to work.

Check both your state's licensing rules and the ATCB credentialing requirements before you enroll, because the combination determines exactly what you need.

Salary and job outlook

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports art therapists within the broader category of recreational therapists or, where they hold counseling licenses, within counselors. Pay varies by setting, credential, and whether the clinician practices independently.

The outlook reflects growing recognition of expressive and creative therapies within mental-health care. Demand is supported by the broader expansion of mental-health services, though art therapy remains a specialized niche, so building credentials and clinical experience is key to opportunity.