Can a Nurse Practitioner become an Art therapist?

db2xs · Feb 5, 2021

Of course you could be an art therapist with a nursing degree. However, if you are hired as an art therapist, I imagine you will not be able to work as a nurse, unless you can create your own position and have your own business. That would be pretty awesome!

verene, MSN · Feb 5, 2021

Art therapists are licensed therapists and you will need specific training and credentialing to work in this profession as such. It isn't just being a group leader for art groups, but utilizing therapeutic modalities in addition to using art as therapy. Typically a masters degree + supervision and licensure. While you could certainly go to nursing school and may be able to combine interests down the line, these are two distinct professions with two distinct certification processes and roles with in a treatment team. (We have a number of Art Therapists in my practice setting and they cringe when it is assumed that they "just do art" and don't realize how much training and experience is behind their roles). As a nurse practitioner (PMHNP) I am absolutely NOT qualified to do the work my Art Therapy colleagues do.

TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN · Feb 5, 2021

Art therapy is truly fascinating when facilitated properly. Unfortunately the last psych hospital I worked at did not have an actual art therapist but someone who did "just do art" and unfortunately patient engagement was very low. At facilities that do utilize an actual art therapist patients usually really enjoy it and engagement is quite high.

Music therapy is in the same vein, when done by a trained music therapist it can have tremendous value. When the therapist just let's the patients listen to the radio for 45 minutes without talking about anything, not so much.

Pres14 · Feb 5, 2021

1 hour ago, verene said:

Art therapists are licensed therapists and you will need specific training and credentialing to work in this profession as such. It isn't just being a group leader for art groups, but utilizing therapeutic modalities in addition to using art as therapy. Typically a masters degree + supervision and licensure. While you could certainly go to nursing school and may be able to combine interests down the line, these are two distinct professions with two distinct certification processes and roles with in a treatment team. (We have a number of Art Therapists in my practice setting and they cringe when it is assumed that they "just do art" and don't realize how much training and experience is behind their roles). As a nurse practitioner (PMHNP) I am absolutely NOT qualified to do the work my Art Therapy colleagues do.

I definitely understand that and I know that it’s so much more than art and that’s also why I want to do it, specific states have different guidelines and it’s very unclear to me what to do as mine has virtually none and I would like to pursue it as a part time thing, like how my medical teacher teaches us and then works at the hospital on certain days at night for a few days a week. I have absolutely no idea how I could even begin to get a certification

verene, MSN · Feb 6, 2021

22 hours ago, Pres14 said:

I definitely understand that and I know that it’s so much more than art and that’s also why I want to do it, specific states have different guidelines and it’s very unclear to me what to do as mine has virtually none and I would like to pursue it as a part time thing, like how my medical teacher teaches us and then works at the hospital on certain days at night for a few days a week. I have absolutely no idea how I could even begin to get a certification

This may be a place to start? https://arttherapy.org/becoming-art-therapist/

Zyprexa_Ho · Feb 6, 2021

Art therapy and nursing are separate disciplines. You should learn how they are different and especially focus on educational aspects and make a decision before going to nursing school and finding yourself preparing for a career you don't even want

Pres14 · Feb 6, 2021

2 hours ago, Zyprexa_Ho said:

Art therapy and nursing are separate disciplines. You should learn how they are different and especially focus on educational aspects and make a decision before going to nursing school and finding yourself preparing for a career you don't even want

I’ve already applied and been accepted. I want to be a nurse but I also want to work as an art therapist part time

Zyprexa_Ho · Feb 6, 2021

11 hours ago, Pres14 said:

I’ve already applied and been accepted. I want to be a nurse but I also want to work as an art therapist part time

That's not going to be a good decision financially