ART THERAPIST JOB DESCRIPTION

An Art Therapist in behavioral health treatment is a licensed clinician who uses the creative process as a documented intervention, not just an enrichment activity. The work happens inside accredited treatment settings governed by state licensure boards and hospital or facility accreditation standards, where every session must produce timely clinical documentation. Caseloads span individuals managing psychiatric, behavioral, and social functioning challenges, and treatment plans are built and revised alongside an interdisciplinary team rather than independently. Billable-session protocols and authorization requirements shape how much direct client contact the role can sustain in a given week.

As the Art Therapist, you assess clients' psychosocial functioning and deliver individualized art-based interventions that support measurable progress toward treatment goals. The role sits within an interdisciplinary treatment team, coordinating closely with caseworkers, supervisors, and licensing or accreditation bodies governing clinical practice.

Career Impact: Practicing under credentials like ATR or ATR-BC within a licensed behavioral health setting builds a clinical track record recognized by state licensing boards.

Business Impact: Consistent, accurate documentation directly supports billing authorization and reauthorization cycles that keep client care funded without interruption.

Growth Opportunity: Experience contributing to interdisciplinary treatment plan formulation positions a therapist for supervisory or clinical program development responsibilities.

Company Value: Several employers in this space emphasize sensitivity to vulnerable populations and a commitment to trauma-informed, non-judgmental care.

• Assess client psychosocial functioning to identify treatment-relevant emotional and behavioral needs.
• Design individualized art-based interventions aligned with each client's treatment goals.
• Facilitate individual and group art therapy sessions for assigned caseloads.
• Document treatment progress and clinical observations to meet accreditation and regulatory standards.
• Contribute clinical impressions during interdisciplinary treatment team meetings.
• Monitor client behavior and apply de-escalation techniques during sessions when needed.
• Coordinate with caseworkers and supervisors to keep care plans current and effective.
• Track billable session activity to support authorization and reauthorization requirements.

• Master's degree in Art Therapy or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of clinical art therapy experience, with behavioral health exposure.
• ATR or ATR-BC credential, or equivalent state licensure.
• Working knowledge of psychosocial assessment and treatment plan formulation.
• Familiarity with HIPAA confidentiality requirements and clinical documentation standards.
• Ability to function effectively within an interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for clinical reporting.

• Experience applying de-escalation techniques in a clinical or residential setting.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care principles and evidence-based treatment modalities.
• Experience meeting billable productivity expectations in a fee-for-service environment.

• Documentation turnaround time, reflecting how quickly session notes meet accreditation standards.
• Billable session rate, measuring how consistently authorization requirements are met.
• Caseload retention rate, tracking how many clients remain engaged through treatment completion.
• Treatment plan goal completion rate, showing measurable client progress over time.
• Interdisciplinary referral follow-through, reflecting coordination quality with the broader treatment team.

• Base Salary Range: $48,000 to $68,000 annually
• Bonus: Rare; occasional small clinical incentive pay
• Equity: Not applicable in this sector
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus sick leave
• Common Perks: Clinical supervision hours, continuing education support

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, consistent with the sensitive nature of work in behavioral health settings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities upon request. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Art Therapist owns the design and delivery of individualized art therapy and lesson plans that help students cope with social communication and emotional regulation challenges. Working within a school-based special education team, the Art Therapist collaborates with co-teachers and IEP teams to implement accommodations and document student progress toward IEP goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess client needs using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
• Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations.
• Develop goals for Individual Education Programs (IEP) and/or Transition Planning Forms (TPF) in conjunction with the team, as needed.
• Design and demonstrate differentiated instruction using a wide variety of teaching and therapy techniques to meet the needs of all students.
• Develop individualized treatment and lesson plans that incorporate tenets of art therapy to provide guided self-expression experiences to help students cope with social communication and emotional regulation challenges.
• Implement accommodations and curricular modifications as specified in IEPs and as needed to meet the learning needs of students.
• Conduct art therapy sessions and lessons in individual and/or small group formats using various types of visual arts.
• Collaborate with other professionals in a co-teaching model to create and implement therapy lessons and activities that address students' social communication and emotional regulation needs.
• Plan, prepare, and teach therapy lessons and activities that address students' social and emotional expression through art and that align with goals and objectives outlined in students' IEPs.
• Create and implement therapy lessons that are predictable, relevant, interactive, and developmentally appropriate for students.
• Collect, record, and document data regarding student progress in instructional areas, as needed.
• Develop therapeutic relationships with students, including use of an appropriate voice volume and setting reasonable boundaries with communication and actions.
• Supervise the classroom and therapeutic space and students at all times, including on- and off-campus outings, for social, safety, and community skills.
• Provide a neat, organized, and safe classroom and therapeutic environment, following schedules to provide structure and limit stimuli for students.

