The Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) is a credentialing board for art therapists. Our mission is to protect the public by promoting the competent and ethical practice of art therapy by credentialing art therapy professionals.
Our credentials are considered voluntary, although many employers and some state licensure boards require the credentials. The legal (licensure) requirements to practice art therapy vary from state to state. Please be aware that not all states have licensure for the practice of art therapy. Meeting the education requirements and becoming credentialed with the ATCB does not guarantee that one will meet the licensure requirements to practice as an art therapist in the state in which they reside. Contact the state in question for information on state licensure and art therapy.
To become a credentialed art therapist [specifically a Provisional Registered Art Therapist (ATR-P)] with the ATCB, one must have a master’s degree in art therapy or hold a master’s degree in a related mental health field and have completed additional graduate-level art therapy coursework. To qualify, applicants must be able to verify completion of graduate-level mental health coursework in the following areas:
- Human growth and development
- Theories of counseling/psychotherapy
- Psychopathology/abnormal psychology
- Psychological assessment
- Research
- fFeld experience in a clinical setting.
In addition, applicants must be able to verify the completion of a minimum of 30 graduate semester credits (or 36 quarter credits) in the art therapy core curriculum (not including credits earned for practicum/internship or studio art) that substantially cover the content in the ten areas listed below. These courses can be completed within or outside a degree program.
- History of art therapy
- Theory of art therapy
- Techniques of practice in art therapy
- Application of art therapy with people in different treatment settings
- Art therapy assessment
- Ethical and legal issues of art therapy practice
- Matters of cultural and social diversity bearing on the practice of art therapy
- Standards of good art therapy practice
- Group art therapy
- Systems in art therapy
There are also studio art requirements, which can be found on our Registration Standards page.
To learn more about Art Therapy education programs and the practice of art therapy, please visit the American Art Therapy Association (AATA).