November 3, 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.
Today, we caught up with Rebecca Wilkinson, an art therapist based in Washington, DC, and Tucson, Arizona.
What excites you most about your job right now?
What are your hopes for the field of art therapy?
That the value of art therapy—of applying the amazing capacity of art to express our experience, to use creativity as a generative force, and to learn from what we create—be increased in terms of awareness and accessibility.
How has social justice impacted your work as an art therapist?
How can it not? That is too difficult to answer in this kind of format. Recognizing and addressing “othering” and dehumanization/rehumanization are at the core of what I do. This naturally overlaps with those areas.
“Working with people with severe mental illness has taught me to appreciate the range of human strengths and experiences in the midst of challenges.”
— Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT
What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a career in art therapy?
Find the people that inspire you in this work and reach out to them. It is all about relationships and connection.How did you get involved with AATA?
I got involved in 1991 when I wanted to learn more about the field and meet people in this practice and am now a member of 35 years and have served multiple roles on Arizona Art Therapy Association and Potomac Art Therapy Association (DMV) Boards. I am also a frequent attendee and presenter at AATA conferences.
About Rebecca Wilkinson, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT
Rebecca is a Licensed Clinical Practicing Art Therapist, A Licensed Counselor, and a Registered and Board Certified Art Therapist. She is the Managing Director of Creative Wellbeing Workshops, which provides resources for individuals and organizations on managing stress, preventing burnout, and increasing wellbeing. She is co-author of Positive Art Therapy in Theory and Practice: Integrating Positive Psychology and Art Therapy. and teaches on that topic, among others, at the GW Art Therapy Program. She is now articulating theory around incorporating Art Therapy with Psychedelic work and is trained on the latter through IPI and MAPS. She lives between DC with her twin sister and Tucson with her husband and cats.