Ie wrote this paper during my first semester at Ursuline College. I am now in my second to last semester and think it's important to look back and understand how to obtain the credentials I have worked hard to get.
It is essential to know and understand all that is required to become an art therapist or counselor. As a future counselor and art therapist, it is important to be fully knowledgeable and know the process it takes to obtain these credentials. In this post, I will discuss the requirement the Art Therapy Credential Board has for art therapists and the requirements the Ohio Counseling Licensure Board has for its counselors.
Ohio Counseling Licensure Board
According to the Ohio Counseling Licensure Board website, you can become a Counselor Trainee, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervision Designation. Becoming a Counselor Trainee (CT) is an opportunity student might take to complete practicum or internship requirements. Those who want to be a CT need to apply and provide proof of current or future enrollment. The CT status is required to be updated each academic term and is supervised by an LPC-S or LPCC-S. To become a counselor, one aims to get a master's in a mental health counseling program that is CACREP-accredited. To become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), you must complete an online LPC application, if you attend a CACREP accredited school you also need a letter from the school stating graduation term. A transcript is required if the school is not CACREP. An LPC licensure application requires NCE test results, Official transcripts, BCI and FBI criminal record check, LPC application, and watch laws and rule video. Someone with an LPC might want to move on an upgrade to a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). An LPCC requires two years of training in which you will be supervised by an LPCC-S, a minimum of 1,500 hours of experience, and an application for LPCC licensure. Lastly, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervision Designation (LPCC-S) is someone who supervises LPC, LPCC, or CT. To obtain supervision designation you have 30 hours of continued education and the supervisors help to improve supervisees as well as their own skills in supervising.
Art Therapy Credential Board
To become an art therapist, you must obtain a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree in art therapy. Currently, there is no licensure for art therapist alone, but one might get a counseling master’s and dual it with art therapy. To be an art therapist you must first complete schooling and apply to be certified with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). One option is to become a Registered Art Therapist-Provisional, this is where someone works and practices under a supervisor. ATR-P is not required to become a Registered Art Therapist. To become a Registered Art Therapist (ATR), you must comply with the ATCB Code of Ethics, Conduct, and Disciplinary, pay annual maintenance fees and complete the renewal process every year. You also need to have at least 1,000 post-education client contact hours and 100 hours of supervision. After becoming a Registered Art Therapist, you might want to go further and become Board Certified. You must take and pass the ATCB Board Certification Exam and apply online to become board certified. Someone who is a Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC), must complete all requirements for ATR, as well as recertify every five years, comply with an audit of continued education, and obtain a minimum of 100 hours of continued education. You must maintain an ATR-BC to become an Art Therapy Certified Supervisor (ATCS). As a certified supervisor, you supervise other art therapists. To be an ATCS, you are required to accumulate a minimum of 10 hours of continued education in theory and technique as well as what is required of ATR and ATR-BC.
My Plan
By collecting the information above I feel I have more knowledge and understanding to make a reasonable plan for myself. I have already become a Counselor Trainee through the Ohio Counseling Licensure Board. After graduating, I want to apply for my LPC and take the NCE test. I would also apply to the Art Therapy Credential Board for the Provisional Registered Art Therapist (ATR-P) while I am practicing art therapy under a supervisor and obtaining my hours. After my required hours are complete, I would apply to be a Registered Art Therapist and then eventually go for the highest-level art therapy credential and become board certified. To become board certified I must wait for one of the two national examinations days that happen a year and hopefully pass the first try.
Conclusion
It is important to plan and be well informed about the future. These titles are important, and both boards want to be sure, those who are accepted will hold the values they represent and bring good art therapists and counselors into the world. Personally, the process is a little intimidating and scary. There are a lot of steps and fear does creep in, but overall, I feel confident that I will be successful and be a part of both the art therapy and counseling community. The Art Therapy Credential Board and the Ohio Counseling Licensure Board both have very important jobs and the steps required are important for those interested in either. This research has helped form a plan for my future, I plan to stay knowledgeable about my options and develop my own identity within these fields.
References
ATCB. (2018). ATCB - Art Therapy Credentials Board. Retrieved from http://www.atcb.org/
Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board Home. (2018). Retrieved from http://cswmft.ohio.gov/
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