#WeAreArtTherapists
SURVEY: Reexamining the Impact of Coronavirus on the Art Therapy Profession
April 6, 2021
In May 2020, art therapists shared their experiences during the pandemic in the American Art Therapy Association’s (AATA) Coronavirus Impact Survey. Our report told the story of art therapists standing on the frontlines of the pandemic while coping with tremendous challenges. Now, a year into the pandemic, we are launching a follow-up survey to assess how art therapists are doing. While our last survey focused on the entire art therapy community (including students and educators), this survey is focused on clinicians’ work with clients.
De-Stressing Tips and Career Conversation – Atlanta University Center Consortium Students Learn About Art Therapy
March 25, 2021
Collaborating with the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective to raise awareness about art therapy during the Spring 2021 semester, AATA was thrilled to offer programming to support and inspire the Atlanta University Center community during career week and the stressful time of midterms.
For Justice, In Solidarity: A Response from Two Emerging Art Therapists to the Rise of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Violence
March 22, 2021 | Elisha-Rio P. Apilado and Zachary D. Van Den Berg
Two related but equally concerning trends have emerged during the Coronavirus pandemic in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community: the rise in violence and the rise in mental health care needs. This response blog post is a plea for art therapists to intervene and recognize that our services can have life-or-death consequences, especially for the AANHPI community.
A Sloth Goes to the Hospital: A Children’s Book Helps Young Patients Learn about the Creative Arts Therapies
March 19, 2021 | Olivia Dobson
Sloth Goes to the Hospital: Introducing the Creative Arts Therapies, introduces the Creative Arts Therapy services at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and promotes normalization of the hospital experience. The storyline of the book is accompanied by my illustrations of Sloth and his interactions with art therapy, music therapy and dance/movement therapy while in the hospital.
Artwork by Art Therapist Wayne Ramirez Selected for Embracing Our Differences Exhibit
March 17, 2021
“Stand in My Shoes,” a painting by Wayne Ramirez, MFA, MS, ATR-R was selected for the Embracing Our Differences 2021 international art exhibition in Sarasota’s Bayfront Park. Embracing Our Differences is a nonprofit that seeks to “expand consciousness and open the heart to celebrate the diversity of the human family.”
Announcing AATA’s Collaboration with the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective
March 9, 2021
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is proud to collaborate with the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective (AUC Art Collective) to raise awareness about art therapy! Working with Spelman College and the Morehouse School of Medicine, the AUC Art Collective’s goal is to introduce the Atlanta University Center community to the art therapy profession over the course of the Spring 2021 semester.
Am I Well Rested? My Reflections on the 7 Types of Rest
January 28, 2021 | Bani Malhotra
When my Doctoral Advisor Dr. Girija Kaimal, posed the simple question, “Are you well rested?” during a meeting after the holidays to discuss an online research project started during the pandemic, I hesitantly responded, “I guess?” and asked myself in my head, “Am I really?” I realized that I was prepared to discuss a recent virtual interview that I had conducted and the tasks that I was supposed to complete, but I felt totally thrown off when she was also interested in my personal care.
Feeling Stressed about the Capitol Attacks? Here are some Tools to Help Cope from a Trauma Art Therapist
January 13, 2021 | Raquel Farrell-Kirk
I kept the television off and focused on my day at home with my ten year old son. At first, I easily ignored the texts updates I was receiving from friends about the rally in Washington DC, but as the situation escalated into an attack on the Capitol building, I could ignore the news no more. After a few frustrating minutes pressing buttons, I enlisted my son’s help to turn on the television and watched the violence unfold on my television screen.
Featured Member: Deborah Good, PhD, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPAT, LPCC, 2020 Honorary Life Member
December 17, 2020
During AATA’s first virtual Awards Ceremony, Deborah A. Good, PhD, ATR-BC, ATCS, LPAT, LPCC was presented with the 2020 Honorary Lifetime Member (HLM) Award, the highest distinction of the AATA. We asked Dr. Good to answer some questions about her career, insights on the profession today, and vision for the future.
5 Tips from an Art Therapist to Get You through Holiday Gloom
December 16, 2020 | Nadia Paredes
I was born and raised in Mexico, in a very loving (I would even dare say enmeshed) typical Catholic Latino family. My grandfather had died close to Christmas, so my father always tried his best to erase that feeling of loss and live the ideals of what he called “the American Christmas.”