Education 

 

• Must meet one of the standards described in category A, B, C or D below.

• If education has been obtained from an educational institute or program that is not state-accredited, the institute must include an official course syllabus for the program.

• Transcripts must be official and can be sent to IEATA two ways. 1) They may be sent electronically to REAT@ieata.org, or 2) mailed to IEATA in a sealed envelope, with the signature of the registrar or other designated official across the back seal.

 

Definition of Expressive Art Therapy Institute:

 

• Was founded by or currently has courses/classes taught by a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist REAT® with IEATA and…

• Has facilitators/instructors who had training and experience as a creative or expressive arts therapist with equivalent qualifications set forth in IEATA's general registration Standards and Requirements of REAT®.

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Category A:

A Master’s Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy or equivalency in a Creative Arts Therapy Program.

 

Supervision Requirement (both bullet points apply):

• 500 hours practicum of supervised clinical work

 

• 50 hours of supervised individual clinical session
                              or

       100 hours of supervised group clinical session

                                   or

       a combination of individual and group sessions

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Demonstration of Arts Practice and Involvement

• Programs that include arts courses

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Category B:

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A Master’s Degree in Psychology, Educational Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Related Mental Health Discipline

                                 PLUS

Completion of training in one or several professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes 

 

Art Therapy Institute Supervision Requirement (both bullet points apply):

• 200 hours of supervised clinical practicum

• 25 hours of individual supervisory sessions,

                                   or

       50 hours of group supervisory sessions

                                   or

        combination of individual & group supervisory sessions

 

Demonstration of arts practice and involvement.

• Programs that include arts courses

 

Category C:

 

A Master’s Degree in Fine Arts (music, visual arts, dance, drama, etc.)

                                 PLUS

Completion of training in one or several professional Expressive Arts Therapy Institutes (program must include study of Psychology ie. theory, development, disorders, and assessment)

 

Art Therapy Institute Supervision Requirement (both bullet points apply):

• 500 hours of supervised clinical Practicum (internship)

• 50 hours of individual supervisory sessions

                                   or

       100 hours of group supervisory sessions

                                   or

       combination of individual & group supervisory sessions

 

Continuing Education in General Therapy & Psychology

• See “Competencies – Section B”

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Category D:

 

Doctoral Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy or equivalency in a Creative Arts Therapy Program

 

Supervision Requirement (both bullet points apply):

• 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practicum work

• 100 hours of individual supervisory sessions

                                   or

       200 hours of group supervisory sessions

                                   or

       combination of individual & group supervisory sessions

 

Demonstration of arts practice and involvement.

• Programs that include arts courses

 

Category E:

 

Exceptional Category

 

This category has been added for those individuals who began acquiring their post-masters/post-doctoral experience without supervision from an expressive arts or creative arts therapist because there were none available at the time.

 

Applicant must:

 

• have exceptional professional qualifications

• have practiced expressive arts therapy for a minimum of (15) years, post masters, and

• have demonstrated a clear contribution to the field and are highly respected by their peers in the profession and can demonstrate this by publications, videos, brochures, testimonies, awards, etc.

• Applicants will demonstrate arts practice involvement and must fulfill one of the four educational categories above (A, B, C, or D)

• Applicants will document both practicum, and clinical supervision hours obtained, if any.

​

View additional guidelines within the Exceptional Category REAT Application by clicking HERE.

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Experience

​

Post Graduate Experience must have been acquired after completion of categories A, B, C or D (post-graduate), and must include the following:

 

• 1,000 direct client hours of supervised clinical experience (equal to approximately 20 hours per week for 12 months), or an equivalent time over a longer period of time, not to exceed 48 months (or four years)

• 50 hours of individual supervised sessions or

       100 hours of group supervisory sessions

                                 or

       combined individual and supervised sessions

 

For a definition of “Supervision” click HERE  

 

*For Category E (Exceptional Category) only – must have 15+ years experience
 

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Competencies

​

A clear demonstration that all three required competencies (A, B and C below) have been met. This will be documented in the:

 

1)  Narrative Statements (Philosophical & Autobiography)

2)  Transcripts

3)  University or Institute Course descriptions

 

 

A. Expressive Arts Therapy

 

The applicant must fulfill 3 of the 4 following categories with a minimum of 25 hours of coursework/instruction per category: 

 

1) Individual Expressive Arts Therapy Process – coursework

 

2) Group Expressive Arts Therapy Process – coursework

 

3) Application of Expressive Arts Therapy:

How the applicant applies multimodal arts therapy to address client issues and meet the needs of their client given their experience with the arts and diagnosis.

