Student Survey: Why did you choose art therapy as a profession?

"I really feel like art therapy chose me.  I have always had an affinity for helping people, counseling others, and empathic listening.  As I moved into my college career I began to explore my own love for art and creativity and I decided that it was important for me to use my passion for art in a way that builds community and fosters social change.  Art therapy made sense to me, and through a series of detours and happenstance I keep finding my way back on this path."

"I still ask myself that. I like art and kids, but didn't want to be an art teacher. So I came to this. Which is really funny because now I'm an ...art teacher. I think the Universe has a big hand in this one. "

"Even when I was a bio/pre-med student I was majoring in art classes just so that I could get into them (my school didn't have room for non majors to take art classes past the introductory level). When I switched from biology to psychology I found art therapy. It was the perfect blend between my love of art and my love of science. And so I doubled in psychology and studio art. It just made sense for me. I'm not sure I can really explain it, other than going "YES! this is exactly what I want to do" once I found out about what art therapy was."

"I have been in an art school since I was 11 years old. I have always wanted to be an artist but I have felt a calling to represent something deeper and essentially to help others. I bounced back and forth and I was fascinated by anything that had to do with psychology. The day (when I was 13) I found that an interdisciplinary career like art therapy existed; I knew that this was what I was supposed to do. There are thousands of languages all over the world; however, there is one universal language that unifies us all and that it through a realm of images. Some of the most profound conversations that I have ever had with others were about the emotions that an image brought to us. Sometimes images leave us dumbfounded and speechless. The justification for using the image as a healing agent is prevalent throughout history, and of course it would make sense for a career in the 21^st century."

Please leave us your comments and let us know why you're interested in art therapy!