FAQs About Online Art Therapy

Art therapy is a regulated mental health profession. The American Art Therapy Association offers the following definition:

Art therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.

Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.

Art therapists are master-level clinicians who work with people of all ages across a broad spectrum of practice. Guided by ethical standards and scope of practice, their education and supervised training prepares them for culturally proficient work with diverse populations in a variety of settings. Honoring individuals’ values and beliefs, art therapists work with people who are challenged with medical and mental health problems, as well as individuals seeking emotional, creative, and spiritual growth.

Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience, and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation.

An artist creates, and every day you create solutions for the problems that arise--you probably haven’t even thought about this aspect of yourself, have you? So you’re already an artist. Your creativity is happening under the radar, and that’s what needs to change so you can use your creativity as your superpower.

I’m a board-certified registered art therapist through the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATR-BC #99-033). I’m also a licensed professional counselor with a specialty designation in art therapy and board-approved supervisor status through the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (LPC-AT/S #66238), a licensed mental health counselor through the Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board (LMHC #39003654A), and a licensed professional counselor through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (LPC #LPC-20114).

Because the provision of psychotherapy is regulated by individual state governments, I can only offer services to people who live in states where I am licensed to provide such services. Currently these are Texas, Indiana, and Arizona.

While I spend my weekends recharging so I can provide the best possible service during the work week, all my sessions are scheduled Monday through Friday between 10 AM and 6 PM in the time zone of my practice location, which is in Arizona. This may amount to evening availability in your own time zone. Please note that Arizona does not change its clocks in the spring and the fall; March through October it aligns with Pacific time and November through February it aligns with Mountain time. Your sessions may need to be adjusted accordingly.

By accepting a limited number of clients, I can spend more time with you to deliver care that’s attuned to your whole person--your physical self, your emotional self and your intellectual self. Sessions are 75 minutes long rather than the standard 50 or 60 minutes that are common for psychotherapy. This gives us the time we need to work at deeper levels, and it provides your creative process the time it needs to evolve. It also allows us time to evaluate the impact of each session and develop a game plan for the following session.

Sessions are held on a weekly basis, and they will be reserved for you at the same time each week. This is to provide you with a predictable pattern that will create a sense of routine. Our brains benefit from pattern and routine, particularly when mood and motivation are impaired. Regular and frequent work toward your goals will help you recognize that you’re making progress.

Treatment is different for every individual. What we’re really working on is rewiring your brain. Generally speaking, treatment ends when you’ve met your goals and realize you’re burning bright again!

We’ll work together on mapping out a plan for this and making adjustments as needed. And we will celebrate when it’s time for you to graduate and share your light with others.

Therapy is an investment of time and money; the dividends pay off in terms of the way you think and feel about yourself, your relationships, and your life. Initial assessments are an investment of $340 for 75 minutes, and subsequent weekly sessions are an investment of $305 for 75 minutes. I do not accept insurance in order to protect the quality of your care and the confidentiality of your personal information. You are welcome to seek reimbursement from your insurance company; I can provide paperwork to support this.

Because of fluctuations in the cost of doing business, rates are evaluated semi-annually and adjusted as needed but will not exceed a ten percent (10%) increase per evaluation period. Existing clients will be provided with at least 30 days’ notice to decide if a rate change works for them or if other treatment arrangements need to be made.

Consistent with the terms described in the No Surprises Act, I will provide you with a Notice describing your rights and options as well as a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) related to your financial investment in art therapy for burnout treatment. You may request this GFE at any time and in any medium you choose, but I will ensure that you are provided with an electronic copy at least once a year or any time a new GFE is needed based on changes in the frequency of the services being provided to you or changes in my fee structure.

Payment is due on the date of your scheduled session and is made through a secure connection via the HIPAA-compatible practice management system I use.

I do not contract with insurance companies; this allows me to provide you with care at a level that is not dictated by cost-cutting measures. I am considered an out-of-network provider and can furnish you with a document to submit to your insurance company after I receive payment from you. Your insurance company may reimburse you for some or all of the session.

There is a 48-hour requirement for canceling or rescheduling a session without being charged for the session itself. This allows me to adjust to your needs and balance these against the needs of other clients as well. If you cancel or reschedule with less than 48 hours’ notice, your credit card statement will reflect this charge.

Showing up for a session under the influence of substances constitutes a late cancellation. We will have to reschedule, and you will be charged for the canceled session. Missed sessions will also be charged the full rate, as will partial sessions that occur when you arrive late or leave early.

Extenuating circumstances? We can talk about those. If a cancellation happens because of things on my end, you will not be charged.

To bring about the changes you want in your life, therapy will involve things that could be difficult if they’re new to you. Some common examples are giving expression to your internal world, accepting responsibility for your choices and their effects, and recognizing how you impact/are impacted by others. It may sound intimidating, but you won’t be alone; I’ll be right there with you. And we can laugh when we need to.

The truth is, there will likely be some discomfort involved as you go through the process of transformation. Try to remember that it’s a sign you’re moving toward your ultimate goal. Have you ever watched a butterfly struggle before it emerges from its cocoon?

This isn’t the same thing as participating in a workplace Zoom meeting, although a HIPAA-compatible version of Zoom is the platform I use. For one thing, the focus is on you as a person rather than you as an agenda item. You may be surprised at how deep our interactions will be if you’re only accustomed to surface-level online exchanges.

You’ll need a good internet connection and a private place where you can be free from disruptions and distractions, including your phone and other such devices. Therapy is a confidential matter, and you may have to set boundaries with others so they’ll understand how important it is not to violate your privacy by intruding upon it.

We will each need to have two webcams going--that’s one camera per face and one camera per set of hands. This lets us see each other’s expressions and creative process. Phones will not work as cameras in this case--I’ve tried it with horrible results!

You’ll need something like a desktop or laptop computer, which should already come with its own camera, and then you can purchase a secondary webcam. Make sure the second camera rotates in multiple directions and at multiple angles so you can set it up to look at your work surface and hands.

You probably have everything you need. Take a look around your house; how many things can you put to use in a different way? The traditional art materials you might have are great, but the non-traditional materials you haven’t realized you own are going to let us maximize your opportunities for creative problem-solving. I may suggest purchasing/acquiring additional materials as we go, depending on your therapeutic needs and goals.

If you’ve submitted your intake paperwork at least 48 hours prior to the session, I’ll already have a good sense of who you are and the work you want to do together. We can then spend the session clarifying this information and developing goals, reviewing the treatment process in relation to these goals, making sure you’re comfortable with the technology, and exploring the traditional and non-traditional art materials you have access to.

We’ll be evaluating the effectiveness of our sessions at the end of each one, and this will help make sure we’re on track to meet your goals. It’s possible that you’ll notice an improvement in your emotional state within the first five sessions. However, this is only the beginning of the outcome you’re looking for--it’s not the outcome itself. Remaining committed to the process of therapy is important for solidifying the gains you make along the way.

If at any point one or both of us determines that progress isn’t being made, we can reexamine your treatment goals and treatment plan. Making adjustments is a natural part of the therapeutic process, but if these don’t help, we can look at options for connecting you with a different provider so you can achieve the outcome you deserve.

If you‘re ready to ignite your creative spark and burn bright, click on the button below for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to discuss how art therapy can help you stop living in the shadows. I’m happy to share my light with you. I work with adults in Texas, Indiana, and Arizona. You don’t have to face this alone in the dark.