Art Therapy: 5 of the Best Online Art Therapy Courses

While art therapy is not a new concept, it has been gaining popularity as people are beginning to realize the benefits of this type of treatment. So number of online art therapy courses also rises. It is important to know what art therapy entails before you decide whether or not you would like to explore its potential for your own mental health. Art therapy can be used to help with many different types of issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma; all by utilizing an artistic outlet.

What is Art Therapy?

The goal of art therapy is to help people express themselves more fully by painting pictures, sculpting clay or plaster figures, creating drawings, and writing poetry.

At its best, art therapy uses creativity as a means of self-expression with which to overcome obstacles in an individual’s life He/She can deal with problems by dealing creatively with them through artwork. 

Artistic work helps in developing interpersonal skills. In this way, artistic activity does not only add value to one’s own personality but also helps in getting along better in society.

If you want to learn about art therapy from the scratch or you want to add art therapy to your existing practices here are a few online art therapy courses you can learn:

1- The British Association of Art Therapists

The British Association of Art Therapists provides some introductory online art therapy courses that can be a foundation of your newly shaping art therapy sessions or you can add a point of view to your existing art therapy sessions. The Association aims to provide art therapy introductory training to people who may find it hard to access this because of where they live.

For further information on their courses: The British Association of Art Therapists website. 

2- The American Art Therapy Association

If you want to further increase your proficiency in the area of therapy, the American Art Therapy Association is for you. The AATA provides some advanced-level online art therapy courses for the therapists who want to learn art therapy as well. All educational sessions sponsored by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) are accepted for continuing education by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB).

For further information: The American Art Therapy Association website.

3- The College for Educational and Clinical Art Therapy

The College for Educational and Clinical Art Therapy is an Australia based institution founded for the training and development of art therapy. With a flexible and engaging style, CECAT’s online art therapy courses and workshops provide explanations of theory, demonstrations of techniques and practical experiences. The use of experiential methods supports an in-depth learning process.

If you want to learn more about CECAT, here is their website.

4- Centre of Excellence’s Online Art Therapy Course

If you are a social worker, coach, teacher, therapist, parent, counsellor, psychologist, or anyone with a desire to learn and understand a new discipline and form of communication, then Centre of Excellence’s online art therapy courses can help.

This online art therapy courses is designed for absolute newcomers to the field of Art Therapy. If you’re considering a job in the field of art therapy, this course will provide you with an understanding and knowledge of the subject that will help you to make an informed decision about whether or not to pursue a master’s degree that may lead to employment, as well as provide you with a solid foundation on which to develop.

Here’s further information: Centre of Excellence website.

5- Trauma-Informed Pracitces and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute

This institution provides courses that are designed for master’s and doctoral level mental health professionals and graduate students in mental health and related professions. The majority of courses are created to fulfill continuing education requirements in the United States and last 6 hours or 12 hours.

This course is a little bit longer due to the additional readings and assignments. You can complete your online courses at your own pace and schedule; you will have one year from the date of registration to complete your courses.

For additional information: Trauma-Informed Pracitces and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute website.

Conclusion: Art therapy can help you handle your stress and emotions. Consider taking the online art therapy courses to learn about this type of counseling and how it could be beneficial for you. We’ve compiled a list of the top 5 courses on the internet, so take some time to review them all today!