ATCB Authorized Art Therapy Continuing Education Provider (AATCEP) Program

Individuals

• ATR-BC or ATR – May offer art therapy CE. Clinical art therapy content must be delivered by or with an ATR-BC.
  Clinical art therapy CE activities submitted by ATRs with advanced clinical training may be considered on a case-by-case basis, pending review of qualifications and course content.
   
• LPC, LMFT, LMSW, other license holders, or Artist (Art Media Only) – May offer CE only in non-art-therapy topics.

Organizations

• Art Therapy–Focused Organizations – Must involve a credentialed or licensed art therapist in CE delivery.
• Mental Health–Focused Organizations – Art therapy CE must be developed/delivered by an ATR-BC or licensed art therapist; mental health CE must be created by a licensed clinician.
• Art Media Organizations – May offer art media-focused education; content may not be clinical.

Provider Application & Renewal (every 2 years)

Activity Approval – Live Lectures/Workshops (per offering)

Activity Approval – Independent Learning Modules (Asynchronous)

Additional Services

Rush Review (within 5 business days): $200

Additional format of same course (e.g., live + online): +$50

The ATCB accepts continuing education (CE) activities delivered in a variety of formats to support diverse learning preferences and access needs. All CE activities must demonstrate alignment with ATCB’s professional standards, core content areas, and ethical requirements, regardless of delivery method.

ATCB currently accepts CE activities in the following formats:

Live Lecture/Workshop: refers to a real-time continuing education session, delivered either in-person or virtually, where participants engage directly with the instructor(s) through discussion, Q&A, and interactive activities.

Key Features:

• Delivered in real time (in-person, Zoom, or other live platform)

• Allows participant-instructor interaction

• May include breakout groups, experiential learning, or demonstrations

• Attendance must be tracked

• Evaluation form and certificate of completion required

 If recorded for asynchronous use, a separate Independent Learning Module application is required

Independent Learning Module: is an asynchronous CE offering that participants may complete at their own pace. These include pre-recorded presentations, self-paced slide decks with narration, or structured independent study programs.

Key Features:

• Accessible on demand (pre-recorded or self-directed)

• No real-time interaction with the instructor

• Must include learning objectives, estimated time-on-task, and assessment (e.g., post-test or reflection)

• Participant engagement must be verifiable

• Completion certificate and evaluation required

 Examples: Online courses, video-based instruction, slide + audio packages, downloadable workbooks with assignments.

Each CE activity will be reviewed individually to ensure it meets the standards for educational quality, participant engagement, and documentation required for continuing education credit.

Provider Approval: 7–10 business days from submission

Activity Approval: 6–8 weeks (Rush review available for $200)

Approval Length: Provider and activity approvals are both valid for 2 years aligned with the ATCB credentialing year

Clinical Art Therapy–Focused CE
These are samples and not an exhaustive list 

• Trauma-Informed Art Therapy Interventions
• Art Therapy in Medical and Psychiatric Settings
• Clinical Supervision in Art Therapy
• Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning Through Art
• Assessment and Diagnosis Through Art-Based Tools
• Use of Art Therapy in Co-Occurring Disorders
• Intermodal Approaches to Clinical Treatment
• Evidence-Based Practice and Art Therapy Research

General Mental Health–Focused CE
These are samples and not an exhaustive list 

• Evidence-Based Interventions
• Clinical Strategies for Neurodiverse Populations
• Telehealth and Digital Practice Standards
• Working with Survivors of Trauma and Abuse
• Trauma and the Brain

Individuals and organizations that meet ATCB’s eligibility requirements for credentials and content focus.

Both provider approval and individual CE activity approval are valid for two years, beginning with the start of the next credential year (July 1–June 30).

For example, if a CE activity is approved on March 31, 2026, the provider may begin offering the activity immediately. However, the official approval period runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028.

This timeline aligns with the credentialing cycle used in ATCB’s Board Certification program and ensures consistency across all credentialing and continuing education processes.

At this time, each activity requires its own application and fee. We are looking to improve this process in the future.

ATCB will list approved providers on its website and authorize use of the AATCE Provider designation in your marketing.

While the ATR credential qualifies an individual to practice clinical art therapy, ATCB requires ATR-BC involvement in delivering clinical CE to ensure:

• Alignment with advanced clinical competencies

• Adherence to evidence-based practice

• Assurance of pedagogical and ethical standards in peer-level instruction

This mirrors credentialing norms in other professions, where foundational licenses permit practice, but advanced designations (e.g., board certification, supervision credentials) are required to train others in specialized or high-risk domains. However, clinical art therapy CE activities submitted by ATRs with advanced clinical training may be considered on a case-by-case basis, pending review of qualifications and course content.

An Art Therapy–Focused Organization is a professional, educational, or service-based entity whose primary mission, programming, and resources are dedicated to the advancement, study, or practice of art therapy as a recognized mental health profession.

Such organizations must:

1. Demonstrate a mission statement or charter that explicitly identifies art therapy as a core focus.
2. Offer programs, services, or continuing education that are substantially related to art therapy theory, research, or clinical practice.
3. Employ or be led by individuals with recognized art therapy credentials (e.g., ATR, ATR-BC) when delivering clinical art therapy content.
4. Maintain operations and communications that reflect alignment with professional ethical standards in art therapy.

