AATA News
Welcome to What Will Be the Best Day of Your Art Therapy Journey
By Christine Troll
During my conference experience, I felt as though I was finally in a place that I belong! I can’t ever remember feeling so connected to my profession, and that feeling has long outlasted the end of last year’s conference!
I Want to Become an Art Therapist – FAQ
This FAQ section responds to the most frequent questions ACATE receives about art therapy education.
Honoring Pride Month in a Challenging Year
Executive Orders have targeted the trans community—from defunding gender-affirming health care of transgender youth to banning trans people from serving in the military. More than 350 LGBTQ+ pages, policies, and guides have been removed from federal government websites. And already, 588 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country.
This Pride Month is an opportunity to support the LGBTQ+ community’s ongoing fight for safety, inclusivity, equality, and justice. Together, I hope that we can show support, share resources, and advocate for the clients and communities art therapists serve.
Announcing the AATA2025 Keynote Speaker, Tucker Bryant
By Bryan Tepper, AATA Conference Chair
I am thrilled to announce Tucker Byrant as the keynote speaker for the AATA2025 In-Person Conference to be held Oct. 8 – 11, in Portland, Oregon. Tucker is a nationally renowned poet and keynote speaker. He believes that the tools used by poets to innovate through language and introspection can help drive creative thinking and “unlock change.”
Art Therapy and Disability Justice in Mental Health CE Session, July 29
In honor of Disability Pride Month, we are hosting a 2-hour virtual Continuing Education session, Art Therapy and Disability Justice in Mental Health, July 29. We’ll learn from presenters Miki Nishida Goerdt, LCSW, LCSW-C, ATR-BC; Beth Ann (BA) Short, MA, LCAT, ATR-BC, ATCS; Noel King, MAAT, ATR-BC, PhD Candidate; and Nicky Sullivan, Art Therapy Master’s Student at George Washington University. They will discuss the principles of disability justice and the role art therapists play in this framework as mental health professionals. The panelists will also examine key aspects of disability culture, share practical strategies for making art therapy more accessible, and discuss how art therapists can foster allyship with disability communities, serving as agents of cultural change in the fight against ableism.
Introducing the Grabie x AATA “Rock Your Inner Strength” Workbook
We are excited to collaborate once again with Grabie to support mental health and spread awareness about art therapy with the launch of the Grabie x AATA Rock Your Inner Strength 4-Week Workbook! Grabie will donate 10% of the proceeds from this product to AATA to support the work we do to advance the art therapy profession.
AATA2025 Annual Conference FAQs
Got questions about coming to AATA2024? Here are some questions from AATA members and the answers.
In Tribute to AATA Past President Bobbi Stoll
Bobbi was a powerful advocate for art therapy, the arts, and mental health—and a passionate leader, mentor, and friend who touched the lives of art therapists around the world. She will be missed.
Sign up to Volunteer in the Open Art Studio at AATA2025!
Attending this conference is more than just about the learning opportunities, although there are more than 190 sessions to choose from included in your registration. What always makes this conference so special are the people: We come together as a community, connect with others from around the globe—and inspire one another!
At the heart of the conference is the Open Art Studio. It’s literally where people come to process what they’re learning, make new friends, or just create! It’s a special place—and as the Conference Arts Chair, I want to make sure that it’s both welcoming and well-stocked. And that’s why I’m asking for the help of AATA’s student members.
We are looking for energetic individuals who are attending the conference and willing to donate time to set-up, break-down, or help manage the Open Art Studio.
Join us for a Virtual CE Session, Queer Worldmaking in Art Therapy: Affirming Queer/Trans Lives Through Creative Practice.
This June, in honor of Pride Month, AATA is hosting a CE session to help you better support your LGBTQIA+ clients and create a more inclusive and affirming practice. Please join us June 17 at 7pm ET for Queer Worldmaking in Art Therapy: Affirming Queer/Trans Lives Through Creative Practice.
This unique Continuing Education opportunity will explore the intersection of art therapy and queer worldmaking. Presenters Kachina Mooney, MA, LPC, ATR-BC; Sara Blevins-Ranes, ATR, LPC; and Nicholas Denson, MA, LCPC, LCADC, ATR-BC, NCC, will introduce foundational concepts of queer worldmaking and offer practical insights into how art therapists can incorporate these transformative ideas into their clinical practice.