June 6, 2025
The American Art Therapy Association represents a diversity of professionals, students, and organizations across the nation. We recognize and celebrate the work of our members at all levels through our Featured Member series.
Join Nicole July 29th for the presentation she is co-presenting “Art Therapy and Disability Justice in Mental Health.” Register here.
What excites you most about your job right now?
I am excited for the opportunity to work in research with my peers and mentors and utilize that information to best support clients in the future. I’m looking forward to seeing how the field will grow in the upcoming years.
What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a career in art therapy?
As someone who is just starting out their career in art therapy, I encourage anyone who wants to join the field to look open-mindedly at the populations that they could support. Being open minded about where your career could take you might open doors that you didn’t realize you were standing in front of. The best experiences that I’ve had thus far are the ones that scared and pushed me the most as a person.
For students: don’t be scared to get involved in research and advocacy early in your career. Being a student with the opportunity to get involved with AATA and partner with clinicians who are experienced in the field has been an incredible learning experience. Presenting and speaking on my my experiences throughout my graduate program has helped me learn how to advocate for myself and others in ways that make me a much stronger future clinician.
Has working with a particular client group shaped your professional focus or specialty? What have you learned from working with these clients?
In both my undergraduate and graduate studies, I have worked with several individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities are a population that I happened to have multiple placements with and I fell in love with the work. I’ve noticed a lack of discussions, formal education, and trainings on how to support many clients who fall within that population. The clients that I have worked with have taught me so much about resiliency, joy, and growth. They’ve taught me how to better authentically show up in all areas of my life—including my professional life—and I will forever be grateful for them for showing me the kind of therapist that I want to be.
“Becoming an art therapist has been an incredible journey for me so far. I’ve had the opportunity to watch my clients grow and they constantly inspire me. There’s something that my good friend (and peer) LauraChioma Jones said that has stuck with me as I’m finishing school about art therapy: “It’s not always magic, but sometimes it is.” Sometimes what we do truly does feel like magic, and I can’t wait to see what magical moments happen throughout the rest of my career.”
— Nicole Sullivan, B.A., Masters of Art Therapy Candidate at George Washington University
What are your hopes for the future of the art therapy profession?
I hope that the field of art therapy will continue to engage in research that inspires future clinicians to expand their worldviews. I hope that the field can become more inclusive for clinicians and clients.
How did you get involved with AATA? What keeps you excited about the AATA community?
I got involved as a graduate student before graduating in the hopes to get connected with the greater art therapy community. Many of the professionals that inspire me are AATA members, and I would love to continue the great work that I’ve seen them begin. I appreciate the AATA community’s opportunities for further education and growth. It’s important to change and evolve as a person and clinician, but also as a field as a whole. I appreciate seeing all of the opportunities that AATA offers members for continued learning.
About Nicole Sullivan, B.A. in Art Therapy from the University of Tampa, Masters of Art Therapy Candidate at George Washington University
Nicky Sullivan (she/her) is a graduating Master’s Student in Art Therapy at George Washington University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Art Therapy at The University of Tampa. Her experiences at her internship in undergraduate school inspired a passion for working with individuals with a variety of needs. Nicky has committed her time in her graduate studies to advocating for art therapy practices with marginalized populations. She uses her internship experiences with individuals with a variety of disabilities in conjunction with guidance from faculty to inform her approach as a budding art therapist. She hopes to use her career to support and advocate for clients and clinicians with disabilities.
Learn more about Nicky on her Instagram @art.by.nics or her LinkedIn.