National Art Education Association

Art Therapy Registration and Standards of PracticeAuthor(s): Shaun McNiffSource: Art Education, Vol. 33, No. 4, Art Therapy and Art Education (Apr., 1980), pp. 29-30Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3192426 .

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Art Therapy Registration and Standards of Practice

"The Standards for Registration Place a Strong Emphasis on Graduate Training, and in Addition to Master's Programs, Points Toward Registration Can be Earned Through Non-Degree, Post-Bachelors, Clinical Training, and Institute and Certificate Programs."

Shaun McNiff

Doctor Marcia Adams, an associate professor of art education at

Midwestern State College, who for many years had had an interest in the arts and special education as well as the psychodynamic content of chil- dren's art, approached a Regional Qualifying Board chairperson of the American Art Therapy Association's Standards Committee with a request for information and guidance, as to how she might proceed toward pro- fessional registration as an art therapist. The regional chairperson was impressed with Dr. Adams' work experience, academic credentials, and list of publications, but found that she did not meet the criteria for registra- tion. Her doctorate, earned eight years previously, did not have an art therapy component, and although her work history in the field of education was extensive, she had neither clinical training or psychotherapeutic experi- ence.

The regional chairperson ap- proached the national chairperson of the Standards Committee for advice on how to handle the case of Dr. Adams. As it turned out, Dr. Adams

was under some pressure from her college to become involved in alterna- tive approaches to the arts in human services and was very motivated to pursue art therapy training. It was agreed between Dr. Adams and the Standards Committee that she could take her sabbatical leave during the coming year and study therapy full time as a post-doctoral student within an art therapy master's program. After completing her psychotherapeu- tic training, she went on to engage herself in clinical work in relation to her employment at the college. After completing 1,000 hours of clinical work, she was eligible for registration.

Although fictitious, our Dr. Adams represents a growing number of art education professors and art teachers who are becoming interested in art therapy and who want to work toward registration. Most of these people have already received graduate train- ing in a related field (art education or fine arts). The art therapy field values its relationship to art education and art educators; however, to become registered as an art therapist, the art educator must pursue clinical training and must work as a therapist within a school or other educational setting. Many art therapists presently working in schools combine clinical duties with their ongoing work within the role of the art teacher.

Today the majority of people be- coming registered, and authorized by the American Art Therapy Associa- tion to refer to themselves as "Regis- tered Art Therapists" (ATR's), are graduates of art therapy master's de- gree programs. The standards for reg- istration place a strong emphasis on graduate training, and in addition to master's programs, points toward reg- istration can be earned through non- degree, post-bachelors, clinical train- ing, and institute and certificate pro- grams. These alternatives to the

graduate degree program have been supported by the Association because many regions of the country have found it difficult to establish comprehensive graduate programs, and because the Association places a high value on training conducted by art therapists and other psychotherapists within clinical settings.

Because the American Art Therapy Association is now just completing its first ten years of existence, we have had to develop an open, flexible yet rigorous approach to registration. In the early years of the Standards Committee, the first task was to begin to register art therapists from throughout the country who were practicing before the Association came into being, and many of whom were pioneers in the field. Because training programs were non-existent in the early days of the profession, those people came from diverse back- grounds, usually combining training and experience in art with degrees and work experience in psychology, social work, education, psychiatry, and the like. Others had no academic degrees and began to work within mental health settings as artists within activ- ity therapy programs. As they became more sophisticated and experienced with psychotherapeutic principles and practices, these first art therapists began to work more closely with other mental health professionals, who throughout the country have tended to show a strong interest and respect for the healing power of the arts.

In order to allow these art therapy pioneers to become registered by the Association, even if they did not have degrees, the Standards Committee made it possible to qualify through work experience alone. Two (2) pro- fessional quality points were then, and are still given, for every 1,000 hours of direct art therapy experience. A total of twelve (12) points are needed for registration. Today, people who qual- ify through these experiential criteria must also document training and supervision by a registered art therapist for at least 300 hours. This is to guarantee that every applicant has some form of exposure to the con- tinuities of the profession.

As the Standards Committee devel- oped, its second task was to devise standards for registration that would guide future art therapists and which would promote excellence within the field. Today, there are not as many unregistered pioneers working throughout the country, and most of

Art Education April 1980 29

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the people who begin work as art therapists are graduates of training programs. Undergraduate education in art therapy is supported by the As- sociation, but as preparatory to graduate level training. It is not neces- sary to have an undergraduate degree in art therapy to be admitted to a graduate program.

