What Is Art Therapy?

If we are not trying something new and sharing it with an appreciative audience then we feel disconnected from our creativity. We may even be heard saying, “I’m not creative.”

If you are alive you are creative. Perhaps our work may focus on changing your perception of self worth and learning to ask others to rise to the occasion of knowing who you really are. Psychologist Jean Piaget believed "play is the answer to how anything new comes about."  Yet, creativity is where play, joy and work interact: we can use this as a framework for application in many aspects of our life.

If you’re aware enough to recognize achievement in others then you’ve achieved skill, too. Let’s celebrate that and work with it. I don’t limit our work to drawing and painting ... we can get as messy or stay as refined as you feel comfortable.

Come learn the basics and experiment. Art Supplies are provided, or you can bring your own project. Art Therapy affirms the fact that at the age of 3 we were all artists and we still are. Discover how art materials have inherent properties that regulate emotion through movement and sensory experiences; these lend to perceptual shifts of how we see ourselves and how others see us. Your exploration of the unknown isn’t a waste; it’s where the real treasure resides.

Art Therapy is work focused on you, but it can be fun. Johanes Itten said, “Play becomes Joy; Joy becomes Work; Work becomes Play.” My teachers’ lessons are never forgotten, and I am grateful to pass their legacy on to you. I am a graduate of New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education, Culture and Human Development where a tradition of service to the betterment of others is a commitment that I am proud to honor.

I am delighted to discuss my work, experience and techniques. Please contact me if you would like to know more.  Joseph Jaworek, MA, ATR-BC, NJ LPAT  tel. 520.665.8891

Art therapy is a mental health profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. A goal in art therapy is to improve or restore a client’s functioning and his or her sense of personal well-being. Art therapy practice requires knowledge of visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms) and the creative process, as well as of human development, psychological, and counseling theories and techniques.  

Art therapy is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, forensic, wellness, private practice and community settings with diverse client populations in individual, couples, family, and group therapy formats. Art therapy is an effective treatment for people experiencing developmental, medical, educational, and social or psychological impairment. Individuals who benefit from art therapy include those who have survived trauma resulting from combat, abuse, and natural disaster; persons with adverse physical health conditions such as cancer, traumatic brain injury, and other health disability; and persons with autism, dementia, depression, and other disorders. Art therapy helps people resolve conflicts, improve interpersonal skills, manage problematic behaviors, reduce negative stress, and achieve personal insight. Art therapy also provides an opportunity to enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of art making.

For more information visit the American Art Therapy Association at www.arttherpy.org

 Art therapists are trained in both art and therapy. The process isn't an art lesson - it is grounded in the knowledge of human development, psychological theories and counseling techniques - and yet it isn't counseling because it includes the inherent healing properties of art making.  Art therapy is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational and forensic settings - as well as in private practice, in workshops and small-group settings. Clients come from all walks of life, facing a full array of challenges. Individuals, couples, families and groups can all benefit from various art therapy formats. Art therapy is an effective treatment for persons experiencing developmental, medical, educational, social or psychological impairment. A key goal in art therapy is to improve or restore the client's functioning and his/her sense of personal well being. 

An ATR (Registered Art Therapist) and an ATR-BC (Board Certified Art Therapist) are credentials given to qualified mental health professionals.  A master's degree is required for entry-level practice in art therapy.  The Art Therapy Credentials Board ensures the educational and professional standards needed to be a qualified art therapist are met and maintained - essential in any human services field.  Registered Art Therapist (ATR) is the credential that ensures an art therapist has successfully completed specific graduate-level education in art therapy and gained supervised, post-graduate clinical experience. Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) is the highest-level art therapy credential. ATR-BCs pass a national examination, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of the theories and clinical skills used in art therapy.  For more information visit the Art Therapy Credentials Board at https://www.atcb.org

All services provided are in the form of "Creative Coaching" in all locations, unless you live and reside in the State of New Jersey or other Jurisdictions recognizing my national credential or licensing. I do not represent providing "Art Therapy" in territories or locations where it is prohibited by State or National licensing laws. In all cases the service provided is "Creative Coaching" UNLESS specific contractual materials are agreed upon and signed by both parties. 

NJ LPAT - The designation of New Jersey Licensed Professional Art Therapist is a specific license to practice the profession of Art Therapy in the State of New Jersey. Joseph Jaworek is a licensee holder to practice mental health therapy and services under the Uniform Code of NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE TITLE 13 LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPTER 45C. This license is applicable in that jurisdiction, as well as with individuals residing and claiming to sovereign jurisdictions, tribes or nations (i.e. those tribes and countries that honor licenses from any other state). ONLY IN THESE JURISDICTIONS may "Art Therapy" be provided by Joseph Jaworek, and only so long as both the therapist and client have signed such agreement for services.

For more information on my license to practice Art Therapy visit the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Creative Arts and Activities Therapies  https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/art

Our work together by videoconference is in 60-minute sessions and my fee is $125 per "Creative Coaching" session. Payment must  be made through scheduling portal prior to our appointment.

I do not accept insurance as a form of payment, and I do not guarantee insurance reimbursement. 

I am delighted to discuss my work, experience and techniques. Please contact me if you would like to know more.  Joseph Jaworek, MA, ATR-BC, NJ LPAT  tel. 520.665.8891