Choosing your path: REAT® or REACE®?

Obtaining a Professional Credential

To become a REACE® , an IEATA member must meet rigorous standards and be approved through an application process.

Documentation is required for education, training, work experience, case studies, letters of reference, and other documentation–and applicants must agree to abide by our REACE® Code of Ethics.

To become a REAT®, an IEATA member must meet rigorous criteria – including education and training, experience, demonstrated competencies, personal engagement in expressive arts therapy and letters of reference – and agree to abide by our REAT® Code of Ethics.

How to choose between a REAT® or REACE®

The REACE® Professional Credential is designed for those who offer teaching and consulting across a wide spectrum of disciplines such as education, coaching, workshops, healthcare, hospice, peace building, organization development, cultural change, non-profit, spiritual development, conflict resolution, etc. While a REACE’s work may be of therapeutic value, it is not psychotherapy.

The REAT® Professional Credential is designed for those who use the expressive arts in therapy, social work and counseling. This work is focused on or includes using expressive arts in psychotherapy. Applicants must demonstrate an “in-depth understanding of human development and psychological growth.”

Intermodal Expressive Art Approach

REACE® work is both multimodal, which we define as having a fluency in multiple expressive arts processes and intermodal which we define as layering and sequencing two or more expressive arts modalities (such as visual art, movement, writing, music/sound, drama, etc). A REACE® facilitates integrative processes that follow a creative thread through multiple expressive arts modalities which is therapeutic but not psychotherapy

The REAT® Professional Credential track is designed for those who combine expressive arts in therapy, within their session of psychotherapy, social work, coaching or counseling. In other words, the practitioner combines the arts, ie., drama, music, movement, visual art, etc. in offering the multi-modal (EXA) approach in their sessions with clients. Applicants demonstrate a deep understanding of how to include multiple art forms within a therapeutic session.

Pathways

FORMAL PATHWAY: (Master’s Degree in specific-fields) or INFORMAL PATHWAY (no master’s degree). The candidates will have a broad spectrum of educational and work backgrounds.

A Master’s or PhD Degree (with supervised clinical training). See ieata.org REAT® requirements and application for more information.

Education

Formal Pathway: A Master’s degree in one of the following fields (it must be clear how this field relates to your work as an Expressive Arts Consultant/Educator): 1) Expressive Arts,  2) Psychology, 3) Education, 4) Educational Psychology, 5) Counseling, 6) Spiritual Development or Pastoral Field, 7) Social Work, 8) Business Management, 9) Organizational Development, 10)  Any of the Creative Arts.

Other master’s degrees many qualify but there must be evidence that this degree relates to the expressive arts.

1) Master’s Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy, or 2) Master’s degree in Psychology or related counseling discipline, plus training in expressive arts therapy, or 3) Master’s Degree in Fine Arts Plus Training in Expressive Arts Therapy and Therapeutic Process or 4) Doctoral degree in expressive arts therapy. All degrees must include supervised clinical training.

Additional Training

FORMAL AND INFORMAL PATHWAYS:  Applicant must show proof of an additional 200 hours of training in multimodal or intermodal expressive arts. This may be through a training /educational program or a collection of relevant trainings taught by a REACE® or someone with equivalent experience and qualifications.

See work experience below.

Work experience

FORMAL PATHWAY: In addition to the Master’s degree, 1200 hours of related work experience is required.

INFORMAL PATHWAY: Where no Master’s degree exists, a total of 2500 hours of expressive arts consulting and education work experience is required.

NOTE: Expressive arts therapy hours do not count towards the REACE® credential so should not be included.

1,000 hours post-masters supervised experience. Employment can also be post-masters non-paid internship.

Other requirements

Formal application process — see the REACE® application here.

Formal application process — see the REAT® application here.