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Expressive Therapies or Art Therapy required.
• Registered Art Therapist (ATR) or Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) credential required.
• CPR, Safety Care, and First Aid certifications required.
• Experience in a psychiatric setting preferred.
• Two years of experience in special education or a related field working with an autistic population preferred.
• Experience with the tenets of Art Therapy and its application with an autistic population preferred.
• Valid driver's license required.

Embedded within an interdisciplinary behavioral health team, the Art Therapist delivers individualized art therapy programming that addresses behavioral, emotional, and learning issues while monitoring client functioning and intervening with de-escalation techniques when needed. Working closely with caseworkers and the treatment team, the Art Therapist contributes to treatment plan formulation and ensures documentation meets hospital and accreditation standards.

Key Deliverables

• Develop, plan, implement, and evaluate art therapy programming to assist individuals in reaching treatment goals or addressing behavioral, emotional, and learning issues.
• Individualize programming as needed and adapt treatment goals in response to individual progress and/or changes in functioning.
• Facilitate sessions with a focus on appropriate treatment goals.
• Incorporate working knowledge of psychological theory and therapeutic interventions with a thorough understanding of the creative process.
• Provide initial and ongoing evaluations of the individual's overall psychosocial functioning within the context of individual and family medical, emotional, social, and cultural concerns.
• Monitor individual behavior and intervene appropriately in a safe manner using de-escalation techniques.
• Consider medical diagnosis, history, treatment, and medications, as well as behavioral and affective presentation, to identify areas of psychosocial need.
• Identify coping methods, overall communication, personal strengths, and individual and family support systems.
• Complete all documentation in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Participate with the interdisciplinary team in treatment plan formulation by contributing to the assessment of the individual's needs from a psychosocial activity point of view.
• Maintain art supplies.
• Maintain awareness of and work within applicable hospital, state, and accreditation standards of practice.
• Adhere to the ethics and standards of the relevant professional art therapy association when providing treatment interventions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's Degree in Art Therapy required.
• Three years of experience in art therapy activities.
• Experience in a behavioral health setting, typically required.
• Working knowledge of a variety of expressive activities, including body image, self-awareness, self-esteem, masks, clay work, and other media.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to function in a multidisciplinary setting.

Reporting to the RHY Program Manager, the Art Therapist leads trauma-informed therapeutic art activities for youth in the shelter program to restore wellbeing and connect them to appropriate RHY services. Partnering with program staff and community partners, the Art Therapist provides crisis intervention and contributes to 24-hour intervention support for assigned individuals.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group-based expressive arts therapy for youth participating in the shelter program.
• Provide outreach expressive art therapy services to community partners and members.
• Provide aid and assistance to youth needing food, clothing, referrals, and shelter.
• Monitor and evaluate individual functioning, participation, and progress.
• Provide accurate and timely documentation of case records, including group notes, client and general log entries, HMIS entries, and contact records.
• Complete all paperwork as required by regulatory bodies and contractual agreements.
• Consult weekly with the treatment team on the progress of each individual served within the program.
• Work in tandem with program staff to support 24-hour intervention with assigned individuals.
• Work in collaboration with other program personnel in service delivery.
• Develop and make appropriate referrals for individuals seeking services.
• Participate in training and orientation of new staff.

Skills & Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Art Therapy required.
• Minimum of one year of job-related experience required.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed principles and values in a clinical treatment environment.
• Knowledge of the Positive Youth Development approach and protective factors.
• Knowledge of behavioral management, de-escalation techniques, and basic intervention skills.
• Knowledge of human growth and development, counseling theory and techniques, and individual and group psychotherapeutic communication processes.
• Knowledge of the therapeutic process using art media and the creative process to allow youth to explore feelings, conflict, trauma, and self-awareness.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to assess and manage behavioral and/or medical events and handle volatile situations in a safe, calm, and caring manner.
• Ability to relate to a diverse population across a variety of age, economic, and educational backgrounds.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Proficiency in relevant software and applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Sitting at the intersection of communication development and family-centered coaching, the Art Therapist builds individualized early intervention services for infants and toddlers with or at risk for developmental delays, partnering with parents and caregivers in home and community settings. Operating across a multidisciplinary Early Intervention team at Thom Child and Family Services, the role identifies IFSP goals and supervises Educational Assistants to ensure services remain meaningful and evidence-based for each family.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in multidisciplinary team assessments of client developmental status, focusing on communication development, including receptive and expressive language and communication, oral-motor, and feeding.
• Participate in the development of Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) with responsibility for identifying goals, objectives, and strategies related to the communication area of development.
• Provide direct services to clients according to their IFSPs, including home visits, child groups, and parent groups.
• Assume Service Coordinator responsibilities as appropriate.
• Monitor developmental milestones and progress with parents and caregivers to inform ongoing need for direct service, consultation, and/or assessment.
• Provide ongoing consultation to multidisciplinary team members regarding the communication area of development and any other client-specific issues.
• Collaborate with the Early Childhood Coordinator and Lead Teacher for coordination of child group services.
• Provide ongoing clinical supervision of Educational Assistants providing services to clients in joint home visits and groups.
• Complete progress notes, reports, assessments, and correspondence as appropriate.
• Participate in developmental screenings in the community.
• Document all information necessary for the upkeep of client files.

