art therapy-passion vs. reality

Hello there,

i must admit, i am completely clueless to this field and come now only with questions.. i have been working for the past 2 years in the magazine industry in in new york city and am now eager to start a new life that combines my passions for art and helping people. Getting a masters in art therapy seems the wisest path for me to take, with a all those factors in mind.

I have spent the past hour or so reading messages and responses posted on the site and there are a few main questions that i am burning to ask those of you who have been in the field: would you say that there is stable employment available to those wishing to pursue this kind of degree? it seems (from your own postings) that a masters in counseling overrides that of art therapy; is that due a lack of support from most states to fund art therapists? where do most art therapists end up getting jobs after recieving their masters? as teachers of art therapy? as counselors who utilize art therapy as their own, separate doctrines? as part-time speakers at art therapist conventions?

I graduated 2 years ago with a bachelors in english literature and after being in the corporate, competitive and viciously money-obsessed lifestyle that is new york, i am so ready to do something meaningful!!! i'd like to move to santa fe and study under the masters program at Southwestern College, whose program was approved in 1998, many years later than other schools offering the AT degree. Does anyone know people who have attended the program? in reading the postings in this chat forum, it seems that lesley college has been mentioned a lot (for its PHD program, specifically) but i do not want to be in the Northeast when i study. I'm just a little worried that i will sacrifice quality of study and/or should i choose a younger institution...

thanks, any pearls of wisdom (no matter how small) would be really helpful to these millions of questions... i have learned so much already, just being a silent listener to all of the rich advice and compelling experiences you have expressed about your own lives and the lives/works of others.

---Beth

Replies:

Re:art therapy-passion vs. reality , by cathy m., 04/12/01 Re:art therapy-passion vs. reality , by Jay, 07/12/02

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