2009 AATA Conference #2

Posted by: Liz on Nov 22, 2009 | No Comments

I’m sitting in the Salt Lake City airport for the next 3 hours (layover) and have access to free wifi. I thought about maybe watching some tv, but then I remembered how busy I was over the past few days, causing me to neglect to discuss the AATA conference since Thursday. I actually got more than 6 hours sleep last night, which was great, so my writing can actually make sense! Between the time difference, the 7am Masters Supervision Groups and the schmoozing with art therapists I connected with through the Art Therapy Alliance and the IATO, I was pooped.

Why does AATA schedule anything before 9am? Seriously.

Some highlights:

I attended a box making workshop, where learned how to fold a box from paper. I love boxes, origami and anything sculptural. This directive has tons of applications and is self-esteem building. Possible metaphors of the box can be containment, safety and inside/outside. The workshop leaders, Maureen Vita MA and Mary Donald ATR-BC, LPC did a fantastic job and they gave attendees a video of how to make the box, which they graciously are allowing me to share with you. I will be posting the video over the next couple of days.

Thank you Maureen and Mary for helping to expand our field of knowledge for free, accessible to all who could not attend the workshop or the conference.

I attended a Panel entitled Inspiring Frontiers in Independent Practice: Creating an Ethical, Practical, and Successful Business hosted by P. Gussie Klorer ATR-BC, Cathy Malchiodi Ph.D., ATR-BC, LPCC, HLM, and Donald Cutcher MA, ATR-BC, LCAT. Boy, was I surprised about the facts and figures of working with managed care and public health insurance, ie: Medicaid. One stat that stood out was given by P. Gussie Klorer, who stated that Medicaid payments in her state (MO, I think?) have not been raised since 1990. Jokes about working at Starbucks followed.

The consensus was, however, that even though it’s difficult to make a private practice worthwhile financially when working with underserved populations, it’s certainly rewarding. I’m sure we can agree that Art therapists do what they do because it’s rewarding.

Also, Cathy discussed other ways of working as a consultant, professor, or at will, which provides different opportunities than a formal private practice.

There was much more to the panel than what I’m prepared to write about here. I suggest that art therapists interested in private practice, attend workshops or classes similar to this panel to gauge the reality of the work in the city/state that they live.

Adam Blatner M.D. presented a General Session entitled Mandala Making in Clinical Practice and Everyday Life. How could I not enjoy a session that included the humorous cartooning of a rather interesting doctor discussing mandalas?

Check out Dr. Blatner’s presentation here.

Going to the Drexel reunion and seeing Ron Hayes was a special moment for me. Ron recently retired from his position as faculty member of the Creative Arts in Therapy Department at Drexel University. He taught several classes to my cohort (and many others before me). We grew to love and appreciate his colorful ties, giant bottles of diet coke, his insightful and empathetic way of teaching and his jovial way of being. Other career highlights include his involvement in advocating for art therapists to become licensed in the state of Pennsylvania.

Since moving away from Philadelphia, I have not seen him and I fear he may not make it to the next conference in Sacramento. So happy I had the chance to say hello.