Art Therapy Graduates See Continued Success, Demand
With recent renewed attention on the subject of mental health both locally and nationally, Dana Elmendorf, Program Director of the Seton Hill Graduate Art Therapy with Specialization in Counseling Program, talks about the success and demand for graduates of Seton Hill's art therapy programs in this Q&A.
Elmendorf, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, is involved in the American Art Therapy Association which had their national conference in Pittsburgh this year, and also volunteers her time to work with Ukrainian art therapists on a bi-monthly basis. The Ukrainian initiative is funded and coordinated by a Pittsburgh-based company, DT Care, and brings the team from across Ukraine together virtually and, with a translator, provides support, ideas and encouragement. Prior to joining the Seton Hill faculty full-time, she provided art therapy and counseling services in a variety of settings which included homeless and domestic violence shelters, geriatric partial programs, community mental health centers for adults managing mental illness and inpatient psychiatric facilities focusing on behavioral health.
How has mental health awareness increased in the last few years (since the pandemic) and how has that impacted the field of art therapy?
Although the COVID-19 pandemic increased the prevalence of mental health issues, it also fostered more open dialogue and awareness about mental health and wellness, normalized the search for help with these kinds of issues, and even challenged us to re-examine how care options are structured in order to promote inclusive and equal access for all communities.
Several changes in healthcare have occurred since 2008, with more people having health insurance that covers mental health and substance use disorder care. With the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, more people have health insurance coverage – and telehealth options have increased ease and accessibility in meeting with a therapist.
Art therapy is gaining in popularity not only because of the growing body of research that demonstrates its effectiveness, but also because of its role in integrating talk therapy with non-verbal communication tools and approaches that foster emotional regulation and nervous system regulation, both important parts of trauma-informed care.
The biological connection between art, the brain and the body is now better understood through the work of neuropsychology along with the role of art in fostering communication and social connection for needs that are now better understood such as with people who are neurodivergent or people with dementia.
As a wider range of people seek mental health services, needs that were not being fully addressed by primarily verbal talk therapy are able to be incorporated into a plan of mental, emotional and social wellness that uses active art-making, sensory materials, expressive processes and applied psychological theory.
Why has awareness/participation in art therapy increased in the local area?
A few years ago there was a reduction in the number of providers of mental health services in the region due to the closure of several agencies. This resulted in a shortage of providers and long wait lists. This situation has now improved due to increased funding and coordination of services to phase in a broader range of innovative services. There remains, however, a critical need for services that address complex cases and trauma-informed care and the skills our graduates possess are being sought out.
There has also been significant investment at the state level to provide funding for mental health counselors in schools, and art therapists have become part of the teams that are providing local school-based mental health services. And generally, more people are seeking out mental health services, which has in turn impacted participation in art therapy.
I would like to applaud the many Seton Hill art therapy graduates who are spreading the word, doing the work, and even opening new programs in the area. They are truly part of transforming the world and we could not be more proud of them. I often say that my job is to get out of their way, as they are doing beautiful work beyond what I could ever imagine.
How have the opportunities for art therapy graduates changed or increased?
Art therapy is a clinical mental health profession, and art therapists are credentialed with state licensure and national board-certification processes. While there are many ways that individuals can use artmaking on their own for well-being, it is important to work with a master's level trained and credentialed art therapist for more significant concerns. The profile of the profession is rising, with jobs projected to grow at a significant rate. By 2033, employment growth in mental health professions is expected to triple that of average job growth in the U.S., according to a CNN analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Our program graduates have an excellent job placement rate; part of this success is due in part to the nature of our degree: a masters in Art Therapy with a Specialization in Counseling.
Students are dual-trained in both art-based and verbal approaches, and employers in turn see the value in their training and realize it can be applied to a wide range of work. We have also seen an increase in internship sites go on to hire our graduates as well, as they experience the benefit of our student's work after having them on board as an intern for 700 hours over nine months.
One challenge is that the counseling profession, under which we are licensed as mental health providers in Pennsylvania and many other states, has begun to change its regulations in some states, making it harder to become a licensed counselor there under our curriculum and program design. Fortunately, Pennsylvania remains a very positive and accessible state for our graduates to obtain the counseling license. At the same time, there has been a substantial increase in the number of states offering an art therapy specific license (now 14!) and our graduates are fully prepared for this sort of credentialing, along with their board certification.
Seton Hill also has an undergraduate pre-art therapy major, which offers a wonderful education to students either wanting to go on to graduate school in a variety of fields or who seek employment with their bachelor's level training in human service or community arts settings. Many of our undergraduate students in the pre-art therapy major are working in a variety of human service and education settings in the region, or have gone on to graduate school.
What brings students into the program? How has that changed?
Students have always come here to make a difference in the world, and to build a career doing it. Greensburg is being viewed as a very livable city, with affordable housing and an exciting food and art scene that draws young professionals to stay.
The location so close to Pittsburgh also draws students. We were thrilled that for the first time the national conference of the American Art Therapy Association was held in Pittsburgh in October 2024! Many people mentioned to me that they found the city beautiful and did not realize we had such an energetic and strong art therapy community here. Our graduates did a wonderful job as they made many presentations and were part of the local planning, and represented Seton Hill as they talked to people there.
As life has become more expensive, our program design – which encourages students to work while attending three classes a term – has proven user friendly. One of our students recently obtained tuition reimbursement from their employer, and another is buying a home nearby in order to feel more settled. The cost of living and our program design make a work-study-life balance doable.
The beautiful art facilities and access to such a rich art environment are another draw. While the students do get extremely busy with limited time for their own artmaking, many classes include artmaking as a "lab" experience where we explore material and approaches we might use with clients, and the classrooms are very well stocked with supplies and space for artmaking.
In addition, all studios in the art building, such as the clay studio, are available during free times or term breaks and summer. People come to the program so that they can not only build their skills in counseling, but also remain connected to their art self and art-based ways of knowing.
Where are our graduates working?
Our more recent graduates have found work at these places of employment over the last two years:
- Adelphoi
- Anise Health
- Awareness & Wellness Center
- Center for Victims
- Grace Wellness Center
- Innersight Wellness
- SPHS Behavioral Health
- The Bair Foundation
- The Watson Institute
- Forge Health
- Recovery Centers of America
- Mathilda Theiss Early Childhood Mental Health Trauma Treatment Center
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic