Upcoming Events
Art Therapy and Disability Justice in Mental Health
July 29, 7 – 9pm ET
This panel discussion explores the principles of disability justice and the role of art therapists in this framework as mental health professionals. Panelists will 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. Learn more.
All-Member Meeting
August 27, 8 – 9pm ET
Join us to talk about plans for AATA2025 and other upcoming events. Plus, stay for the informal art-making session.
What Makes a Thriving Profession?
CE Session
September 9, 7 – 9pm ET
As art therapy grows as a field—we have the opportunity to advance as a profession and strengthen our own unique identity as mental health professionals. Please join us for a special CE session and learn with us about the key elements of a thriving profession, what AATA is doing to make the art therapy profession stronger, and how you can help. The conversation will be led by the volunteer members of the Professional Affairs Committee.
Stay tuned for upcoming events! Sign up for Art Therapy Today, our bi-weekly newsletter.
2025 At a Glance
All-Member Meetings
- February 26, 8-9:30pm ET
- April 30, 8-9:30pm ET
- June 25, 8-9:30pm ET
- August 27, 7:30-9:30pm ET
- October 29, 8-9:30pm ET
- December 17, 8-9:30pm ET
State and Local Chapter Meetings
By invite only
- Feb 5
- March 12
- May 14
- July 9
- September 10
- October 8 at the AATA Conference (in-person)
- November 12
Committee Chair Meetings
By invite only
- February 12
- April 9
- June 11
- Aug 13
- Oct 1
- December 10
Past Events
Queer Worldmaking in Art Therapy: Affirming Queer/Trans Lives Through Creative Practice
June 17, 7 – 9pm ET
Join us for a Pride Month virtual CE session to help art therapists better support LGBTQIA+ clients and create a more inclusive and affirming practice. This unique Continuing Education opportunity will explore the intersection of art therapy and queer worldmaking.
The session also will examine the therapist’s role as ally, advocate, and activist—with the hope thateveryone will walk away with a deeper understanding of the work to be done and how to do it—especially in light of the sweeping legislative changes impacting LGBTQIA+ lives.
Healing the Healer: Artful Strategies for Sustainable Practice
May 27, 7 – 9pm ET
Feeling the weight of your work? Join us for a reflective and creative experience designed for helping professionals navigating burnout. Through art-making, discussion, and wellness-based tools, we’ll explore the emotional toll of caregiving, the cycle of connection and loss, and practical ways to care for ourselves while continuing to care for others. (Learn more.)
This CE event is FREE for ALL AATA Members. Register to attend.
Ethical Use of Self Disclosure in Clinical Practice—
Both in Private Practice and Community Mental Healthcare Settings – April 29, 7 – 9pm ET
This session is the third in an Ethics Continuing Education series. This event is FREE for AATA Student Members.
Learn more or register to attend.
Ethical Topics: Self Disclosure in Social Media, Resources for Clients
April 22, 7 – 9pm ET
During this session Ethics CE session, a panel will discuss ethical considerations about therapist self-disclosure and social media, including precautions art therapists can take in their online communications and engagement. The panelists will also offer ways art therapists can navigate social media and online resources to support clients.
This event is FREE for AATA Student Members.
Learn more or register to attend.
The Developmental Journey, Session 3:
Developing Supervisors and Supervision Practices
April 11, 7 – 9pm ET
What do art therapy professionals need to make the transition to supervisor? During this Supervision CE session, we will explore how the supervisory relationship can create a process that repeats with supervisee’s work with other clinicians that they, in turn, supervise. In that way, we are modeling how to be a supervisor in every moment of supervision. Senior clinicians become adept at moving through the roles of teacher, helper, listener, and consultant in the supervisory process. Participants will learn a model that allows the supervisor to work with intent.
This event is FREE for AATA Student Members. Register to attend.
The Developmental Journey, Session 2:
Growth in New to Experienced Professionals
April 4, 7 – 9pm ET
During this Supervision CE session, participants will learn about the common internal shifts that can lead to experiences of stagnation or deep, meaningful work. What are the shared experiences in the transition from new professional to experienced professional? How do their needs for support, art making and supervision also shift and how can supervisors best position themselves to evolve in the supervisory relationship? How does the supervisor become internalized over time?
This event is FREE for AATA Student Members. Register to attend.
The Developmental Journey, Session 1:
Student Professional Growth and Supervision
March 21, 7 – 9pm ET
During this first Supervision CE session, participants will explore the common experiences of students as novices and what they need to succeed. Discover the discrimination model’s roles of teacher, helper, listener, and consultant as well as a range of universal precautions intervention strategies that supervisors can utilize to protect the vulnerabilities of students while keeping them engaged. How does artmaking contribute to their development at this stage?
This event is FREE for AATA Student Members. Register to attend.
The Ethics of Clinical Referrals and Building a Sustainable Practice
February 25, 7 – 9pm ET
Join Anna O’Brien, MA, ATR-BC, LPC for an engaging 2-hour virtual CE session exploring the nuanced world of ethical clinical referrals. Through art experientials and collaborative discussion, participants will learn to identify and navigate countertransference in their clinical work, understanding how personal reactions and biases can impact referral decisions. This workshop provides practical tools for maintaining professional boundaries while building a sustainable practice that honors both client needs and therapeutic integrity.
This session is the first in an Ethics Continuing Education series. This event is FREE for AATA Student Members.
Learn more or register to attend.
