Enter in a bachelor degree program in art therapy, therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2011, the U.S. offers over one hundred academic programs that prepare students for recreational therapy careers, including art therapy. You can also opt for an associate's, master's or doctoral degree in the field.
Choose an art therapy concentration. Take courses in art therapy treatment and art program planning. Enroll in courses that also address intervention and evaluation.
Study physiology, abnormal psychology, medical and psychiatric terminology. Because you will need to teach art therapy students about mental illnesses and disabilities, study characteristics of certain illnesses, such as depression or schizophrenia, as well as disabilities and professional ethics.
Start an internship. If you enroll in a bachelor's degree program, research art therapy internships in your area in which you can participate. Apply for both paid and unpaid positions --- unpaid positions will count toward your program credits (check with your school to verify). Take notes on your experience working with patients and your own personal growth.
Get licensed. Art therapy instructors at the college level, need to have a license. Contact your state's medical board and the institution at which you would like to teach for the latest state license requirements.
Earn a certification. Because the majority of art therapy employers prefer hiring certified therapists, get certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Study for the mandatory written exam. Once you pass the written examination, complete a supervised internship of at least 480 hours. Contact the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification for test dates and other requirements. If you want to earn a general therapy certification and a specific therapy certification for art therapy, take two exams.
Develop ideas for helping clients find an outlet for complex and confusing emotions. In your internship or first job training for an art therapy career, choose art forms that will guide an individual toward recovery. For instance, an incredibly shy patient with depression may benefit from painting alongside you, so she does not feel afraid and can see her creative, capable mind appear on the canvas. When you begin teaching, you can share these methods with students.
Foster self-awareness and self-confidence. In training, get to know a patient through senstive listening and asking acute questions in a caring, positive way. Come up with specific ways to help each client independently. Take notes on methods that help and other less effective practices to share with your future students.