Art Therapy Guidelines

In general, I tell therapists who wish to use art therapeutically to call it just that, 'therapeutic art'. The secretary of the Quebec Art Therapy Association tells me that is what she recommends too. I'll also quote you from the Canadian Art Therapy Association code of ethics: "The art therapist does not misrepresent his/her professional qualifications, affiliations and purposes... The art therapist protects the public to the best of her ability from those not qualified to practice by reason of a deficiency in education , competence, emotional stability or ethical stancdards. The art therapist promotes and encourages complete training in art therapy."

Because you are a qualified professional, I have confidence that your use of art is respectful, appropriate, and therapeutically useful to the client. There is, however more to art therapy than these types of activities, just as there is more to psychotherapy than active listening. Calling therapeutic art, 'art therapy', implies that you have had professional training in art therapy and so misrepresents what you are doing and what art therapists do to the public. In the same way I should not call myself a social worker or clinical psychologist, verbal therapists I hope will be equally respectfull of art therapists high standards of professional training.

Good luck with your workshops, Sincerely, Sophia Kelly. (for more information about art therapy- try The Art Therapy in Canada Homepage: http://www.io.org/~phansen/index.html )

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