Examples include national, state, or regional art therapy associations or chapters, accredited art therapy graduate programs, nonprofits that primarily provide clinical art therapy services to specific populations, and research institutes dedicated to studying the efficacy and applications of art therapy.

An Art Media Organization provides education or training in art-making techniques or creative practices, but does not focus on clinical art therapy. These organizations may include art studios, creative arts nonprofits, or craft schools. Art media content is non-clinical and does not involve the assessment or treatment of mental health conditions.

Clinical art therapy–focused continuing education is defined as structured learning directly related to the clinical practice of art therapy, including the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health and behavioral conditions. Content must integrate art-based methods with psychotherapeutic theory and be applicable within the professional scope of practice for credentialed art therapists.
Eligible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Art-based assessment tools and interpretation in clinical contexts
• Evidence-based and emerging treatment approaches in art therapy
• Integration of art therapy with recognized mental health modalities (e.g., CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care)
• Clinical interventions for specific populations or diagnoses
• Ethics, cultural competence, and legal considerations in clinical art therapy practice
• Current research and theoretical advancements relevant to art therapy treatment

Courses focusing solely on personal art-making, non-clinical art techniques, recreational art activities, or art history do not qualify as clinical art therapy–focused continuing education.

Becoming an ATCB Authorized Art Therapy Continuing Education (AATCE) Provider affirms that you (or your organization) meet ATCB’s standards for professionalism, ethics, and eligibility to offer continuing education to art therapists. However, each individual CE activity must also be reviewed and approved to ensure it meets ATCB’s standards for content quality, relevance, and alignment with art therapy competencies.

This two-step process maintains quality and consistency while keeping the overall cost of participation accessible to providers.

Some organizations charge higher provider application fees and conduct limited or random audits of CE activities over time. In contrast, ATCB’s model offers a lower-cost provider approval and a more thorough CE activity review upfront.

This approach reflects our commitment to:

• Accreditation requirements: The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) requires accredited programs to ensure that all continuing education accepted toward certification renewal is directly relevant and consistently reviewed for quality.

• Efficient use of resources: With a small staff, ATCB’s model leverages Subject Matter Expert (SME) panels to conduct CE reviews. This ensures fair, content-informed evaluations without creating a heavy administrative burden or costly audit process.

• Public protection and professional integrity: Individual CE activity review helps maintain the highest standards of practice and ensures all approved continuing education reflects the scope, ethics, and competencies of art therapy.

ATCB cannot guarantee that CE activities approved through the ATCB Authorized Art Therapy Continuing Education (AATCE) Provider Program will be accepted by state licensing boards.

Each state independently determines which continuing education providers and activities meet their licensure renewal requirements. We encourage credential holders to consult their state licensing board directly for guidance.

ATCB is actively informing state regulatory bodies about the AATCE Provider Program to promote awareness and potential acceptance.

The activity review fee covers:

• Content alignment with ATCB’s core competencies

• Instructor credential verification

• Ethical and compliance screening

• Evaluation of learning objectives and instructional design

• Review of supporting documentation (certificates, evaluations, agendas, etc.)

• Two-year activity approval (aligned with the credential cycle)

Fees are per course, not per delivery date. If the same course is offered multiple times during the approval period (same content, same format), no additional fee is required unless changes are made or a new format is introduced.)

Once approved, your ATCB Authorized Art Therapy Continuing Education (AATCE) Provider status is valid for two years, aligned with ATCB’s credentialing cycle (July 1 – June 30). The same two-year approval term applies to each approved CE activity, ensuring consistency across the program.

Example: If your provider application is approved on November 6, 2025, your approval period will run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028.

You may begin offering approved CE activities immediately upon approval of the CE activity—you do not need to wait until the next credentialing cycle begins.

To maintain your provider status and continue offering approved CE activities beyond the two-year term, you will need to submit a renewal application prior to the end of your approval period.

The fee structure is tiered to reflect the administrative time and review effort required to ensure quality, ethical alignment, and accreditation compliance. Longer activities typically involve:

• More detailed agendas and content outlines

• Additional learning objectives

• Expanded presenter or facilitator information

• More complex documentation (e.g., extended evaluations, certificates)

Each additional hour of content increases the scope of the review, which is why the fee scales with the program’s length.

Independent (asynchronous) learning modules require a more in-depth review process because they must stand alone without real-time instruction. Reviewers must assess:

• Instructional design quality

• Assessment methods (e.g., quizzes, reflections)

• Learner interactivity and engagement

• Accessibility, navigation, and technological usability

Since asynchronous courses function without live facilitators, ATCB has a higher responsibility to ensure the materials are instructionally sound and meet adult learning standards — resulting in more comprehensive evaluations.

Each format of a course (live, hybrid, on-demand) must be reviewed separately to ensure:

• The instructional design suits the format

• Assessment strategies are appropriate

• The learner experience remains compliant with CE standards

The $50 fee helps offset the additional review needed to ensure all formats meet ATCB’s quality benchmarks.

Once ATCB has approved both your provider status and your individual CE activity, you, as the approved provider, determine the registration or attendance fee you wish to charge participants. ATCB does not set or regulate the amount you charge attendees.

Approved providers may offer free or fee-based continuing education; all revenue collected from participants belongs to the provider. ATCB does not collect or retain any portion of those participant fees.