MA in CMHC with Art Therapy

Add the Art Therapy concentration to your Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree to expand upon your capability to improve the lives of others. By pairing comprehensive clinical training with a strong theoretical framework, you will be uniquely positioned to leverage art therapy in a clinical setting. Empower your therapy clients to express themselves verbally and through visual art in order to treat a multitude of developmental, emotional, psychological, and medical problems or disorders.

This degree is offered by AU Seattle.

Program Overview

The MA in Counseling degree has an Art Therapy specialization combined with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC). You receive comprehensive clinical training, making it one of the few degree programs in the U.S. featuring art therapy with a clinical focus.

The learning experience incorporates cultural diversity and social responsibility, giving Antioch an edge over other graduate schools in psychology.

Antioch University has held accreditation continuously since 1927. The Art Therapy specialization has been approved by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) since 2003. The MA in Counseling with a specialization in Art Therapy is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education. Thus, the curriculum meets national standards for art therapy registration.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

Antioch’s Art Therapy specialization is combined with the M.A. in Counseling with Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) concentration. The degree offers you comprehensive clinical training for a career as a licensed mental health counselor. With a focus on developing multicultural counseling competencies, you accomplish these goals through a combination of required coursework, electives and a supervised internship .

The Art Therapy program is 93 quarter credits. You may begin the program in the spring and fall.

Core Clinical Courses:

•    Addictions and Substance Abuse
•    Advanced Theories: Varying Subtitles
•    Assessment: Test and Measurements
•    Career Development and Counseling
•    Communication and Counseling Skills
•    Ethics and Professional Issues
•    Human Development in Context: Gender and Development
•    Internship Preparation
•    Theories/Practice of Counseling: Human/Trans/Eastern
•    Theories/Practice of Counseling: Psychodynamic and Cog. Behavior
•    Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning
•    Psychopathology
•    Systems Perspectives in Family Therapy
•    The Counseling Profession and Identity
•    Trauma, Disaster Response, and Crisis Counseling

Core Art Therapy Courses:

•    Advanced Art Therapy Assessment
•    Advanced Art Therapy Research in Individual and Family Therapy
•    Art Therapy in Diverse Settings: Individual and Group Therapy
•    Art Therapy Research in Individual and Family Therapy
•    Developmental and Treatment Models in Art Therapy
•    Ethics in Creative Art Therapy
•    Family of Origin & Art Therapy
•    Group Art Therapy
•    History and Theory of Art Therapy I
•    History and Theory of Art Therapy II
•    Master’s Project or Thesis
•    Multicultural Perspectives & Art Therapy
•    Pre-Internship Practicum: MHC/AT
•    Techniques and Practice of Art Therapy

Required Internship Courses:

•    AT/MHC Internship I, II, III, IV
•    AT Case Consultation I, II, III, IV

Internship Experience

All students participate in an internship in a professional setting. This experience will enable you to validate and clarify the theory you acquire in the classroom as you develop your own role as a clinician. Examples of internship sites include the following:

•    College counseling centers
•    Community centers
•    Group homes
•    Homeless shelters
•    In-patient psychiatric hospitals
•    Jails
•    Penitentiaries
•    Public mental health clinics
•    Youth and family services

Program requirements and course offerings are subject to change.

For detailed curriculum, degree requirements, and course descriptions, please visit the AUS catalog.

Career Outlook

Art therapists work in private practice and/or in clinical, educational and rehabilitative settings such as:

•    hospitals and clinics
•    residential treatment centers
•    long-term care facilities
•    community centers
•    prisons
•    shelters
•    schools
•    mental health and social service agencies

The Art Therapy Program is dedicated to meeting the needs of the students which is reflected by 83% of alumni who responded, indicated they are currently working in the field of therapy (Alumni Survey Report 2020, n=6).

Admissions / Cost / Aid

Admissions

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How to apply

1. Completed online admissions application.
2. A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is required. Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities you have attended to the Admissions Office. Transcript evaluations are required for all coursework completed outside of the U.S. or Canada (except Quebec). See Transcript Evaluation section on International Students webpage for details.
3. Two recommendations are required. Use the online application form to enter the names and email address of your recommenders.
   Your recommenders should include people who can best assess your capabilities and readiness to enter a graduate clinical training program. These include social science instructors that you may have had in college as well as professionals who have provided supervision of work you have been involved in a helping role with people in a mental health, social service or educational setting. Recommendations from peer co-workers, friends, relatives, or personal therapists are not acceptable and will not be reviewed.
4. Art Portfolio
   20 pieces; include the following information:
   • • Title of piece
     • Date of completion
     • Materials used
     • Dimensions

   Your portfolio can be submitted as a PDF document, or a link to a website that contains your portfolio. Original work, photographs, CD/DVD’s are not accepted.

5. Completion of 18 quarter OR 12 semester credits in Psychology (completed within the past five years with a grade of C or better) including the following courses listed below.
   • Abnormal Psychology
   • Developmental Psychology
6. Completion of 27 quarter OR 18 semester credits in Studio Art. The following are recommended courses
   • Ceramics I
   • Ceramics II
   • Introduction to Drawing
   • Introduction to Painting
   • Mixed Materials
7. Admission Essay
   Submit a typewritten, double-spaced, one to two-page (between 250 and 500 words) response for each question and clearly number your response for each question.Essay Questions:
   • We are curious about your previous experiences (e.g., personal, professional, and academic) and would like to know how these experiences have led you toward the choice to apply to the Art Therapy Program at Antioch University Seattle. Please describe a few of those fundamental experiences.
   • The Art Therapy Program is both academically and emotionally rigorous. What challenges, if any, do you foresee encountering during your studies? What forms of support will you use to meet those challenges?
   • Antioch University Seattle and the Art Therapy Program are committed to preparing professional counselors to be culturally competent and become advocates for social, economic, and environmental justice. How does social justice and becoming culturally competent align with your interest in becoming a professional counselor?
   • What are your professional goals in relation to the Art Therapy Program and how will this program specifically help you to reach those goals?
8. Writing Assessment. A writing assessment is required before the final review of your application. You can schedule your assessment at any time or on the day of your interview. The Writing Assessment is now handled by the Writing Lab. Applicants can schedule their assessment by calling 206-268-4416 or emailing [email protected].
9. Abnormal Psychology is a required course for all Creative Arts Therapy Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) students as a pre or co-requisite and must have been taken within the past 5 years or before a student takes Psychopathology.
10. International Students have additional admission requirements. See International Students page for details.
11. Select applicants may be invited to participate in a group interview with faculty.

All admission application supporting materials, transcripts, recommendations, essays, etcetera, should be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to:

Admissions Office
Antioch University Seattle
2400 3rd Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98121

Application Deadlines

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Cost

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid is also available to most students.
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