AATA Blog
Unraveling the Misconceptions of Hair
Feb. 8, 2023 | By Naarah Macklin, MS, LMHC
The start of this journey began with an individual asking to touch my hair in a professional setting. The question was innocent enough. But why would she ask to touch my hair? What makes my hair such a form of curiosity? This experience began my quest to explore answers within safe spaces for individuals to get together and share their own personal experiences related to hair.
The Over-compensator: On Being an Iranian Art Therapist
January 25, 2023 | By Shereen Bar-or Becerra, MPS, LCAT, ATR-BC
Unprocessed trauma leads to rage. What we do with that raw emotion is what matters. For me, I had to acknowledge The Over-compensator in order to turn my rage into my superpower. I learned to see myself differently and help others to do the same through art therapy. In Iran, their rage has evolved into a revolution. For my fellow diaspora Iranians, I recognize my role within my career and this movement is to hold space for the decades of trauma to help push this movement forward.
Top Ten Most-Read Articles and Blog Posts of 2022
These were the most read articles and blog posts of 2022. While some were posted in recent years, they still remain important to our readers. Take a look, and we hope you share with others!
Support Insurance Reimbursement for Art Therapy in New York!
UPDATED December 21, 2022 Great news! This week, the New York State legislature once again sent A1171A to the Governor's desk for her signature. The bill, which was passed by the legislature in May, would require private insurance companies to cover mental health...
Coping Through Creativity: A Mom’s Story through Childhood Cancer
When my daughter Miley was 11 months old, she was diagnosed with cancer. I immediately immersed myself into her care… And once her treatment was completed, we rang a bell — and it was over. This is the most mind-blowing thing that no one prepares you for. My daughter was cancer free but I was left with battle scars that no one could see. That’s when I turned to art therapy.
7 Facts to Know on Veterans Day
November 11, 2022
For art therapists, Veterans Day serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the mental health of veterans and service members.
Behind the Therapeutics of Art: Two Undergraduate Students Explore Art Therapy
October 28, 2022 | Tomer Eldor and Mathilde Scarlata, former Penn State undergraduate students
Although an hour of quiet might not seem like much of an impact, nowadays, with the continuous use of technology and the constant need for gratification in the form of texts, likes, and notifications, an hour of quietness is rare. For me, art has managed to provide that much needed silence, where the only thing that matters is me, my music, and the pencil in my hand—a moment of pure freedom and creativity. I will continually utilize what I learned from this course and use art for self expression and stress relief.
Big News for Art Therapists in New Mexico!
October 28, 2022 | Deborah Good, PhD, HLM, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPAT, LPCC
New Mexico LPATs are now eligible to apply for Medicaid reimbursement as private practitioners. This is a huge victory because, as many of you know, Medicaid approval status sets the standard for all other insurance companies. Art therapists in New Mexico have worked for 28 years to make this happen — and hope all of you will take advantage of this incredible recognition for the art therapy license.
My Journey Exploring Medical Art Therapy for Burn Care: From Practice to Applied Research
By Bani Malhotra, MA, ATR-BC
For me, a fortuitous opportunity to intern at the burn care center as a graduate student of psychology in India, first led me to first experience the interdisciplinary aspects of burn care which I am now exploring in a systematic way through my doctoral art therapy studies at Drexel University. Burns can cause devastating injuries and affect an individual’s and their family’s overall psychosocial adjustment following a burn trauma. Through my preliminary research, I have found that despite the emerging interest in the trauma of a burn injury, the insight into psychosocial care intervention for personal, social, and cultural impact of burns is scarce.
Artistic Fuel’s Ties That Bind Benefit brought 100 people in support of art therapy services in Uvalde
On August 27, the Artistic Fuel Ties That Bind Benefit event in Leesburg, Virginia, brought over a 100 people together to join the effort to bring art therapy services to Uvalde.