Requirements

• Degree and professional credentials as a Registered Art Therapist required.
• Knowledge of family systems and early childhood development.
• Commitment to delivering individualized and culturally informed services.
• Strong ability to engage in meaningful therapeutic relationships with children, parents and caregivers, and community partners.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Good computer and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.

A key member of the Pennsylvania Integrative Clinical Services interdisciplinary team, the Art Therapist delivers individual and group music therapy sessions for adults with Alzheimer's, dementia, and intellectual disorders while simultaneously playing music, assessing clients, and taking notes. Collaborating across clinical and training functions, the role also provides clinical supervision to music therapy students and trainees.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide musical interventions based on therapeutic goals to improve clients' psychological, physical, and social health.
• Implement music therapy services that support healing, comfort, and expression.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team in planning, facilitating, and coordinating services.
• Offer emotional support while utilizing music therapy techniques to facilitate adaptive coping skills for clients.
• Monitor clients during musical interventions while measuring and recording the effectiveness of sessions.
• Conduct assessments to record client progress.
• Organize and maintain music therapy supplies, donations, and music library.
• Comply with policies and procedures regarding infection control and maintenance of supplies and tools.
• Attend regularly scheduled clinical and supervision meetings as required.
• Maintain competencies and professional development, licensure, certification, or registration as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Music Therapy from an approved college and university program required.
• Current board certification in Music Therapy (MT-BC) required.
• Proficiency in verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and in a team environment.
• Spanish-speaking fluency required.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and art skills.

Stable functioning of the art studio and an effective therapeutic environment depend on the Art Therapist, who develops and facilitates therapeutic art groups for clients and residents experiencing homelessness and behavioral health challenges. Based within a residential support setting, the role maintains communication with caseworkers and builds an outcome evaluation tool to track program effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement therapeutic art groups and activities designed to address the psychological needs of clients and residents.
• Facilitate group and individual art therapy sessions for clients and residents.
• Document client and resident progress and response to intervention in progress notes.
• Maintain communication with caseworkers, report on client and resident progress, and share clinical impressions.
• Develop an outcome evaluation tool to determine the effectiveness of the art therapy program.
• Establish behavioral limits and maintain order within the art studio and workroom to promote an effective learning and therapeutic environment.

Position Requirements

• Master's Degree in Art Therapy or a related field, plus one year of internship or work experience providing art therapy, required.
• Licensure by the Board of Professional Therapists and Counselors required.
• Sensitivity to the needs of adults who are homeless, experience behavioral health challenges, and are vulnerable.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and function as a member of a team.
• Ability to intervene between two or more persons in a non-violent manner.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

As the Art Therapist, this role provides individual and group art therapy to adults and children served by Tri-County Mental Health Services, prioritizing high-need referrals and meeting billable session expectations within Missouri clinical practice standards. The treatment team relies on this work to inform care plans, with the Art Therapist contributing to treatment goals and following up with clients who disengage from services.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Provide individual and group art therapy to clients using appropriate treatment modalities and evidence-informed art-based interventions.
• Actively contribute to the functioning of the treatment team, informing members of any issues impacting plans of care in a succinct, organized, and timely manner.
• Assess individuals referred for individual art therapy and prioritize high-need individuals when referrals exceed available session hours.
• Contribute to treatment plans based on client strengths, with individualized, specific, measurable, and time-referenced goals developed in collaboration with the client.
• Document provision of care and treatment promptly, according to regulatory guidelines and professional practice.
• Consistently meet billable expectations and follow established protocol to ensure payment of services, including timely seeking of authorization and reauthorization.
• Provide follow-up for clients who do not follow through with services.
• Show sensitivity to and appreciation of issues related to age, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, gender, and sexual orientation.
• Accept and respond appropriately to feedback from clients, staff, supervisors, and referral sources.
• Actively seek ongoing professional development and knowledge of new treatment modalities and evidence-based practices.
• Participate in staff and clinical meetings, supervision, and staff development trainings as needed.

