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)

What’s 

Approved providers may offer continuing education activities accepted for ATCB℠ recertification without submitting individual activities for pre-approval, provided content aligns with ATCB-approved categories.

There are no additional fees for individual CE activities or formats.

ATCB℠ accepts continuing education (CE) activities delivered in a variety of formats to support diverse learning preferences and access needs.

All CE activities must:

• Align with ATCB’s professional standards and ethical requirements

• Fall within one of the approved content areas: Art-Therapy Specific, General Mental Health Education, Supervision, or Ethics

Approved providers are responsible for ensuring that all CE activities meet these standards, regardless of delivery method. ATCB℠ currently accepts CE activities in the following formats:

Live Lecture / Workshop

A real-time continuing education session delivered in person or virtually, where participants engage directly with the instructor(s).

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, it must meet the requirements of an Independent Learning Module.

Independent Learning Module

An asynchronous CE offering that participants complete at their own pace.

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 an assessment (e.g., post-test or reflection)

• Participant engagement must be verifiable

• Completion certificate and evaluation required

Examples: Online courses, video-based instruction, narrated slide presentations, or structured independent study materials.

Provider Responsibility

All continuing education activities must meet ATCB℠ standards for educational quality, participant engagement, and appropriate documentation.

Providers should maintain documentation for all CE activities, as part of ATCB’s ongoing audit process.

Provider Approval: Approximately 7–10 business days from submission

Approval Length: Provider approval is valid for 2 years and aligned with the ATCB℠ credentialing cycle

Providers may begin offering continuing education activities upon approval. The 2-year approval cycle follows the ATCB℠ credentialing year, which may result in an extended initial approval period depending on the approval date.

Example:
Approval Date: April 1, 2026
Provider Cycle Begins: July 1, 2026
Provider Cycle Ends: June 30, 2028

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

• Art Therapy – theory, practice, interventions, assessment, and art-making processes that support clinical practice and professional development in art therapy
• General Mental Health Education – topics related to counseling, psychology, trauma, and clinical practice
• Supervision – clinical supervision theory, models, and practice
• Ethics – professional ethics and ethical decision-making

Educational Requirements
All CE activities must:

• Reflect accurate and reasonable CE hours based on instructional time.
• Have clearly defined learning objectives.
• Be structured with an agenda or instructional outline.
  Be appropriate for a professional-level audience

• Issue a certificate of completion that includes:
• Participant name
• Course title
• Date of completion
• Number of CE hours
• Provider name

See “Already Provide CEs?” near the top of this page for the full list.

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.

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.

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)

Once approved, your ATCB Authorized Art Therapy Continuing Education Provider℠ (AATCEP℠) status is valid for two years and aligned with ATCB’s credentialing cycle (July 1 – June 30).

Providers may begin offering continuing education activities immediately upon approval—you do not need to wait until the next credentialing cycle begins.

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

To maintain your provider status and continue offering continuing education 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.

Once your provider application is approved, you determine the registration or attendance fee for your continuing education activities. ATCB℠ does not set or regulate the amount you charge participants.

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 fees.