A couple of weeks ago senior art / art therapy student Victor Franco visited our Wednesday class to share information about studying Art Therapy at Alfred University. Below are some of his points and places to get more information. If you need a copy of his handout click Art Therapy AU info sheet[1] to download.
*Art Therapy is the marriage of art and psychology. Art is used in counseling settings (social work, nursing homes, hospitals) to help patients cope with/uncover traumatic events and sources in their lives. A therapist may see the art creating process itself as healing, may see the finished art product(s) as tools for diagnosis and treatment, or both.
*Alfred offers “pre-art therapy advising” (preparation for future interest) because an art therapy
degree requires a graduate school education and Alfred does not have a graduate (masters) level art therapy program.
*”Pre-art therapy advisors” are Robin Howard in the School of Art and Design, Gordon Atlas in the Psychology Department (reachable at 607.871.2213), and Corrie Burdick in Education (reachable at 607.871.2810). Fine Art and Psychology student Victor D. Franco may be reached with questions at vdf1@alfred.edu.
*In order to be accepted into graduate school for art therapy, a school typically requires 18 credits of art (diversity in studio subjects: clay, drawing, painting), and 12 credits of psychology (Intro. to Psychology, Cognitive or Social Development, Abnormal Psychology, and sometimes Theories of Personality).
*An “Intro. to Art Therapy” class is being offered by the Psychology Department this spring 2012 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:20 to 4:35 pm. It is, as of now, offered every other spring.
*For more information, please see: http://www.alfred.edu/academics/pre-art-therapy/
and http://www.arttherapy.org/
