Art therapy provides individuals of all ages with an opportunity to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas in healthier, more productive ways. Often, emotions and personal experiences can be too complex or difficult to put into words. Art therapy can help you discover new ways to express yourself, find a positive outlet for growth and building skills, so you can successfully and sustainably make the changes you desire.

Art therapists work with children, teens, adults, families, couples, and groups in a variety of treatment settings. Some work in schools, clinics, substance abuse treatment programs, correctional facilities, or in private practice. Take a look at our community profiles for more information about art therapists working in your area!

Art Therapists have the education, training, and professional experience needed to effectively utilize the visual arts in pschotherapy sessions. You do not need to be an "artist" to benefit from this approach and because art therapy is tailored to the individual, every person's experience may be different. Art therapists partner with their clients to collaborate with and support them in experimenting with a variety of media and materials to promote healing and facilitate expression, based on their individual needs, symptoms, goals, and personal preferences.

New clients can expect a warm, collaborative environment, within which art, play, and discussion can take place naturally. Drawing, painting, clay sculpture, poetry, collage, and photography are just some of the activities art therapists utilize in sessions. Process is often emphasized over "product"; while producing something beautiful can be a goal for some, what is most important is finding an effective way to express your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, so these can be more easily accessed, discussed, and reflected upon.

Services provided by mental health professionals with licensure to practice in New York State (NYS) may or may not be covered under some commercial insurance plans. Admission into most commercial insurance networks can be difficult for many private practitioners and coverage benefits among insurance companies and plans can vary widely.

In New York State, art therapists are licensed mental health practitioners under the NYS Education Department's Office of the Professions. A Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) must meet strict educational and professional experience requirements, as well as pass a comprehensive examination (which also qualifies art therapists for registration and board certification through national credentialing body, The Art Therapy Credentials Board). State licensure and national registration and/or board certification (ATR-BC) serve as measures of professional competency as well as provide standards by which art therapists must ethically practice, similar to other mental health disciplines for which NYS regulates licensure.

Unfortunately, many of the major private insurances in New York State do not always cover clinicians with the LCAT license, with or without the ATR-BC credential, unless they work for an agency, or under a medical doctor. Other mental health professionals who fall under the same umbrella as LCAT's (LMFT's - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and LMHC's - Licensed Mental Health Counselors) may also experience insurance coverage issues in New York State. Due to these restrictions, many art therapists and other mental health providers work as private-pay practitioners and advocate with their clients to petition for "out-of-network" coverage through their insurance (clients pay upfront, then submit statements outlining dates of service and cost to their insurance company for reimbursement, as they would with any other out-of-pocket medical expense). Many individuals choose to utilize Health Savings (HSA) or Flex Spending (FSA) benefits to cover the cost of art therapy sessions while they wait for reimbursement.