This is a follow-up to my presentation at Fort Mason on Jan 29th, and will be 90% experiential. Come play with the iPad and make art. There’ll be Apple support staff there to help answer any technical related questions, and I’ll be there to answer art therapy related questions too!

Check out the Facebook Event to RSVP.

Diary Drawings: Mental Illness and Me features 711 drawings by performance artist Bobby Baker after being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and Breast Cancer. Read more about it on the Atlantic and you can purchase Bobby’s book through Amazon.

But even more fascinating, is the Guardian’s slideshow by Bobby Baker about her art work and her journey. Bobby baker diary audio slideshow

Hat tip: Sara Windrem—thank you!

In March 2011, I posted about an interesting self-authored book by Dan Rhema, who discusses using art making to heal from a traumatic brain injury.

I was pleased to find out that Dr. David Van Nys interviewed Dan, for one of my favorite psychology shows, Wise Counsel. Listen to his story on iTunes, or from mentalhealth.net.

Take a look at episodes #4 & 5:

Oddly enough, according to AATA, Art Therapy is now a “distinct employment classification” according to the Department of Labor:

“The Association has been working diligently in the past 2 years to add the profession of art therapy to the Bureau of Labor Statistics database as a distinct employment classification.”

Apparently, according to AATA, the definition of a “distinct” profession is to simply be classified at all. But, the meaning of the words and the taxonomy used to describe any given thing defines how we perceive that thing. If Art Therapy is merely a sub-classification, then we’re on a path of public misconception. And once that path is forged is very difficult to gain back ground.

And, while I’m glad that Art Therapist made it onto the list of jobs recognized by the Labor Dept, it’s a blow to the profession that AATA did not come through for and Art Therapy classification that is worthy of the Art Therapy field. To be a certified Recreation Therapist you need a BA. All art therapists at minimum have an MA, and many are PhDs, with specializations in specific psychotherapeutic techniques to treat mental illness and trauma. I’ve worked with several rec therapists, and they all were fly by the seat of their pants when it came to clinical work (if they were even expected to do any clinical work)…because they were not trained in clinical work at the level of an Art Therapist or any other clinician for that matter.

I’m having trouble understanding AATA’s rationale for this decision. Is it that they’ll take what they can get and be happy to be included in the Labor Dept statistics at all? How can they justify Art Therapists needing an MA in order to practice if we’re lumped in with a profession that only requires a BA? Why are they ok with placing the Art Therapy profession on the wrong path? Is it not worth struggling for a longer period of time, but actually being a truly distinct profession, such as Marriage and Family Therapists?

Via the Huffington Post:

“Because we are particularly supportive of charitable efforts to look after veterans and their families, art therapy for wounded warriors is something to really get excited about. In fact, McNee’s art session was a huge success.”

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

Tigers Be Still has great reviews, and even had an extended showing in NYC. But, isn’t it disturbing that the whole basis of the play is that this recent art therapy grad can’t find a job? But, don’t tell that to the educators who claim a large percentage of new grads go on to work in the field.

Anyhow, I missed the play while it was in SF…but if anyone sees it, I’d love to hear a review. Next stop is the Dobama Theatre in Cleveland October 21 – November 13, 2011.

Here’s the Dobama’s description of the play:

Critically acclaimed in its 2010 New York premiere, TIGERS BE STILL is a quirky, endearing and deliciously dark new comedy. Sherry Wickman, a young woman expects the perfect career and life to fall into place immediately upon earning her master’s degree in art therapy. Instead, Sherry finds herself unemployed, overwhelmed and back at home hiding out in her twin-sized childhood bed. But when Sherry gets hired as a substitute art teacher, things begin to brighten up. Now if only her mother would come downstairs, her sister would get off the couch, her very first therapy patient would do just one of his take-home assignments, her new boss would leave his gun at home, and someone would catch the tiger that escaped from the local zoo, everything would be just perfect.