Preventive Art Therapy:
The Ethical Intersection of Art Therapy
and Public Health
January 28, 7-9pm ET
Inclusive mental health requires non-stigmatizing, scalable, resilience-building practices. Art therapy can fill this role. This workshop will dive deep into the ethical intersection of art therapy and public health, offering practical ways art therapy theory and tools can integrate into any clinical or community setting for wide-reaching and sustainable change. Learn more.
This event is FREE for AATA Student Members.
Mexican Huipil-Making and Photoembroidery to Find Connection: Integrating Textiles, Photo and Embroidery in Clinical Practice
September 24, 2024, 7pm ET
In this virtual Continuing Education session hosted by Gabriela Osorio Fajardo, MTFS, MTA, participants will learn how to begin their own art piece or a traditional Mexican huipil by exploring five key questions that deepen the symbolism behind stitches and colors. We will also examine various examples of embroidery and textile-based activities, discussing how each can be integrated into clinical practice.
Registration fees are $52 for AATA members and $82 for non-members. The session is FREE for AATA student members! Attendees may receive 2 CE credits.
All Member Meeting:
Evolving Our Culture with DEI Lenses
September 25, 2024, 7:30pm ET
Join us for our virtual All-Member Meeting to hear about AATA2024, what you can expect for the conference, and more. Connect with other members and make art together!
Transformational change expert Sharon Newport will also conduct a CE-eligible session, Evolving Our Culture with DEI Lenses, during the first half of the All-Member Meeting. We will self-reflect on our own lived experiences and explore how to align our values toward building a stronger culture with DEI lenses. The event is free for AATA members.
Belonging is Being Seen
Virtual Session
August 27, 2024, 7PM ET
Join Magdalena V. Karlick, M.A., Phd-c, ATR-BC, LPCC, for a 2-hour Continuing Education session expanding on her 2023 blog post “Belonging Is Being Seen.” We will explore the experience of belonging and some of the factors that limit this internal and interpersonal experience. We will discuss inclusivity as it relates to representation, language use, and nervous system regulation. Magdalena will also use somatic awareness techniques and art supplies to explore our felt sense of belonging. Learn more.
Pen, Crystal Bracelet, and Furniture:
Exploring the Complexities of Belonging
and Well-being
Held on April 30, 2024
Join Tsz Yan Winnie Wong, MAATC, ATR-BC, LPC, for a session on the impact of cultural identities and sociopolitical context on individuals’ sense of belonging and well-being. Eligible for 2.0 CEU hours.
FREE for Student Members!
Watch on the AATA Online Learning Academy.
Exploring Art Therapy Groups Among African American Black Women from Research to Program Implementation,
Held on March 5, 2024
This virtual session will focus on the development and implementation of an art therapy program designed to support the mental health and wellness of African American women. The course will explore cultural challenges, help-seeking barriers and usage disparities among African American women/ Black women associated with mental health services. Students will be guided through the results of a Thematic Content Analysis of four emergent themes and engage in a culturally enriched art task.
Watch on the AATA Online Learning Academy.
The Trauma Hiding in Plain Sight:
Workplace Bullying, Treatment Considerations, and a Case Example of Recovery as Seen Through the Structure of the Expressive Therapies Continuum
Held on Nov. 18, 2023
View in the AATA Online Learning Academy
“I want to invite you to a virtual session about the all-too-common trauma of workplace bullying. As an art therapist, and someone who has experienced workplace bullying first-hand, this is a critical topic to address for our clients’ sake as well as for our own, especially in light of data that indicates nearly half of people in the American workforce say they’ve experienced or witnessed bullying while in an occupational capacity.”
— Megan VanMeter
(Learn more in this blog post, Workplace Bullying Isn’t About A Mean 4th Grader on the Playground; It has Serious Consequences)
Hosted by
Megan VanMeter, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC, LPC-AT/S
Giving Unicorns Wings: Creating Ideal Treatment Conditions and Interventions for Neurodiverse Children, Adolescents, and Adults (with autism, ADHD, and learning differences)
Held on Sept. 23, 2023
View in the AATA Online Learning Academy
Did you know that nearly a quarter of the people who enter your treatment room in the U.S. are likely to be neurodiverse and process their experiences differently than their neurotypical counterparts?
In this seminar, discover how ableism (social prejudice against people with disabilities) inflicts psychological harm on individuals with “invisible disabilities”. Explore an original art therapy social skills treatment approach designed to accept the client for who they are, create positive social feedback cycles, and stimulate social and emotional coping skill-building. You will acquire powerful skills for this cohort that has useful applications for most clinical populations, such as “Reverse Art Therapy” Social-Coping Skills Lessons, Targeted Positive Reflection, Compassionate Social Coaching, and a range of group and dyadic art therapy tasks that develop social skills. Learn more
Attendees will receive 4.0 Continuing Education Hours.
Hosted by
Michael Fogel, MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Identity, Art Therapy, and Working with the LGBTQIA Community
Held on Aug. 14, 2023
View in the AATA Online Learning Academy
Our individual identities are important to mental health and growth. This presentation will cover identity work, the intersection of layers of identity, and use of art therapy interventions to aid in working with clients in LGBTQIA+ populations. The session will incorporate the presentation of information as well as discussion, and art making elements throughout. There will be dedicated discussion on self-disclosure, terminology, and interventions for creative arts therapists to use. Learn more
Attendees will receive 2.0 Continuing Education Hours.