Professional Experience

• Master's Degree in Art Therapy or Counseling required.
• ATR-Provisional, ATR, or ATR-BC credential required.
• CPR and First Aid certification required.
• One to three years of prior experience required; three to five years preferred.
• Knowledge of behavioral health diagnoses, trauma-informed care, and appropriate treatment modalities.
• Knowledge of HIPAA rules and client confidentiality protections.
• Knowledge of effective, research-supported art therapy applications applicable to mental health and trauma recovery settings.
• Extensive knowledge of the visual arts, human and creative development, counseling, and psychological theories and techniques.
• Ability to establish and maintain appropriate boundaries.
• Skill in providing a welcoming atmosphere free of distractions, including respectful and trauma-informed language and non-verbal behavior.

Art Therapist designs individualized art interventions for hospice patients on a caseload, assessing responses and establishing treatment goals in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team while meeting departmental productivity standards. Success in the position means helping patients and families cope with illness and end-of-life issues through art-based expression and active participation in the Complementary Therapies Department's program development efforts.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess patients for their response to art therapy interventions and create goals and objectives within the plan of care established in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
• Provide regular art therapy visits to patients in caseload, creating and implementing appropriate art interventions for these visits.
• Maintain productivity standards established by the relevant manager.
• Apply art therapy techniques to assist patients and families in coping with illness, alleviating signs and symptoms of disease, and encouraging expression of end-of-life issues.
• Participate regularly in departmental and staff meetings, as well as those designated by a contracting organization.
• Function as a member of the Complementary Therapies Department team, engaging in new program development and implementation as needed.
• Collaborate with departmental staff and other departments on special projects and events.
• Educate staff and the community on the benefits of art therapy.
• Document art therapy sessions electronically using a handheld device.

Education & Experience

• Master's Degree in Art Therapy or equivalent required.
• Experience in a complementary or integrative care setting preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret procedure manuals and work instructions and write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to communicate effectively before groups of customers or employees.
• Ability to apply common sense to carry out instructions in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to identify problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

The Art Therapist produces and delivers a 12-week therapeutic curriculum using visual and expressive arts to support meaningful, positive experiences and symptom resolution for residents. Reporting to the Program Director and/or Clinical Director, the Art Therapist coordinates art showcases and field trips while collaborating with the treatment team to integrate interventions that achieve the greatest clinical benefit.

Core Functions

• Develop and deliver a comprehensive 12-week therapeutic curriculum utilizing visual and expressive arts, including drawing, painting, sculpting, and writing.
• Assess milieu needs and adjust therapeutic interventions as needed based on the needs of residents and the core target group.
• Confer with other professionals on the client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, and integrate interventions that will achieve the greatest clinical benefit.
• Work with the Program Director and/or Clinical Director on program development, scheduling, and coordinating services for group therapy, activities, and events.
• Coordinate art showcases to display artwork produced by clients and field trips to museums or other public art displays.
• Observe client reactions, progress, and other outcomes related to art therapy and communicate with the resident's treatment team to ensure continuity of care.
• Complete clinical documentation, including assessments, progress notes, and group notes, promptly.
• Attend weekly clinical supervision and trainings as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field from an accredited or state-approved graduate school required; doctorate preferred.
• Board certification in art therapy strongly preferred.
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Psychologist.
• Licensed Social Worker in the applicable state preferred.
• Minimum one year of experience working with individuals and groups of young adults required.
• Training or experience in trauma-informed treatment preferred.

Embedded within the YRC's multidisciplinary treatment team, the Art Therapist develops individual, group, and milieu art therapy services for youth, maintains the art therapy room, and communicates treatment needs across the team. Working closely with the Director of Creative Therapies, the Art Therapist provides crisis intervention and designs in-service trainings to promote growth and compliance within the program.

Operational Focus

• Provide individual and group art therapy for youth.
• Maintain documentation of all art therapy sessions, including assessments, weekly notes, evaluations, and crisis interventions.
• Collaborate with ongoing programs and practices in the Art Therapy Department.
• Maintain art therapy room, supplies, and client artwork.
• Communicate treatment needs within the multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Provide on-site crisis intervention, assessment, and rapid intervention for any child identified as needing additional support.
• Work in partnership with the Director of Creative Therapies to maintain compliance standards.
• Develop strategies to promote growth within the program, including in-service trainings for staff.

Background & Experience

• Master's Degree in Art Therapy required; LCAT preferred.
• Knowledge and competency in working with adolescents.
• Knowledge and training in trauma-focused therapy.
• Awareness of and sensitivity to multicultural issues.
• Knowledge of and commitment to child welfare best practice standards and ethical principles and practices for art therapists as outlined by the relevant professional association.
• Excellent collaboration, organizational, and communication skills, including verbal, written, and active listening skills.