January 6, 2023

As we enter the New Year, we’ve already seen so much advice on New Year Resolutions: exercising, recycling, reducing plastic use, and more. In fact, New Year Resolutions have been offered for centuries.

Resolutions can also be applied to advance your career, reach professional milestones, or expand your knowledge base. At AATA, our goal is to support our members throughout their career journey. Thank you for being a part of our community, and for the work you do year-round.

Six suggestions to help you get started this New Year!

1. Prioritize Your Professional Development and Get Inspired: The Institute for Continuing Education, AATA’s online learning center, offers hundreds of CE-eligible courses, and discounts for AATA members. Some inspiration: On the DEI Journey with Cultural Humility in the Art Therapy Profession; or Art Therapy: ¿Cómo se dice?, which focuses on how art therapists can better work with Latinx individuals and translating art therapy terminology into Spanish.
2. Grow Your Practice: AATA offers free listings for professional members to promote their practice through the online Art Therapy Locator. Add your practice, or update your current listing.
3. Make a Plan to Attend the Annual Conference: The 2023 Conference will be held in sunny San Diego, Oct. 25 – 29! AATA Members receive discount pricing on conference registration and special events.
4. Stay Connected and Strengthen Your Network: Join the conversation in AATA’s Online Communities, where members can ask questions of each other, or share advice and resources.
5. Expand Your Knowledge: AATA members get a subscription to quarterly issues of Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association and access to the Journal online. Plus, AATA’s Research Directory will be launching soon!
6. Lift Up and Recognize Another: We all know someone—a peer, a colleague, or even a student—that inspires us in their own unique way. Make it a point to not only offer them words of praise and support, but formally nominate them for an art therapy award or scholarship. Or simply nudge them to become a Featured Member (even offer to help by interviewing them.)

Is your membership about to expire?

Take the first step of advancing your career by renewing your AATA membership today. (If you are not yet a member, join us.) Thank you for being part of our community, this year and beyond. If you have questions, please contact us at membership@arttherapy.org.

Happy New Year!