Art Therapists

• Conduct art therapy sessions providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from or cope with cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
• Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
• Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
• Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.
• Establish goals or objectives for art therapy sessions in consultation with clients or site administrators.
• Gather client information from sources such as case documentation, client observation, or interviews of client or family members.
• Develop individualized treatment plans that incorporate studio art therapy, counseling, or psychotherapy techniques.
• Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
• Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.
• Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for art therapy.
• Customize art therapy programs for specific client populations, such as those in schools, nursing homes, wellness centers, prisons, shelters, or hospitals.
• Select or prepare artistic media or related equipment or devices to accomplish therapy session objectives.
• Confer with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.
• Recommend or purchase needed art supplies or equipment.
• Interpret the artistic creations of clients to assess their functioning, needs, or progress.
• Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns.
• Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of treatments or therapy approaches.
• Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines.
• Teach art therapy techniques or processes to artists, interns, volunteers, or others.
• Instruct individuals or groups in the use of art media, such as paint, clay, or yarn.
• Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Art Therapists.

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Art Therapists.