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Connect with a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist in Buffalo or Western New York

We are a professional network of art therapists working to educate the public as well as advocate for and increase access to art therapy services in the Buffalo Niagara areas of Western NY. Our site is an educational one, that features profiles of many state-licensed and/or nationally registered therapists working in a variety of public, private, and community-based settings in the local area.

Learn more about Art Therapy Buffalo:

About Us

What is Art Therapy?

Often, our emotions and personal experiences can be too complex or difficult to put into words. Utilizing visual arts and creativity in psychotherapy provides opportunities for self-expression, growth, and healing that can be lacking in many traditional “talk therapy” approaches.

You do not have to be an artist to benefit from art therapy; it is an individualized process that involves the exploration of many forms of creative expression within a therapeutic partnership.

Art therapy can help you discover new ways to express yourself, develop a positive outlet for growth, and support a path to recovery from past trauma. 

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What can Art Therapy do for Me?

For some of us, words simply are not enough to process the complex emotions and experiences of our lives. Creative approaches to psychotherapy are as unique as the individual seeking services; the way this looks will be tailored to best suit the needs, preferences, and goals of each client. Contact one of the licensed or credentialed art therapists in our professional network to learn more about how this approach to mental health treatment might benefit you or someone you know!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can benefit from art therapy?

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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!

What is an art therapy session like?

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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.

Does insurance cover art therapy?

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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.

UPCOMING / PAST EVENTS:

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Check out some of our past events here:

Events

Art Therapy Buffalo Community

Our community of professional art therapists have been meeting for peer support, networking, and professional development for the past decade! While the pandemic has changed the frequency and format of our meet-ups, we are proud to continue hosting these ongoing opportunities to share ideas and engage in art making for self-care with one another.

If you are an art therapist in the Buffalo area and are interested in joining our community, please contact us to learn more! If you are a student, recent graduate, or professional working in mental health, education, or other related human service discipline, feel free to get in touch with someone from our professional network to learn more or collaborate with us! We have opened up our meetings in the past and try to do so regularly to accommodate community members who may be interested in learning more about art therapy or pursuing this career; while you may contact anyone in our network individually, attending a meetup is a great way to get a variety of perspectives and tap into a network of support and many sources of expertise!

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