Ten Reasons Why I Became an Art Therapist
People often ask why I became an art therapist. I’m sharing ten of my personal reasons for taking a leap into the field of art therapy.
A moment before my graduation in Nelson, BC at the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute (DKATI).
(1) Creativity has been a resource for me throughout my life. Becoming an art therapist meant that I could embrace all of myself in my work.
(2) I wanted to better understand why the arts were working so well with hard-to-reach clients. I witnessed the difference art-based interventions were making in my role in schools. I had a desire to add depth to my practice and understand why the arts made a world of difference.
(3) To make good use of my double major in nursing and psychology from the University of Windsor. Although I was in a full-time student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, I loved psychology and took courses year-round when my nursing program was on break. At times, I wasn’t sure why I was inflicting such a rigorous schedule upon myself, but when I later met all of the pre-requisites for art therapy graduate school, I was thankful I stuck with it.
A few of my art therapy friends together at KATI. Photo by Jalapeno Vision. Nelson, BC.
(4) The timing was right. I waited until the timing was right for my family. I wholeheartedly love learning and I found a program that I was excited about. I was looking for fresh perspectives, people that would push me to grow, and a faculty that understood the nuances of rural community care. Thank you, Kutenai Art Therapy Institute - you were the perfect choice for me. I am forever grateful for my time there.
(5) To build something that was my own. Private practice has allowed me to nurture my entrepreneurial skills, create my own schedule, and set a pace that works for me and my family.
Between classes, in the Kootenays!
(6) To connect with other artists and professionals. I wanted to find my people. Experiencing a sense of belonging is important for our health. I’ve met so many people at graduate school, conferences, supervision groups, continuing education, in the field and/or on social media.
(7) To show my kids that mom’s dreams matter, too. You can work full-time and study full-time and be present for your kids. There were many late nights; a supportive family and partner helped me through it. I was often reading articles or texts rink-side (before the game or after the skating competition).
“Rainbow Fish”; Found object art that I created at KATI with Monica Carpendale and Will Parker in class. This piece stirred up quite a bit for me that day.
(8) To make the world a little brighter. I wanted to infuse colour and creativity into my daily work.
(9) To increase the number of art therapists in St. Thomas, Ontario! There are only a sprinkling of us and this modality is needed more than ever.
Year of the Snake, mixed media artwork
(10) To support people in ways that are meaningful for them - attuned, responsive, uplifting, creative, and innovative. People don’t always remember exactly what you said, but they remember how you made them feel.
Becoming an art therapist has been a privilege and an experience that allows me to continually learn and grow.
If you’ve made it this far into my post and art show, thanks for stopping by!
Drawing umbrellas for an art therapy directive.
A photo of me in my studio, two years post-grad with a thriving caseload of exceptional clients and families.
