a place to start

unless you go to a college that offers a certificate program in art therapy, you should either double major in psych and art, or major in one and minor in the other. an art education degree should also fulfill the number of art and psych credits required by the american art therapy association. if you do an undergrad art therapy certificate program, you should know that that will not qualify you to practice or represent yourself as an art therapist. the purpose of the certificate is to prepare you for a graduate program. few schools offer it though so you won't be at a disadvantage if you do not do such a program. it would also be to your benefit to work in some kind of healthcare setting, even if it's as a volunteer. it could be a nursing home, a hospital, any kind of place that offers mental health services. either that or working with children, not necessarily in a healthcare setting. generally, people tend to take at least a year or two off between undergrad and grad school. it allows for opportunities to gain some real world experience, personally and professionally, which can make a world of difference when you apply to grad school, and especially when you're in grad school. other than that, i suggest that you talk to a practicing art therapist. write down all your questions and concerns regarding education and practice to discuss with him or her. also, you can sometimes find books on art therapy at a bookstore like borders or barnes and noble. if they don,t don't have any, then they can order one. good luck. you can email me if you want any other advice. i'll help if i can. LeeLeeIAm@aol.com

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