WHAT IS ART THERAPY?

Art Therapy offers an opportunity to...

... explore personal problems and potentials through verbal and non-verbal expression and to develop physical, emotional and/or learning skills through therapeutic art experiences. Although visual forms of expression have been basic to societies throughout recorded history, art therapy emerged as a profession in the 1930's.

Therapy through art recognizes art processes, forms, content, and associations as reflections of an individuals development, abilities, personality, interests and concerns. The use of art as therapy implies that the creative process can be a means both of reconciling emotional conflicts and of fostering self-awareness and personal growth. In addition to its use in treatment, it may be used in assessment and evaluation of adults, adolescents, children, couples, families, groups, and communities.

The Northern California Art Therapy Association (NorCATA) is dedicated to representing art therapists from an educational, professional development, training, and political action standpoint.  In addition, NorCATA will pursue the highest professional and ethical standards to protect the public that it serves.