Creative Arts Therapists
Overview
Introduction
Creative arts therapists treat and rehabilitate people with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities. They use the creative processes of music, art, dance/movement, drama, psychodrama, and poetry in their therapy sessions to determine the underlying causes of problems and to help patients achieve therapeutic goals. Creative arts therapists usually specialize in one particular type of therapeutic activity. The specific objectives of the therapeutic activities vary according to the needs of the patient and the setting of the thera...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
A therapists annual salary depends on experience, level of training, and education. Working on a hospital staff or being self-employed also affects annual income. Art therapists earned about $83,000 per year in 2024, according to Glassdoor.com. Salaries ranged from $63,000 to $110,000 per year. Art therapists who have Ph.D.s and are licensed for private practice can earn between $75 and $150 or...
Work Environment
Most creative arts therapists work a typical 40-hour, five-day workweek; at times, however, they may have to work extra hours. The number of patients under a therapists care depends on the specific employment setting. Although many therapists work in hospitals, they may also be employed in such facilities as clinics, rehabilitation centers, childrens homes, schools, and nursing homes. Some ther...
Outlook
Employment for recreational therapists (a career category that includes some types of creative arts therapists) is expected to grow by 4 percent through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, or about as fast as the average for all careers.
The American Art Therapy Association notes that art therapy is a growing field. Demand for new therapists is created as medical professiona...