Marketing yourself as an art therapist

Creative Arts Therapists are just that, CREATIVE! It’s a growing field that requires some creative and specific strategies for success.

Q: I just graduated with my master’s degree, what’s next?

There are several avenues a recent graduate can go, my aim in this presentation is to discuss some post-graduate options in the field of art therapy.

First, know where to look. Utilize career services (such as resume writing, credential file) at Nazareth. Other colleges in the area allow you to search their career services job postings.

(Roberts Wesleyan College has a fairly comprehensive list of jobs (http://www.roberts.edu/LifeAtRoberts/ResidentLife/CareerServices/)

Be creative with job search terms: As a Creative Arts Therapist, it can be challenging to find a job working full-time as one. Sometimes agencies will consider a CAT for positions such as primary therapist, social worker, counselor, recreation therapist, etc.

Post your resume with online job communities: for example, http://www.careerbuilder.com will allow you to save a resume and will send email alerts of any jobs that may match your credentials. Other local agencies such as via health also allow for saved resumes and email alerts.

Internships are a wonderful way to see if a certain population or agency may be a good fit for a job. I would recommend choosing two different populations for your internships. For example, if you are interested in working with children and geriatric populations. “Trying them both on for size” in your internships are good ways to expand your experience and also decide on a job after graduate school.

Credentials Obtained: Clear and Concise.

Know your population:

Do your homework. Research the populations and agencies you may be interested in working with.

What does this agency do?Who are their clients?What services do they offer?Could art therapy/creative arts supplement their current programming?

Human service/non-profit agencies don’t often have the most up-to-date websites. (If they have one at all). Find out as much as you can about the agency and then tailor what you can offer to meet those needs.

Make connections to agencies. Offer in-services.

Join e-mail list serves.

Be prepared to answer questions.

Most common:What is Art Therapy?

How do you achieve the goals of art therapy?

How much will it cost?

How often can you offer these services?

What kind of progress will we see in our clients?

It’s important to include your philosophy of art therapy: clinical art therapy, art as therapy, creative arts, etc.

Develop an informative and interesting brochureTake photos of client artwork (with photo releases)

FAQ

What is the difference between working as an “art therapy consultant” and having a “private practice?”

The main difference is that you are hired by an agency to provide creative arts therapy services. You are not providing the services at a private practice office that you own. If an agency hires you as a contractor or consultant, they have determined that you are qualified to offer these services. (Just as they would if they were to hire you as an employee). If you do decide to get a business tax id, you can classify yourself as a “sole proprietor”. (See regulations regarding sole proprietorships in NY:

*I will address supervision and client contact hours for consultants regarding supervision in the information on licensure.

If I am new in the field, how should I begin?

As a new graduate, it is important to start establishing a background of experience. When submitting a cover letter or resume for a job, its important to highlight any clinical experiences you may have had with your internship. Include specifics such as experience with group therapy, CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy), behavioral intervention strategies, experience with substance abuse, etc.

It is sometimes a good idea to “volunteer” your services for a period of time. For example, if you are really interested in working with children with special needs, you may want to write up a proposal for an agency that serves children and families with special needs. You can “volunteer” to run a creative arts group for a 3-6 month period of time. After that period of time, you can charge a consultant fee to continue the group.

If the agency has never before worked with an art therapist, it will require more work from you to “sell” the idea to them.

I just graduated with my Masters in Creative Arts Therapy, but I don’t see very many job postings out there, where should I look for jobs?

Working as a Creative Arts Therapist is a unique profession that requires a little more than an internet job search. Sometimes CAT’s are classified by agencies as mental health professionals, human service workers, counselors, etc. It is good practice to look at the websites for local agencies and investigate how their jobs are classified.

(For example, I recently looked at the Via Health website and noticed that they have a L-CAT classified under “Primary Therapist”, if you did a search for “art therapy” under their search engine, there were no results.) It’s important to look at the descriptions of postings to see if your credentials may apply.

Do I need to start a business or get a tax id number to do consultant work?

No, you can ask that any agency you work with issue you a 1099 form at the end of the year. This classifies you as an “independent consultant” and you will pay taxes on the wages you have made. If you are just starting out and only contracting with one or a few agencies, this will not be a costly way for you to get yourself off the ground.

Do I need a studio or office space?I have found that most agencies prefer you to come to them. Having their services in house is easier than coordinating transportation to an outside location. When submitting a proposal to them, be specific in your needs for a room (ie: access to a sink, tables, table covers, a space separate from continuous traffic, interruptions, etc.)

Do I provide materials or ask that agency pay for them?

You can really do either. I always preferred to supply the materials and include that fee in my services. That way, I have exactly the materials needed and it saves the agency from having to provide them. For instance, if you want to have a painting session but the agency only supplies cheap brushes and paper, you may want to consider bringing your own. Even if they supply materials, you may wish to bring basics like brushes, paper, scissors, tape, etc.

I can’t rely totally on consultant work, I need health coverage too!

I can relate to this. Sometimes, you can hold a full or part time job that isn’t your “dream job” as a beginning therapist and do a bit of consultant work directly doing creative arts therapy so that you are gaining experience at the same time. Getting health coverage from an agency while you consult can be a good idea. Or even if you are hired as a “case manager” or other position in a human service agency, you can propose the idea of offering a creative arts group as part of your position there. Perhaps this may open doors and the agency may eventually expand to offer a position as a creative arts therapist.

Even if you do not wish to be a consultant, learning to market yourself as an art therapist will be useful in a job interview.

Ways to “sell” your services:

Do an interactive art experiential. Staff can see firsthand how the art therapy process works by participating in an experiential.

Know your strengths and weaknesses:If you are very good at the creative part, but have difficulty with administrative aspects involved,

Resume

Continuing Education Courses or Workshops: Taking additional continuing education courses on specialized topics will help you gain experience with certain populations.

Professional Memberships:AATA, NYCATA, etc.

Grant-Writing classes or seminar. If may be useful to obtain grant writing skills and information if you are trying to sell a creative arts program to an agency. Often agencies would love to hire you, but do not have the money to pay you. Knowing how to write grants and obtain funding can prove to be very lucrative in some cases.

What about malpractice insurance?

I recommend HPSO (Healthcare Providers Service Organization) http://www.hpso.com/Malpractice insurance for a part time art therapist is $122 per year.

There are other providers with similar costs.

Free online courses regarding starting a business:http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/index.html

Useful Links:

http://nyarttherapy.org/

Areas where the creative arts are growing:

Independent and Assisted Living Facilities

Agencies serving adults with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries.

Hospitals: Inpatient, Outpatient and ClinicsStrong, Via Health (Rochester General), etc.

Agencies serving at-risk youth and families: Hillside, St. Joseph’s Villa, Crestwood, et