At the present time the tasks before the Standards Committee of the AATA are to: 1) continue the open and flexible approach to registration which allows people to enter the pro- fession from varied experiential back- grounds, especially in those regions of the United States and other countries where the field is just beginning to grow; 2) to maintain strong support for graduate level training as the standard for entry into the field; and 3) to begin to look more toward deter- mining what the competencies of the art therapist are and how they can be most effectively evaluated. The pres- ent Standards Committee has initiated a first stage of competency evaluation which assesses the applicant's strengths and weaknesses in many dif- ferent areas of art therapy theory and practice, i.e. diagnostic skills, sen- sitivity to the communication type and needs of the client, self- understanding, artistic skill, etc. Competency evaluation procedures involving self-assessment and a criti- cal review of the applicant's work by a registered art therapist, together with letters of reference, are necessary. Applicants are being asked for the first time to submit portfolios of their art, because the Association feels that is essential to support the art therapist's identity as an artist who has something unique to offer to the mental health field.

The Association's Standards Com- mittee also has a peer review system for practicing art therapists. The Board was established to provide a mechanism for handling complaints and grievances filled against members of the Association. The standard used for evaluation is the Association's Professional Code of Ethics. The Peer Standards Review Board has a chair- person and regional representatives from throughout the United States, with Canada and other foreign coun- tries being represented.

The Standards Committee review

the people who begin work as art therapists are graduates of training programs. Undergraduate education in art therapy is supported by the As- sociation, but as preparatory to graduate level training. It is not neces- sary to have an undergraduate degree in art therapy to be admitted to a graduate program.

At the present time the tasks before the Standards Committee of the AATA are to: 1) continue the open and flexible approach to registration which allows people to enter the pro- fession from varied experiential back- grounds, especially in those regions of the United States and other countries where the field is just beginning to grow; 2) to maintain strong support for graduate level training as the standard for entry into the field; and 3) to begin to look more toward deter- mining what the competencies of the art therapist are and how they can be most effectively evaluated. The pres- ent Standards Committee has initiated a first stage of competency evaluation which assesses the applicant's strengths and weaknesses in many dif- ferent areas of art therapy theory and practice, i.e. diagnostic skills, sen- sitivity to the communication type and needs of the client, self- understanding, artistic skill, etc. Competency evaluation procedures involving self-assessment and a criti- cal review of the applicant's work by a registered art therapist, together with letters of reference, are necessary. Applicants are being asked for the first time to submit portfolios of their art, because the Association feels that is essential to support the art therapist's identity as an artist who has something unique to offer to the mental health field.

The Association's Standards Com- mittee also has a peer review system for practicing art therapists. The Board was established to provide a mechanism for handling complaints and grievances filled against members of the Association. The standard used for evaluation is the Association's Professional Code of Ethics. The Peer Standards Review Board has a chair- person and regional representatives from throughout the United States, with Canada and other foreign coun- tries being represented.

The Standards Committee review procedure for processing applications for registration has a similar regional orientation. There are nine regional qualifying board chairpersons throughout the United States. Each chairperson has a local committee. An

procedure for processing applications for registration has a similar regional orientation. There are nine regional qualifying board chairpersons throughout the United States. Each chairperson has a local committee. An

30 30

applicant's first contact for the pur- pose of receiving guidance and filling an application is with the regional board. Typicallly, the regional board does the bulk of the work in process- ing an application and seeing that it is complete and in order. The regional board either supports the application or confers with the applicant as to ad- ditional criteria that have to be met. Approved applications and problema- tic cases are then sent along to a Divi- sion Head, with the nine regional boards being divided into three re- gions (East, Central, and West). The Division Head is a source of appeal and advisement between the local boards and the national chairperson of the Standards Committee, who ulti- mately receives and must approve all art therapy registrations. This system involving three levels of review has helppd to streamline an expanding standards operational structure while giving applicants a more complete and impartial review.

For more detailed information on standards for registration, the Associ- ation's Code of Ethics, registration applications, and competency evalua- tion forms, write directly to the American Art Therapy Association, 428 East Preston Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

Shaun McNiff is dean, expressive arts therapy, Lesley College Graduate School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and chairperson, Professional Stan- dards Committee, the American Art Therapy Association.

applicant's first contact for the pur- pose of receiving guidance and filling an application is with the regional board. Typicallly, the regional board does the bulk of the work in process- ing an application and seeing that it is complete and in order. The regional board either supports the application or confers with the applicant as to ad- ditional criteria that have to be met. Approved applications and problema- tic cases are then sent along to a Divi- sion Head, with the nine regional boards being divided into three re- gions (East, Central, and West). The Division Head is a source of appeal and advisement between the local boards and the national chairperson of the Standards Committee, who ulti- mately receives and must approve all art therapy registrations. This system involving three levels of review has helppd to streamline an expanding standards operational structure while giving applicants a more complete and impartial review.

