Job Description
General Description : The position will provide direct services for patients and families by using art as a tool to help them attain and maintain their maximum levels of functioning and coping in the area of physical, cognitive, communication and social / emotional health.
Program planning will be designed to reduce stress, increase adaptive coping, provide normalization, promote social interaction and support developmental integrity through play experiences in a safe environment.
Essential Responsibilities :
- Will assess and prioritize patient needs through referrals and patient review process.
- Identify interventions based on patient assessment, match techniques to developmental, emotional, physical and social needs of patients and families.
- Provide art, through a multitude of modalities, interventions designed to meet patients' physical or psychological needs, such as art expression, painting, drawing, etc.
- Inform and educate patients and families on the use of art therapy techniques to support health coping and normal growth and development.
- Involve family members in art therapy services per assessments including teaching skills and resources for transition to home.
- Implement and document patient care plans; communicate plans and outcomes to others.
- Provide art therapy programming to complement work in meeting the psychosocial and developmental needs of patients and families.
- Provide individual and group sessions to fulfill therapeutic objectives, including but not limited to : anxiety reduction, pain management, developmental stimulation, alternative means of expression / communication, positive coping techniques, procedural support, quality of life and family / patient support.
- Identify and educate appropriate art resources for each patient and family
- Participate in interdisciplinary team planning and co-treating
- Monitor patient progress and remain adaptive in plan of care
- Incorporate art therapy in development of patient's self-awareness and expression, coping skills, sense of well-being and social behavior
- Provide educational in-services for patients and families as well as staff members
- Coordinate, train and supervise students and volunteers related to art therapy
General Responsibilities :
Performs other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications :
Education : Master’s degree in Art Therapy, Art Therapy / Counseling, or Art Education with Concentration in Counseling
Experience : Completion of a supervised art therapy internship of at least 600 hours
License(s) / Certification(s) / Registration(s) Required : Registered Art Therapist (ATR) required within first year of employment.
Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :
- Must have knowledge of the theories of art therapy, family systems, cultural awareness and human growth and development.
- Must have effective oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to work with an interdisciplinary team.
- Skill in the supervision of students and volunteers.
- Must have good interpersonal skills to develop effective working relationships and to deal with difficult family / individual dynamics.
- Knowledge of performance improvement tools and how to monitor an ongoing process.
- Skill in planning programs and analyzing the problems that arise.
- Good presentation skills for representing the department to internal and external audiences.
- Computer skills and a general knowledge of office procedures.