 

4) Approaches to, or styles of, multimodal or intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy in practice and study:                Various approaches used by the applicant in integrating multi-arts in therapy.

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B. General Therapy

 

The applicant must fulfill 3 of the 4 following categories with a minimum of 25 hours of coursework/instruction per category:  

 

1) Ethics/Professional Practice

 

2) Personal Styles (e.g., personality theory)

 

3) Psychopathology

 

4) Development (child and adult)

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C. The Arts

 

Address the following areas:

• Arts Practice. Describe your ongoing involvement with an art(s) in your narrative and in any included video, audio or artistic representations included in application.

• Combination of coursework and personal hours spent on professional and personal development in the arts. A minimum total of 50 hours of participation is required and must be documented in the narratives, transcript(s), and course description(s).

​

​

Personal Expressive Arts Therapy

 

NOTE: As of 2015, personal expressive arts therapy is no longer required to receive Registration.

 

IEATA highly recommends personal expressive arts therapy both as self-care and a means of 'first-hand' knowledge of the client's perspective of this work. Please include comments about any personal expressive arts therapy in your autobiographical statement.

​

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Autobiographical Statement

 

The essential background and training elements of a seasoned Expressive Arts Therapist include personal experience and artistic and psychological competencies. To understand and review these elements of an applicant’s professional experience, we require a minimum five-page essay (typed and double-spaced), which should include the following:

 

An autobiographical statement describing applicant’s experience and mastery in the arts, including present work, certifications and credentials from other associations, personal therapy, special awards, publications, and other related information.

​

​

Philosophy of Expressive Arts Therapy

​

Our field is defining itself through our many voices. This category provides an opportunity for you to crystallize your ideas and describe your practice. Please include thoughts about major influences of the arts in your life, images and concepts that inform your work and your approach or style of practice. Include any examples of your work that will help us to understand your philosophy; add clear and defined examples of how you use the arts integratively (multimodality and intermodally) with your clients.

 

• We require your written statement to be a minimum of five pages (typed and double-spaced) and it must include 1 CASE STUDY involving expressive arts.

 

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Two Letters of Reference

 

The letters of reference can be from your supervisor who is a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Registered Creative Arts Therapist, or Licensed Mental Health Professional with a background in the arts, including your supervisor from pre-master’s degree and/or post-master’s degree experience.

 

These are the individuals who are familiar with your work and progress and have witnessed your professional development in the therapeutic environment.

 

The letters of reference CANNOT be from your personal therapist.

​

 

REAT Code of Ethics

​

In order to become a REAT®  you must agree to the REAT®  Code of Ethics upon Approval of your application. Please read the code of ethics and make sure to initial the section on the application, that you have read and understand the oath and that you will agree to the code upon confirmation.

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Continuing Education Requirement (Effective September 1, 2024): 

REAT Expressive Arts Therapy Continuing Education (EXA CE) includes activities that enhance the professional REAT’s knowledge and competence. REAT EXA CE hours reflect the actual clock hours of participation in any activity.

ALL REAT’s are responsible for obtaining new CE’s following the first year of obtaining initial REAT Registration beginning September 1, 2024, upon REAT’s designated renewal date. REAT’s can check with the course instructor, institution or person(s) offering REAT EXA CE’s to make sure the education meets the criteria below.

Click HERE for the full Continuing Education Requirement. All questions regarding EXA CE’s can be directed to the REAT Co-Chair’s at reat@ieata.org.

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Exceptional Category Applicants: You may not have had an expressive arts or creative arts supervisor, but you will still need to include references from prior supervisors, colleagues, and teachers in the Mental Health Profession. Remember that you will need five letters of reference if applying under this category. The individuals must be familiar with your skills and reputation as an Expressive Arts Therapist, with at least two of the references being past supervisors.

 

 

Where To Go From Here

​

• Click here to go to our application page

• Click here to read the REAT®  Code of Ethics

• COMING SOON - “Helpful Definitions and Clarifications for the REAT®  Application Process”

• Click HERE for a PDF document to track your supervision hours.