For more detailed information on standards for registration, the Associ- ation's Code of Ethics, registration applications, and competency evalua- tion forms, write directly to the American Art Therapy Association, 428 East Preston Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

Shaun McNiff is dean, expressive arts therapy, Lesley College Graduate School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and chairperson, Professional Stan- dards Committee, the American Art Therapy Association.

COMMENTARY Sandra L. Kagin

Let us look at registration with the American Art Therapy Asso-

ciation from an historical perspective. Having served the association in the capacity of chairperson of the Stand- ards Committee and author of the original procedures for registration, I well remember the fantastic goals we had all set for ourselves and all other art therapists then and for the future with respect to competencies and uni- form measures. Everyone registered was to be super-person art therapist and literally know everything there was to know about the field. Since the field was not bounded by theoretical borders (a situation which continues to persist), this task was somewhat

Art Education April 1980

COMMENTARY Sandra L. Kagin

Let us look at registration with the American Art Therapy Asso-

ciation from an historical perspective. Having served the association in the capacity of chairperson of the Stand- ards Committee and author of the original procedures for registration, I well remember the fantastic goals we had all set for ourselves and all other art therapists then and for the future with respect to competencies and uni- form measures. Everyone registered was to be super-person art therapist and literally know everything there was to know about the field. Since the field was not bounded by theoretical borders (a situation which continues to persist), this task was somewhat

Art Education April 1980

overwhelming. Oh, what philosophies were spun at two and three o'clock in the morning as my committee and then the Executive Board of the AATA labored over definitions, terms, quantitative and qualitative judgments. Looking back, I am amazed and gratified that it came out so well.

I think one reason for the longevity of some of our early decisions was be- cause we involved so many people in the process that we began to see pat- terns of response emerging which could be translated into what became professional quality credits (PQC's) and a precedent of keeping alternatives viable for professional entry into art therapy practice. Both of these prac- tices, involving many others and al- lowing alternatives, are important to the art educators. Shaun's article points out that his fictitious Dr. Adams was able to re-direct her skills and supplement her knowledge of the art-expressive process sufficiently to achieve registration status with the American Art Therapy Association. Other "Dr. Adams" do have the op- tion of returning to school (and there are many now from which to choose) and securing the necessary education. I would suggest also that those of you who desire continued education in art therapy, as a group, encourage the schools offering degrees in art therapy to develop special studies and cur- ricula for your needs. I would further suggest to the schools to look at the rising interest on the part of the teach- ing population as well as the educa- tional needs pursuant to the Public Law 94.142 which essentially man- dates free public education to all handicapped children. Here is an area where art education and art therapy dovetail beautifully and in ground fer- tile for integration of disciplines. I am certain that the professional organiza- tions of both art education and art therapy have information and a will- ingness to help that is available to any interested professional. Since both groups are comprised of creative people, if the mechanisms are not yet developed, they will be.

Returning to the beginnings of regis- tration, I recall that we discussed dif- ferent kinds of registration status, i.e., more toward specialization. The con- cept of specialized registration would

overwhelming. Oh, what philosophies were spun at two and three o'clock in the morning as my committee and then the Executive Board of the AATA labored over definitions, terms, quantitative and qualitative judgments. Looking back, I am amazed and gratified that it came out so well.

I think one reason for the longevity of some of our early decisions was be- cause we involved so many people in the process that we began to see pat- terns of response emerging which could be translated into what became professional quality credits (PQC's) and a precedent of keeping alternatives viable for professional entry into art therapy practice. Both of these prac- tices, involving many others and al- lowing alternatives, are important to the art educators. Shaun's article points out that his fictitious Dr. Adams was able to re-direct her skills and supplement her knowledge of the art-expressive process sufficiently to achieve registration status with the American Art Therapy Association. Other "Dr. Adams" do have the op- tion of returning to school (and there are many now from which to choose) and securing the necessary education. I would suggest also that those of you who desire continued education in art therapy, as a group, encourage the schools offering degrees in art therapy to develop special studies and cur- ricula for your needs. I would further suggest to the schools to look at the rising interest on the part of the teach- ing population as well as the educa- tional needs pursuant to the Public Law 94.142 which essentially man- dates free public education to all handicapped children. Here is an area where art education and art therapy dovetail beautifully and in ground fer- tile for integration of disciplines. I am certain that the professional organiza- tions of both art education and art therapy have information and a will- ingness to help that is available to any interested professional. Since both groups are comprised of creative people, if the mechanisms are not yet developed, they will be.

Returning to the beginnings of regis- tration, I recall that we discussed dif- ferent kinds of registration status, i.e., more toward specialization. The con- cept of specialized registration would require specialized types of education and of course, practice. At the time this was proposed, we as a profession,

require specialized types of education and of course, practice. At the time this was proposed, we as a profession,

This content downloaded from 62.122.73.86 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 08:28:15 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions