Program Type: Post-Master’s Certificate

Post-Master’s Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy

Featured Image

Add Creative Exploration To Your Practice

Build on your professional experience and add the healing power of creative expression and exploration to your skill set with our online Expressive Arts Therapy (EXAT) Post-Master’s Certificate. Explore a variety of expressive arts modalities while developing your unique professional identity as a practitioner who uses the creative arts as a therapeutic tool for growth and healing.

Powerful, Expressive Curriculum

Our online post-master’s certificate integrates the practical application of the expressive arts with Adlerian theory. You will learn to apply a multimodal approach, addressing diverse client issues and needs through expressive modalities that connect the mind, body, and spirit—including:

  • visual arts
  • movement-based creative expression
  • sound/music
  • creative writing
  • nature-based practices

You’ll discover your inner source of creativity, using your personal artistic experience as a tool for self-discovery and self-expression as you learn to identify appropriate expressive arts modalities when working with diverse individuals, families, and groups.

The certificate consists of:

  • 100% online courses in our time-tested virtual format
  • Supervised internship (200 hours)
  • Professional REAT and Creative Arts Instructors

Certification Information

Our EXAT certificate is designed to meet the educational requirements to become a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) with the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) under Categories B and C. Please see the education requirements at www.ieata.org. We offer two pathways for admission:

Pathway I Requirements (12-18 credits):

  • A master’s degree in Psychology, Educational Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related Mental Health Discipline
  • Demonstrated ongoing experience in one or more of the expressive arts modalities

Pathway II Requirements (24 credits):

  • A masters degree in Fine Arts (music, visual arts, dance, drama, etc.)
  • Coursework in Counseling/Psychology 1) Ethics/Professional Practice, 2) Theories, 3) Human Development, and 4) Multicultural Counseling (coursework taken through certificate program)
  •  Demonstrated ongoing experience in one or more of the expressive arts modalities

The EXAT certificate admits three times a year, in the fall, winter, and spring. You are welcome to take EXAT elective courses (1-credit courses) as a student-at-large, but this does not constitute official admission to the certificate program.

Spotlight

Learn more about our Expressive Arts Therapy faculty, students, and alumni.

Faculty
Nicole Randick, EdD, ATR-BC, REAT, LPC, NCC

Dr. Nicole Randick has a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision and a masters in Counseling Psycholgy and Art Therapy. …

Read More
Student
Enrolling at Adler Graduate School (AGS) was one of the easiest decisions I have made in my life. Changing careers can be daunting, but everyone from the admissions office to my advisor has made me feel supported and welcomed at AGS. The classes are flexible with my full-time work schedule and my classmates have already become such trusted and great friends. I look forward to working with more faculty and staff during my remaining time at AGS.
– Alyssa Huck
Faculty
Christine Park, PhD, LMHC, REAT, NCC

Dr. Christine Park is a licensed mental health counselor and has been an educator for 17 years. She received a …

Read More

Philosophy

Explore: Explore a variety of expressive arts modalities while developing your unique professional identity as a practitioner who uses the creative arts as a therapeutic tool for growth and healing.
******
Discover: Discover your inner source of creativity, using your personal artistic experience as a tool for self-discovery and self-expression.
******
Cultivate: Cultivate your trust in the creative process, learning new skills and fostering the courage to reach your creative potential.
******
Connect: We all have an innate desire and goal to belong and connect with others. As we journey inward for self-discovery, we also discover our connection to the world around us.

Feature Image

Field Experience

Our certificate requires all students to complete 200 hours of supervised field experience* focusing on using the expressive arts, preferably completed at your place of employment. These hours are supervised by a mental health professional who is credentialed in the expressive arts.

* Applying for your REAT under Category C through the IEATA requires a 500-hour internship. Students can take additional internship hours (2-3 additional credits) through our training program OR add 300 hours to their post graduate supervised work. See the IEATA website for REAT requirements.

Required Courses

Please refer to our course catalog for the most up-to-date course requirements.

Next Steps?

It’s time to take the next step in your journey. Choose yours below.

Request More Info
Apply
Visit
Financial Aid

Contact the admissions office

Amalia Yang
Amalia Yang
Admissions Counselor

Post-Master’s Certificate in Counseling

Featured Image

Earn The Credentials You Need To Expand Your Impact

Want to become a licensed counselor, but missing a few educational requirements? Fill the gap between your master’s and the most up-to-date state licensure conditions with specialized coursework and expanded field experiences. Our academic advisors work with each and every student to develop a personalized program based on past professional, educational, and clinical experiences.

Meeting the Needs of Today’s Expanded Licensure Requirements

Many states, including Minnesota, now require 60 hours of training to become a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). This 21-27 credit certificate program:

  • Assists those whose master’s-level training stopped at 48 hours, or whose training was completed before the requirements changed
  • Allows counselors with specializations in other areas (such as addictions, school, or career counseling) or human services professionals to gain additional specialized academic and field experiences
  • Is not designed for initial licensure
  • Can be completed online, in person, or a combination of both
  • Promotes the Adlerian principles of social interest, advocacy, and harmony within you and your practice as you prepare to advance your career

Two Post-Master Certificate specialty tracks to choose from:

  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling

What’s Required:

  • A master’s degree in counseling or a related field from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
  • Eligibility to pursue licensure in your field in the state where you work

Note: Graduates of this certificate program may still need to meet additional exam or supervision requirements in order to obtain licensure. It is each student’s responsibility to identify their state’s unique conditions. Contact the state licensure board to learn more about yours.

Spotlight

Learn more about our Counseling faculty, students, and alumni.

Student
Rachel Gatlin

Being a student at Adler Graduate School has meant an opportunity to start my professional life again. This time from …

Read More
Faculty
Asha Dickerson, PhD, LPC, NCC, MAC, ACS

Dr. Asha Dickerson is an Atlanta-based educator of counselors, social workers, human service professionals, addictions specialists, and other helping professionals.  …

Read More

Your Future

At Adler Graduate School, you’ll experience professional growth as well as personal transformation. Take a look at where your Certificate in Counseling can take you.

A Day In the Life

Licensed counselors provide services and guidance to individuals and groups of all ages. They do this in person, virtually, and in a wide variety of clinical and community settings. They also collaborate with other mental health professionals on treatment, research, and advocacy.

Professional Settings

  • Private practice
  • Inpatient and outpatient hospital settings
  • Hospice care centers
  • Social services
  • Educational settings
  • Religious organizations
  • Corporate environments
  • Community health centers
  • Treatment centers

Field Experience

One credit of Practicum and two credits of Internship are required to complete a total of 700 hours of field experience.

Feature Image

Required Courses

Please refer to our course catalog for the most up-to-date course requirements.

Next Steps?

It’s time to take the next step in your journey. Choose yours below.

Request More Info
Apply
Visit
Financial Aid

Contact the Admissions Office

Amalia Yang
Amalia Yang
Admissions Counselor

Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy

Featured Image

Create, Collaborate, and Contribute

The Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy combines the expressive use of art media and psychotherapeutic concepts to encourage the development of your professional identity and build skills to provide service to diverse communities and support social justice and societal change.

An Experientially Focused and Integrated Curriculum

The 37-credit post-master’s certificate program provides you the required art therapy content courses and experiential learning that is infused with hands-on creative opportunities in all of the art therapy courses. 

The 100 hour practicum and 600 hour internship field experience provides you with supportive and integrative clinical or community based learning opportunities. Of the total hours, 350 of the hours must be in providing direct art therapy services. On-site supervision of one hour for every 10 hours of client contact is required.  

The program will culminate with a demonstration of your knowledge, skills, and experiences via a professional portfolio.

Find Your Mentor

Under the mentorship of faculty, who are credentialed art therapists and clinical mental health practitioners, you will be able to explore and enhance your professional and artistic identity. Fostering an inclusive and supportive connection with the faculty, and fellow students, is the foundation of the Adler Graduate School learning experience. 

Opportunities for Specialization

To enhance your learning, the Art Therapy Program offers a variety of special topic art therapy courses for you to choose from. These courses allow you to engage in a deeper study of topics that may be of interest to you. Course options include the application of art therapy in working with: Addictions, Autism Spectrum Disorders, older adults, individuals and families impacted by cancer, military veterans and their families, grief and loss, spirituality, and sexuality. 

The art therapy field experience also provides you an opportunity to select clinical or community based sites based on your interest areas.

Credentialing Information

Adler Graduate School’s Art Therapy Post-Master’s Certificate will prepare you with the academic and field experiences to pursue Registration and Board Certification from the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB) after completion of post-certificate experience and supervision.

Spotlight

Learn more about our Art Therapy faculty, students, and alumni.

Faculty
Nicole Randick, EdD, ATR-BC, REAT, LPC, NCC

Dr. Nicole Randick has a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision and a masters in Counseling Psycholgy and Art Therapy. …

Read More
Faculty
Rashida Fisher, PhD, LPCC, LADC

My professional experience is in addictions and co-occurring mental health treatment delivery, supervision, and program development. I specialize in Culturally …

Read More
Student
Enrolling at Adler Graduate School (AGS) was one of the easiest decisions I have made in my life. Changing careers can be daunting, but everyone from the admissions office to my advisor has made me feel supported and welcomed at AGS. The classes are flexible with my full-time work schedule and my classmates have already become such trusted and great friends. I look forward to working with more faculty and staff during my remaining time at AGS.
– Alyssa Huck

Your Future

At Adler Graduate School, your experience in the art therapy program will immerse you in a creative and professional growth process that may lead you to personal transformation and deeper connections to your community.

Opportunities to create your career path 

The profession of art therapy encourages the creative engagement and application of art therapy processes across a wide spectrum of clinical, educational, cultural, and community contexts. The work may involve providing services to individuals, families, or groups/organizations. Your professional identity as an art therapist and artist provides a fertile ground for you to network, collaborate, advocate, and craft a career path that fits you. 

Career Options

  • Addiction recovery services
  • Behavioral/mental health programs
  • Corrections
  • Disability services
  • Domestic abuse shelters/support agencies
  • Eating disorder clinics
  • Educational settings (primary, secondary and higher education)
  • Family therapy
  • Group homes/Residential treatment centers 
  • Hospitals (Medical/rehabilitation/psychiatric)
  • Hospice
  • Immigrant services
  • LGBTQAI+ communities
  • Nursing homes
  • Private practices
  • Social justice organizations
  • Veteran service agencies

Field Work

The art therapy field experience provides you with supportive and integrative clinical or community based learning opportunities. On-site supervision of one hour for every 10 hours of client contact is required. Program based group supervision is provided by our credentialed art therapy faculty supervisors.

Practicum and Internship

Practicum 

Includes 100 hours of supervised practicum. This is an opportunity for you to observe and get orientated to a site and the clients/community they serve.  

 

Internship

Includes 600 hours of supervised internship. Of these hours, 350 must be in providing direct art therapy services. This is an opportunity for you to be more involved in direct client contact through collaborating, assessing, co-leading or leading groups, family or individual sessions, developing treatment plans, documenting, advocating, and presenting case conceptualizations.

Feature Image

Program Minimum Expectations

To prepare competent entry-level art therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.rn

All Post-Masters Certificate art therapy students will have the ability to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of:
    • Adlerian and comparative theories
    • History and theories of art therapy
    • The Expressive Therapies Continuum
    • Ethical codes of professional practice
    • The connections between neuroscience and art therapy
  • Demonstrate skills of:
    • Documenting and presenting case conceptualizations
    • Proficient practice of art therapy with diverse populations and acquire multicultural competency that reflects attunement to current global social justice and advocacy issues.
  • Demonstrate attitudes/behaviors around:
    • Developing a professional identity as both an art therapist and an artist through personal creativity
    • The importance of self-care and self-advocacy
  • The Art Therapy Program is committed to support institutional stability in:
    •  Monitoring long-term enrollment management, tracking, and analysis.
    • Responsible resource management and development.
    • Securing and maintaining the highest level of accreditation available for the Art Therapy Program.